Question

In the United States, the federal government pays for a considerably larger share of social welfare spending (i.e., spending on social insurance programs to help low-income, disabled, or elderly people) than it does for education spending for grades K–12. Similarly, state and local governments provide a larger share of education spending and a smaller share of welfare spending. Is this a coincidence, or can you think of a reason for why this might be so?

Answer 1

The mainstay reasons behind such differences in spending patterns of federal and state, local govt are because of their priorities :
While among the total , two thirds of the money is spent by the federal government, while only the third of money is spent by state and local government.
Thus the large amount to be spent by federal govt is aimed to covrr the major aspects of the society for providing benefits to larger sector of society and for covering the major aspects.

The Federal govt spending pattern :
The federal govt's spending has been divided into three main categories
1 ) Mandatory or Entitlement spending
2) Discretionary spending
3) Interest on govt debt

Under mandatory programs the federal govt ensures to cover the following areas:
1) Social security through retirement plans , financial support to senior citizens through formulating certain programs
2) Health care: the spending of federal govt is largely concentrated in Medicare and Medicaid programs Providing health insirance to elderly and low income people of US.
3) Security of Income : through Assisting disabled people, formylating special laws in their favour and Ensuring food and nutrition to the children in US.

Due to covering of these areas federal government is said to concentrate on social welfare as all these areas form the main concern of federal govt. , thus included under the mandatory or entitlement spending.
Moreover this prefetence could be also beacuse of the motive of federal govt in decreasing the death tolls due to insufficient health care. Thus focuses on health care benefits more than education
Education comes under discretionary spending of federal government , so it cannot be said it just focuses on social welfare .....it's just the priority differs

The reason is health was the main concern in US after world war 1 and wirld war 2 , due to increase in epidemics and spread of diseases.
Since the more amount of funds were under the federal govt thus it made addressing the helath care of US as its main priority to control the deaths and ensure nutrition to babies.

State and local govt : spending patterns :
State and local govt in the recent times has accounted for less than one half of government spending.
The state and local govt tends to almost keep a total of $54.2 on K12 education, and almost $15.4 on higher education which accounts a total of 38% forming the most spend amount among total.
Thus state, local prioritizes the education and fulfilling the infrastructure needs for instititions.

One such reason behind it that i can provide , as the state considers education as its priority because the state and local govt is directly in contact with the regional developments and lack of infrastructure in the state or loacality , The govt can understand the issues of students facing more appropriately than federal govt. Therefore they can address to the issues in improving the educational conditions more closely as possible .

Thankyou

Hope i explained well

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