[s1artibartfast]

I hope you realize that the majority of federal and state funding works as you describe with the exception that the benefits are not Universal and targeted at the poor. Wealth transfers from the rich to the poor are at an all-time high.

[xmcqdpt2]

Inequality is also high (when compared to the post war era anyway) so clearly there is plenty of room for more transferring.

[s1artibartfast]

The interesting aspect to me is that the lower inequality wasn't because there were more transfers then.