Or is it that no matter how well designed an assistance program is, some people will either take advantage of it or feel entitled to the help? And, more importantly, that people with a political axe to grind will use those people as anecdotal evidence of a non-existent "culture of dependency".
Personally I lean towards that being the likely explanation. Just look at this thread. It's FILLED with people saying we should totally end the free phone program because of the video that started the thread. Forget people for whom a government provided phone is necessary and makes a huge difference in their lives, given that having a phone is a major requirement of being an adult in our society. None of THOSE people are in a video, therefore they must not exist and the "culture of dependency" must be all there is.
I do think there is room for improvement in how these kinds of programs are run. Identifying genuine need is good, but I doubt it's as easy as people think it is. But I don't think the smart alternative is ending them.
I don't think we disagree on any point here with the exception of you stating that there isn't a culture of dependency. I worked in the field, primarily with adolescents, and have seen it firsthand. My wife works with primarily adults and witnesses it at that level too. I think it is one thing to debate all these things as theory, it is another to actually witness it.
One huge mistake I notice both sides making, whether on purpose or not, is to be reactionary to anything the opposition states or upholds. People saying the phone program should be removed due witnessing a video of a woman who seems a bit off is not logical at all. It is an extreme example, and should really not be the cornerstone of an argument. On the other hand, reacting to people reacting to the video by dismissing the idea of a culture of dependency is also a bit reactionary.
On your last statement, I also agree it is a HUGE undertaking. Unfortunately, it seems what happens is that programs are just pushed out to give the pretense of helping people. A good example of this is Obama's healthcare plan. These programs are a necessity in society, but they need to be done right from the outset. Of course, this is much easier said than done. Especially when you have special interest groups and the general corruption of man.