I don't think that entitlement programs are a waste.
I think that those, along with military funding other than soldiers, are prone to waste and fraud. Waste in this concept meaning not the best use of the program's money, not "this money should be used exclusively for bumping up <insert department>'s budget."
I think that the government has a responsibility to help those who are temporarily or permanently in need. Temporarily meaning those between jobs but
actually looking. Permanently meaning those who can't fend for themselves (the disabled, the HELP I AM TRAPPED IN 2006 PLEASE SEND A TIME MACHINE, and the elderly).
Those who live off of the government but can better themselves on their own are the real leeches, not those who are in need today but not tomorrow, or those who are missing limbs or marbles or time.
Also, government workers/bureaucrats aren't exactly the best people to make the decisions on who's able and who's not....