It's interesting you say that. I see the situation the opposite way.
Years ago the churches took care of the poor. The government began to take on that responsibility during the depression. The churches supported the government takeover.
As the government's role increased, the number of poor increased. Those looking for handouts joined the poor so we now have that 47% on the dole and half the school children getting free lunch.
You misunderstood my post.
Homeless dude WANTED to work for a meal.
Meadows, instead of giving the homeless man a minor job, gave him free food. Homeless did not have to work for it although he wanted to. This is where meadows acted like the government.
Meadows could have had him sweep or mop the floor, take out the trash or something that would have made the man happy to have earned his meal.
Also, nowhere is there stated who or how the meal was paid for. Did meadows pay for the meal at the cash register or did he just grab one? Easy to give away something when it isn’t yours.