'Let Them Eat Corn'

Why Republicans Like Joni Ernst Don't Fear Consequences For Their Sociopathy

Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) is having a bad week.

At a town hall meeting in rural Parkersburg, Iowa, on Friday, Ernst was heckled by a constituent angry about the cuts to Medicaid in the “Big Beautiful Bill” that the Senate is considering after it passed the House of Representatives earlier this month. The woman scolded Ernst for her support for the bill, warning, “People will die.”

In response, Ernst quipped, “We’re all going to die!”

It did not go well. The town hall turned into bedlam, and the comment went viral. Democrats pounced, calling her comments tone deaf and cruel. Ernst released a one-minute video on Saturday that appeared to offer an apology, but then quickly went sideways:

"I made an incorrect assumption that everyone in the auditorium understood that yes, we are all going to perish from this Earth," she said. "So I apologize. And I’m really, really glad that I did not have to bring up the subject of the tooth fairy as well. But for those that would like to see eternal and everlasting life, I encourage you to embrace my lord and savior, Jesus Christ."

The final ten seconds confirmed the apology wasn’t sincere, but sarcastic. Ernst grabbed the shovel with both hands and dug a deeper hole. Her comments led to some comparisons with Marie Antoinette, the ill-fated 18th-century French queen who lost her head during the French Revolution after allegedly dismissing the concerns of the poor, hungry masses by saying, “Let Them Eat Cake¹.”

It also led to questions about how she could be so tone deaf. She sees the risk in mocking people’s concerns over cuts to healthcare, right?

No. She does not fear electoral consequences. Few Republicans in her position do.