The ways in which politicians are shaped by their environment (i.e., their party, party leadership, specific pressures to win reelection) are often subtle, but sometimes they are stark. I think that Senator Joni Ernst (R-IA) has demonstrated that, despite at one point looking like maybe one of the more reasonable members of the Senate’s GOP caucus, she has given in to the Trumpist side. I would note that back in December, she first appeared to be a possible vote to block Pete Hegseth from becoming SecDef, but then a Musk-funded media campaign that threatened a possible primary challenge got her in line real quick.
Clearly, a lot of members of the GOP either have feet of clay or are, are deeply cynical and only care about power, and/or deep in their hearts, are ok with the Trump agenda.
Ernst’s behavior this weekend certainly highlights a weird willingness to behave in a gross, Trumpian manner. It is noteworthy that this is the kind of thing that used to ruin a career.
So here’s the context. Ernst was holding a town hall, and the topic of Medicaid cuts came up, as reported by the AP: Ernst draws groans at Iowa town hall after retort on Medicaid cuts, saying ‘we all are going to die’.
Facing several constituents concerned about cuts to Medicaid, she defended the $700 billion in reduced spending, saying it would keep immigrants in the U.S. illegally and those who have access to insurance through their employers off the rolls.
Then someone in the crowd yelled that people will die without coverage.
“People are not … well, we all are going to die,” Ernst said, drawing groans. “So, for heaven’s sakes. For heaven’s sakes, folks.”
Here’s the video:
Her hometown paper reported it thusly:
In the pre-Trump era, I would have expected her to have tried to at least smooth over the concern and not get all nihilistic about it.
Yes, Senator Ernst, we are all going to die, but that does not justify hastening the death of the poor because you took away their health care.
After all, what’s a few more dead poors if the top 1% gets a tax break?
Also, in normal times, I would have expected at least some fake contrition after the bad press had rolled in.
Instead, we got this yesterday.
I will admit that when I first saw this yesterday that I thought it was AI. The doubling down on it all is truly breathtaking. And she really does appear to be in a cemetery. It is bonkers.
It is also the direct opposite of an apology, and it is nihilistic in ways that I find remarkable coming from a politician.
Granted, she has won election and re-election pretty comfortably, and Iowa trended heavily Trump in 2024, so her calculation is probably to fend off any primary challenger from her right flank and cruise to reelection next year.
That may be a sound strategy, but it is a soulless one.
Since she invoked her religion, two things come to mind.
The first is the time that the masses came to hear Jesus preach and they became hungry and Jesus told his disciples, “Screw ’em! They should have worked harder and planned better! We all get hungry!” (That’s not how the story goes).
The second one is “For what shall it profit a woman, if she shall gain a Senate seat, and lose her own soul?” (Or something like that).
BTW, did you know that Joe Biden was old?
