I didn't say anything about having social programs just for the sake of having social programs. I've explained the need for reforms to make these programs based on results rather than blanket spending many times.

Moving education to a results based / service learning system would be a good start (having schools with high dropout rates lose funding/accreditation, and gearing curriculae more toward university/job placement). Another one would be mandatory vocational rehabilitation / job placement assistance for those chronic users of unemployment and welfare. Some of these are systems we have now that just aren't being used/enforced to the extent they need to be.