The Problem of Increasing Entitlements

Question - Which would more effectively address the problem of increasing entitlement rolls? Should we address making welfare less attractive, ceteris paribus (all other things being equal), or making gains greater?

Response - Government bureaus may do both. Welfare may be made less attractive by decreasing benefits (like limits on what the money may be spent on) and adding costs (like job-hunting requirements). Gains may be made greater by some combination of industry deregulation and subsidized education/vocational training.

Making welfare less attractive is most likely the easiest goal to accomplish.

Deregulation will help improve gains by lowering the cost of entry into a wide variety of fields. However, these fields are currently vested interests for many and, as a result, any attempt to liberate these careers will most likely meet very strong and very vocal opposition. As far as subsidized education/vocational training go, I would much rather see this sort of activity on as local a basis as possible.