Paying for it is easy: Stop spending 3 times as much on our military (http://www.globalissues.org/Geopolitics/ArmsTrade/Spending.asp) as the next 4 spendiest countries combined. If we did that, we'd not only be able to pay for these social programs, we'd probably be able to feed the world for free. We're rich. Why are we so obsessed with hogging the wealth, preferably by the sword?