Ernst's Remark About Medicaid Cuts Draws Jeers at Iowa Town Hall

New York Times

a day ago

Senator Joni Ernst, Republican of Iowa, had a gloomy message for constituents at a town hall in Butler County, Iowa, on Friday morning: 'We all are going to die.'
Ms. Ernst was fielding questions about cuts to Medicaid that were included in the domestic policy bill working its way through Congress, when someone in the audience yelled out that the effect would be that 'people are going to die.'
'Well, we all are going to die,' Ms. Ernst responded, drawing jeers from the crowd.
Ms. Ernst appeared taken aback by the negative response.
'For heaven's sakes, folks,' she said.
Democrats moved quickly to call attention to the comment from Ms. Ernst, a second-term lawmaker who is up for re-election next year. The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee circulated a video clip of the moment, calling Ms. Ernst's remark 'stunningly callous' and saying that it came as Republicans in Congress were pushing massive cuts to Medicaid that would leave 'millions of Americans uninsured in order to pay for a tax giveaway for billionaires.'
The sprawling legislation, which contains a $4 trillion tax cut that would provide the biggest savings to the wealthy, also would make several changes to Medicaid, including adding a strict new work requirement. The independent, nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office projected that the bill would cause around 10 million Americans to become uninsured.
Ms. Ernst comment on Friday came after town hall attendees interrupted her as she was highlighting provisions in the measure that sought to ensure that undocumented immigrants, who are not eligible to enroll in Medicaid, would not receive any services. As they defend the legislation, Republicans often refer to that aspect of it, suggesting that the only major changes it would make to Medicaid would be cracking down on waste and abuse in the program, including illegal use by undocumented people.
Still, it is the more morbid portion of Ms. Ernst's remarks that Democrats are likely to play on repeat in campaign aids against her in the coming months.
With her re-election top of mind, Ms. Ernst, a survivor of sexual assault and the Senate's first female combat veteran, earlier this year caved to a right-wing pressure campaign and voted to confirm Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth despite expressing reservations about his bid.
A spokesman for Ms. Ernst said in a statement: 'While Democrats fearmonger against strengthening the integrity of Medicaid, Senator Ernst is focused on improving the lives of all Iowans.'
The spokesman added: 'There's only two certainties in life: death and taxes, and she's working to ease the burden of both by fighting to keep more of Iowans' hard-earned tax dollars in their own pockets and ensuring their benefits are protected from waste, fraud, and abuse.'