The problem is that the purpose of entitlements is about buying voters for democrats. Helping those in need is really just secondary.
A sea change in popular attitude will be needed.
And also we have to end the trend of welfare for general society equating to welfare for politicians. That kind of beast will grow without limit, like a cancer, until it brings a society to its knees.
When we point to the latest socialist basket cases, like Venezuela, this is probably a point that doesn’t get as much attention as it deserves.
What brought Venezuela down wasn’t even the bennies to the people, as much of a load as that was. It was the bennies to the politicians who made a career out of handing out bennies to the people.
Secular welfare states end up paralyzing themselves with bureaucracy to administer it.