I don't have the complete and total solution. I just know that any measures put in place should solve problems and make government smaller, not create more problems, cost us more money and make government bigger!!

I can solve the death penalty issue very easily. Once a person is convicted of a crime that would otherwise call for the death penalty, lock them up, segregate them from people, so they can't kill anyone else and let them die in prison. It would be much cheaper for the taxpayer and you never run the risk of killing an innocent person. They can still have all of their appeals, on the chance there was a miscarriage of justice.

The welfare issue is much more complicated. The existing system is like a runaway freight train. It's easy to say, "Just stop it..." it's another thing to actally stop a hundred car freight train. We've created such a class of dependent people, how do you even begin to change their culture? Every bone in my body says it starts with education and family. If these people are not well educated in the basics, they have little or no chance of ever breking the cycle. Black, white, hispanic, it doesn't matter. You simply can't expect anything to change, if they aren't educated and have basic family values. So how about very lucrative incentives for lower class people to graduate high school and go on to college or trade school? How about identifying the zip codes and income levels where poverty and welfare are accepted parts of the culture and giving them incentive to not have kids out of wedlock, to graduate high school, to go to college or trade school? If a person were given a voucher (only can be used for living exenses) for $10K upon high school graduation and free or greatly reduced college / trade school tution, you might see more people striving for it. Once they are educated, there is a greater chance they will break the cycle. eventually, you could put a dent in the number of people on the dole...

Most people will balk at the idea of giving Shaquanda or Roosevelt a chunk of money at high school graduation and free or reduced tution beyond that. But those same people are willing to pay money for more jails and prisons and know damn good and well, at least that much will go towards welfare for that same person, if they aren't educated. Again, the ket is breking the cycle.