As P. J. O'Rourke says, speaking of something like a total of $200,000(?) per poor person spent by the American welfare system
Per year? If so, that is evidence mostly that your system is ridiculous. When I worked for the Department of Social Security in Australia (who do most welfare payments) in 1991, our running costs were 2% of benefits disbursed (so we were told by our managers).
In this case, I really think a cite for precisely what he was claiming, and his source for it, would be needed.
I'd be really interested to hear what the Less Wrong community thinks of this. Don't spoil it by reading the comments first.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.