We do not want to see the face of the poor. The modern welfare state tempts us into believing that there are shortcuts, that we can have the results of charity without the personal reality of charity. But bureaucratized social programs are no substitute for the giving from one person to another that is the true meaning of charitas. The welfare state tempts its administrators to abuse the system. So long as a potential welfare recipient meets the explicit eligibility criteria, the system's administrator has no choice but to declare him eligible .
Administrators have no authority to distinguish the truly needy from the undeserving.
The welfare system could be re-designed to allow administrators to act on knowledge they might have about a potential recipient's specific situation and character. But doing so would merely shift the temptation for abuse. With increased personal discretion, even a marginally unscrupulous administrator would be tempted to make decisions for inappropriate reasons. Nothing in this Executive Summary should be construed as reflecting the views of The Heartland Institute, nor as an attempt to aid or hinder the passage of any legislation. Click here to see the full study.