See post 39. Yes, social security is a welfare program just like AFDC. We don’t like to call it such, but the mechanics of it are similar to AFDC or food stamps. The qualifications are somewhat different such as a minimum age and the lack of means testing. But ultimately its a government wealth redistribution scheme which lives or dies at the pleasure of the political class.
Of course my earlier post was meant to be ironic. Restricting welfare eligibility based on otherwise legal personal behaviour is a slippery slope. Today its restricting smoking for those in public housing. Tomorrow the same restrictions will be applied to recipients of SS or medicare.
I agree and concede, but in the context of the post just who receives the SS payments are those who paid into it lifetime, albeit the gov’t can change policy whimsically.
Slippery slope indeed!