Stickerhawks

Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Jesusland) has issued a bold call, asking all true patriots to stand up and make the noblest sacrifice for this country in its hour of need:

...we have brave men and women who are willing to step forward because they know what's at stake. They're willing to sacrifice their lives for this great country. What I'm asking all of you tonight is not to put on a uniform. Put on a bumper sticker. Is it that much to ask? Is it that much to ask to step up and serve your country.

As both of our regular readers will attest, I tend to mock people whose support for our troops is limited to slapping a two-dollar, made-in-China, magnetic ribbon onto their SUVs. It is literally the least you can do if you support the war. I mean, the damn thing's magnetic, so you're not even risking your car's paint job, much less risking your own life and limb in support of Operation Awesome Kickass.

But in all that mocking, I never thought I'd see what I've seen here: a Republican politician insisting that bumper sticker politics really does involve a noble sacrifice, one comparable to the sacrifice our troops are making on the battlefield. (And making that sacrifice, we should remember, as Republican politicians like Santorum keep cutting military pay, health benefits, housing, education and equipment.)

I have to give Santorum credit. I didn't think he could find a way to surpass some of his past stupidities, but this one marks a new low.

(Hat tip to Atrios.)

Update: I didn't realize this from reading the truncated quote, but the bumper stickers that Santorum is equating with "serving the country" aren't the "Support the Troops" ones. They're "Support Santorum" ones. That definitely makes this the stupidest thing he's ever said, and that's saying quite a lot.