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Speaking at a New Hampshire diner about government waste, the Kentucky Republican said "there's always somebody who's deserving" of entitlement programs, "But everybody in this room knows somebody who's gaming the system."

In full 2016 mode, Rand Paul starts New Hampshire blitz

"What I tell people is, if you look like me and you hop out of your truck, you shouldn't be getting a disability check. Over half of the people on disability are either anxious or their back hurts -- join the club," he said, drawing a few laughs from the audience. "Who doesn't get a little anxious for work everyday and their back hurts? Everybody over 40 has back pain."

Paul qualified his comments, saying there are people who are legitimately disabled but reiterated that there are also "malingers" who are essentially taking money "from the people who are paraplegic, quadriplegic."

"We all know people who are horrifically disabled and can't work, but if you have able-bodied people taking the money then there's not enough money left for the people who are truly disabled," he added.

Ray Buckley, chairman of the New Hampshire Democratic Party, was quick to pounce on his comments, saying in a call with reporters that the remark was "ridiculously reminiscent" of Mitt Romney's controversial argument in 2012 that nearly half of Americans back Obama because they rely on government support.

Buckley acknowledged that there is fraud in the system but argued that Paul's estimation that more than half of beneficiaries shouldn't qualify was "way out of nowhere" and a "detachment from reality."

According to a December 2014 report from the Social Security Administration, 14% of those who were issued disability benefits were diagnosed with "mood disorders," while 28% reported "musculoskeletal system and connective tissue" diseases, which would be related to back problems.

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Critics argue that the list of ailments covered by disability benefits is bloated and far too easy to take advantage of, resulting in millions of dollars in over-payments.

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Democrats hit Rand Paul for disability comments