In bizarre cemetery video, Joni Ernst leans into ‘we are all going to die’ message

Despite many Republican lawmakers avoiding town hall meetings with constituents, Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa broke the trend by attending a one-hour event on Friday morning. The discussion revolved around the Republicans’ controversial “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” particularly focusing on healthcare policy and proposed Medicaid cuts. Ernst faced criticism when she responded to a constituent’s concern about the potential impact of the healthcare cuts by saying, “Well, we all are going to die.”

Her office did not retract the statement but instead embraced it, leading to backlash from Democrats and local media outlets. The following day, Ernst doubled down on her remarks in a sarcastic Instagram video filmed in what appeared to be a cemetery, defending her stance on mortality and healthcare policy.

While some question whether Ernst genuinely fails to grasp the insensitivity of her comments or is intentionally deflecting criticism, the incident highlights her seeming indifference to the consequences of her party’s policy decisions. The controversy underscores the stark contrast between the myth of “death panels” propagated by Republicans in the past and the real impact of current GOP healthcare proposals, including significant Medicaid cuts.

Democratic Senator Chris Murphy criticized Ernst’s rhetoric, emphasizing the life-and-death implications of healthcare policies and the need for moral reflection. The incident underscores the challenges faced by Republicans in defending their Medicaid cuts, as illustrated by Ernst’s unconventional messaging approach.