Which sadly is exactly why it will never go away. The current system gives tremendous power to elected officials to pander to and reward their political supporters.
I laugh every time I hear about the "welfare reform" in the 1990s. Whatever "reform" there may have been, was rendered entirely moot with all the tax-credits that followed. Sure, someone making $20K (or so), may not qualify directly for "welfare", but they do qualify for innumerable tax credits. It's still wealth transfer, only it's more stealthy. I don't think there enough politicians of any stripe who will voluntarily give up that power.
His money, food, and I won't bring up the other one.