A 1:05 half marathon is probably the easier route over a 2:18 for multiple reasons.
1) The 1:05 converts to about a 2:18:34 according to JK's conversion chart:
http://www.letsrun.com/2007/jkconversion.pdf
2) You can race a lot more half marathons in a year than full and there's a lot more room for mistakes/bad races. You might be able to squeeze in 3 marathons a year, but you could run a half every couple of months if you need to.
3) You can also get in a good half off your track 10k training so younger guys can get in on it easily. The marathon takes a long time of specific training and practice/trial and error with fueling, pacing, etc. You could bonk in 3 marathons before you figure it out right and by then it might be too late. You can easily nail a half marathon your first time out or screw up and come back a couple months later and try again.
As someone who wants to eventually try and qualify for the Marathon Trials, I can say I'm not happy with this news since 2:19 was already a reach for me. The arguments comparing the Marathon Trials to the Track Trials are pointless because the marathon doesn't need to be limited based on available space. You're pushing it if you have 30 guys in a 10k on the track. A marathon with 30 guys would be kind of stupid. This is a road race, not a track race so the same rules don't apply.
If all we really care about is the guys with an actual shot of making the team, we should just do what other countries do and make one of the bigger established races like Chicago the marathon team selection race. (Like Japan did with Worlds and Fukuoka.) Otherwise, if we actually want to have our own separate "Marathon Trials" then we shouldn't be trying to limit the field so much. I'd say you want at least 200-300 guys in there.
However, while I don't agree with the changes and I'm not happy from a personal perspective, I don't think 2:15/2:18 are unfair. I just don't see the point in trying to shrink what is already a very small field for a marathon. If your standard is 2:20, you can still call it an "elite marathon". The guys running 2:19 aren't going to get in the way of the 2:10 runners.
Whatever, just my two cents. In the end this doesn't affect a ton of people. If you're a 2:19+ guy you weren't making it anyway. If you're sub 2:18 you're fine. It's only people running 2:18:xx that get screwed. Although I guess it's going to completely change how many people approach their training so maybe it will have a larger effect indirectly.