Romney: Take a bayonet to the safety net

by David Safier

Romney made it clear yesterday. We have to gut social programs so we can maintain or grow our military.

He spoke of a clear choice — military spending or social programs:

Romney, the presumptive Republican nominee for president, said the nation had two options: shrink the military to pay for social programs, or ensure that it remains the strongest in the world.

Note that he said outright, paying for social programs would force us to shrink the military, but he left the other side of the coin — pay for the military and shrink social programs — unstated, but hiding in plain sight.

Here's the actual quote from Romney's Memorial Day speech, where he throws in we-don't-want-to-be-like-Europe for good measure:

"We have two courses we can follow: One is to follow in the pathway of Europe, to shrink our military smaller and smaller to pay for our social needs," Romney said outside the city's Veterans Memorial Center and Museum. "The other is to commit to preserve America as the strongest military in the world, second to none, with no comparable power anywhere in the world."

Remember back when Romney said he doesn't worry about the poor? If there was ever any doubt what he meant, it was extinguished yesterday.