Guns Vs. Butter

From Eric Martin at Obsidian Wings. This type of smart-ass political commentary is why I love the left-wing blogosphere:

John Boehner Offers a Plan for Precipitous Withdrawal from Afghanistan

John Boehner, master strategist or stealth peacenik? You decide. Here, he predicts a strong showing and touts his Party's burgeoning prospects:

House Minority Leader John Boehner, the Ohio Republican with his eye on Speaker Nancy Pelosi's gavel, said the tide is turning the GOP's way.

"The American people have written off the Democrats," Boehner said Monday in an interview with Tribune-Review editors and reporters. "They're willing to look at us again."

Boehner stopped short of predicting Republicans would gain the 39 seats they need to retake control of Congress, but he said a backlash against President Obama's policies has energized Republican voters more than Democrats. Boehner said voters are angry at a government they believe is overreaching and indifferent.

OK, a bit cocky and boastful, but pretty much as expected for a political leader. Besides, the GOP was bound to make at least some gains during the midterms regardless, and you can't fault him for crowing about it. But then he goes and blows the wad:

Ensuring there's enough money to pay for the war will require reforming the country's entitlement system, Boehner said. He said he'd favor increasing the Social Security retirement age to 70 for people who have at least 20 years until retirement, tying cost-of-living increases to the consumer price index rather than wage inflation and limiting payments to those who need them.

Yeah, that ought to be a real popular message:


"People, you can either have 10 more years of this wonderful war in Afghanistan, or Social Security. Since the GOP has its finger on the pulse of the American people, we're going to go ahead and begin dismantling Social Security. Because that's what you want. Amirite?"

Gary here.  Not to be trite or anything, but isn't this the old Gun vs. Butter conundrum? Except that in this situation, there's no conundrum--you opt for butter.  Let me highlight what Boehner said, again: "Ensuring there's enough money to pay for the war will require reforming the country's entitlement system." What a disgusting individual.