I have those same concerns about private charities, but government welfare programs don't seem to be the answer. And government is force. I have a major problem with the use of force to help people. Where will it end? If you need a kidney and I am compatible, should the government force me to give you my kidney? If not, why should they force me to give you my hard-earned money? After all, I have another kidney, but the time taken from my life to earn that money is gone and I'll never get it back.

I just don't think we can force people to be nice, or charitable. We can't force the kind-hearted society we'd like to have.

And government has every right, IMO, like a parent, to say "If I support you then you'll live the way I think is right".