It’s hard to think of a greater political gift to the Democratic Party than the one the Republican Study Committee delivered in their new budget proposal, which calls for reforming entitlement benefits and raising the retirement age.

The proposal from the group of House Republicans was part of a broader budget proposal that aimed to cut spending for the federal government and protect Social Security from bankruptcy that looms in the not-so-distant future.

While there’s no question that Social Security must be reformed, the Republican Study Committee’s proposal fits neatly into a political trap that Democrats have repeatedly tried to goad the GOP into activating.

Cutting Social Security benefits, either by lowering payments or raising the retirement age, is about as politically unpopular as nuclear war. It is why former President Donald Trump has vowed to never cut entitlements, even as the Republican Party has long made it a major policy goal.

But heading into an election year, House Republicans should have known better than to give the Democratic Party such a big political gift that will no doubt be used as a cudgel in campaign attack ads in House races all over the country.

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The GOP is already in the position of having to defend a razor-thin majority in the House as it tries to take control of the Senate and return former President Donald Trump to the White House in November. Forcing a conversation about Social Security benefits in an election year while dealing with a divided government serves no practical purpose other than to write campaign ads for their Democrat opponents.

Instead of picking losing political battles, the Republican Study Committee should go back to the drawing board and propose a budget that cuts government spending in a way that will resonate with the priorities of voters and won’t hand attack ads to their political adversaries. Otherwise, they shouldn’t wonder what happened when the Democrats retain the White House and flip control of the House in November.