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> and vast ...* [citation needed]

Fraud does happen. But it doesn't happen enough for it to be worth setting up an entire bureaucracy to prevent it. Especially if that bureaucracy undermines the value of the program for everyone who's faithfully making use of the services in the intended manner.

More and more, it seems that keeping social welfare programs inefficient is benefiting the people who want to remove them entirely (in favor of lowering taxes).

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I could be wrong, but it is possible that fraud is low because of the bureaucracy

A compelling case to increase bureaucracy made here (from 2011): https://washingtonmonthly.com/magazine/marchapril-2011/more-...

> But it doesn't happen enough for it to be worth setting up an entire bureaucracy to prevent it

But perhaps it would happen vastly more if that bureaucracy wasn't trying to prevent? I don't know, but I suspect there are an awful lot of people who would commit fraud if they thought they'd get away with it.

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