One of the key points about the general welfare clause that most miss, even "Constitutional Scholars" is not the words "general welfare" but rather the words "of the United States." The Congress is NOT to provide for the general welfare of the PEOPLE (a word used dozens of times to explicitly state points about the citizenry) but for the general welfare of the STATES, both individually and collectively. The only way the Federal government could legally provide all the entitlement spending they do is if the phrase read: "The Congress shall have the power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts of the United States, and provide for the general welfare OF THE PEOPLE of the United States..." etc. etc. The phrase obviously says no such thing.