The gap between the poor and the not poor is not evident in Social Security, but it is apparent in almost all other elements of social policy in the United States and in most other countries as well. Especially in the United States, that dual pattern makes the politics of social policy very difficult for reformers, as the political struggle quickly translates into a conflict between the haves and the have-nots. The struggle is exacerbated when the economy is not growing, so that benefits for the poor are perceived as directly reducing the standard of living of the middle classes. Even during periods of affluence, there are always alternative uses for money that might be spent on social programs.

        A large number of rather diverse social service programs are held together by an overriding concern with individual needs and conditions, some economic and some personal. The programs that have been tried and remain in operation represent attempts by government to improve the conditions of its citizens, although they are by no means entirely satisfactory solutions for those conditions. Several have been as unpopular with their clients as with the taxpayers who fund them. This chapter has described some approaches to modifying existing programs as well as some more sweeping proposals that might benefit both government finances and program clients. Social problems will not go away; if anything, the first years of the 21st century have brought increasing demands for services. What must be found is a means of providing adequate benefits through a humane mechanism that will not bankrupt the taxpayers. This is no easy task, but it is one that policymakers must address.