A reader writes:
I think this was a cheap shot. "Welfare" to me implies a long-term program of handing out cash with no end in sight (regardless of color). "Aid to the poor" suggests short-term aid to help someone get back on their feet (regardless of color). The Welfare recipient in one's mind is someone who would rather take cash from the government than go out and find a job. To think it is race-based means you watch too many movies.