Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI), was on CSPAN this morning, and a caller asked:

Do you believe Social Security is a wealth redistribution program?

Feingold answered:

I believe Social Security is exactly what it says it is: A minimum security for people to ensure their security when they no longer work. It's a safety net. I don't want some 70 year old going hungry because they can't make ends meet.

Um, bullshit.

Utter bullshit.

To be a safety net, we'd have to be doing some kinds of check on whether or not people need it, right? But there is no check of this kind, no needs assessement. Social Security goes to everybody. The rich, the poor, even to Russ Feingold.

Somebody please, for Pete's sake, explain to me why this makes any kind of sense.