Why don't conservatives see that welfare programs are good for society as a whole?

[Minimalist]

The problem as I see it is that the government isn't properly accountable.

Not sure how it is over there but over here the first thing the conservatives do when they get a chance is cut funding for the inspectors who investigate fraud. Then they bitch and moan about all the "fraud" and the stories are usually apocryphal and circulated via the internet!

We see the same shit with the Child Welfare office. They cut the staff, increase the caseload to absurd levels and then when there is an incident blame "government" for not doing the job.