Back in 1996, President Bill Clinton reformed America’s welfare system into mostly a get-a-job program — outraging many fellow Democrats.

But welfare reform turned out to be a practical, sensible success that caused less suffering than liberals had feared.

America’s number of welfare recipients fell from 12.2 million in 1996 to 4.5 million in 2006. Sixty percent of mothers who left welfare found jobs. More than 20,000 businesses were induced to hire 1.1 million clients.

Today, another Democratic sacred cow — Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid — faces possible reform amid the “fiscal cliff.”

Again, progressive Democrats adamantly oppose any cuts in benefits.

But we think it might be workable to curb some expense — especially America’s astronomical medical costs — without harming millions of Americans.

President Barack Obama has offered to cut hundreds of billions in Medicare spending over the next decade. This could be a wise course.

Another huge saving, as we’ve said before, could be achieved by trimming the $1 trillion yearly U.S. military outlay.

The federal government cannot continue overspending its income by $1 trillion per year.

— The Charleston (W.Va.) Gazette