Pot. Kettle. Black.
I don't agree with the current way a lot of Western countries run their welfare system, but I do agree that their needs to be some type of welfare system. As pointed out, it is a cost benefit in that no welfare will lead to greater crime and criminals in gaol do cost the government more in the long run. Not sure how it works in the USA, but I was watching a show recently on juvenile offenders in Australia. One juvenile offender can cost up to $500,000 a year before they end up inside once you factor in all costs from police to legal services to court time to etc, etc. And you talk about the Western world being broke already. Putting more people into the criminal system will cost you more.
Actually Australia's economy is doing pretty well, perhaps if the USA toned down its already absurd spending in the military, your economy wouldn't be so far up the proverbial creek. Another stat for you, the amount of money the USA spends on the military each year could build 1 training hospital every day for a year. But that is probably a discussion for a different thread :P
And just because I disagree with you, doesn't mean I support open slather on welfare spending either. Just need to reinforce that point.