The Splasher of the House sloshed his gavel.
    "This meeting of the House of Representafish of the Denizens of the Amazon River will now come to order," he said.  "This session has been called to resolve a most distressing problem.  As most of you are aware, there has been an alarming decline in the Amazonian food supply of late.  It is our duty to discover the causes of this problem and to pass legislation to root them out."
    "That's a no-brainer," said the Representafish from Headwaters.  "Which is a good thing, since our brains are so tiny.  It's the piranha.  They eat everything in sight and never stop for anything.  A more ravenous ..."
    There was a soft swoosh as a swarm of piranha surrounded the speaker.  When they dispersed a moment later, he had disappeared.
    The lead piranha burped, smiled, and extended a gracious fin toward an officious little catfish.
    "If I may speak," said the catfish, "I think I can clear this whole puzzle up."
    "The Chair recognizes the Representafish from Bottomfeed," said the Splasher.
    "The piranha indeed!  Why, the piranha are the foundation of the Amazon!  Where would we be without them?  We owe them our very lives!"  The catfish looked nervously in the direction of his keepers.  "It's those blasted minnows!" he continued.  "They just eat and eat and never give a thing back.  They may not be big, but there are a lot of them!"
    "I say it's those greedy piranha," interjected the Representafish from Shallows.
    Once again, there was a swift, silent surge, and the Representafish from Shallows disappeared in a cloud of piranha.
    "I see your point," said the Splasher nervously, sweating in spite of his biology.  "Those minnows certainly are rapacious."
    There was a general murmur of agreement.
    "I propose two bills," said the catfish.  "The first is the Piscine Responsibility and Feeding Opportunity Reconciliation Bill."
    "What does it say?" asked all the Representafish.
    "Eat the minnows!"
    "Great.  So, what's the other bill?"
    "The Give the Piranha Whatever They Want Bill."
    "Hear, hear!"
    And so the bills became law.

    A year passed.
    "Well," asked the Amazon Press, "was the Piscine Responsibility Act a success?"
    "Overwhelming!" replied the legislators.
    "So, the food supply problem has been solved?"
    "Oh, no.  But look at how many fewer minnows there are!"

Welfare Reform has been declared a success because the welfare rolls have been reduced.  Corporate Welfare, however, continues unabated.  Your definition of  success may vary, depending on which end of the food chain you happen to be on.