Government could do most for the poor by getting out of the way of all.
Case in point. This week one of my friends who lives up in the mountains organized a few professionals and enlisted the help of Home Depot to donate and then install a hot water heater and connect both hot and cold water to some people who are in really dire shape. They also delivered firewood for the wood stove which will help keep the house warm but not like where you live. Home Depot one of the dreaded robber baron corporations donated the water heater and the skirting to help protect the new pipes from the cold weather.
These folks live in a place you wouldn’t let your dog live in. They have two small kids and the husband is out of work but trying desparately to find something.
No legislation had to get passed, no public funding had to be used, no new government employees had to be hired. No taxes had to be raised. For God’s sakes don’t tell Obama.