In Discussing the Effects of the United States's Many Welfare

In discussing the effects of the United States's many welfare programs on class, regional, generational, and racial inequalities, the text says that taken together

A) these programs don't have any effect on such inequalities.
B) these programs are so complex that it's impossible to discern how they affect such inequalities.
C) these programs always serve to ease such inequalities.
D) these programs always serve to exacerbate such inequalities.
E) these programs sometimes ease such inequalities and sometimes exacerbate them.