"to be seen to be doing something"

In the security realm we have security theater. In the social realm, we have compassion theater. "We are spending money on problem X" shows that the supporters of the spending care about people with problem X. Any proposed cut to that spending shows that the opponents to the spending hate people with with problem X and don't want to help them. Meanwhile, the money actually supports those in charge of the spending and various suppliers of goods and services.