The title is referring, of course, to Joni Ernst, an erstwhile senator from Iowa, and her reaction to a concerned constituent at a Town Hall event.

The concerned constituent yelled “Someone is gonna die”.

They were, of course, talking about the long standing plan to cut Medicaid. The bill that has us all on tenterhooks and reacting to how awful it is has passed the House and is at the Senate.

Her reaction, which launched what seems like a million articles, was to say “We are all going to die.” I’m not lying when I say it is giving “let them eat cake” energy.

Her probably supposed to be a joke (maybe) landed with a thud heard around the country. I say probably because that is the type of person she appears to be. Laughing at someone else’s pain. Voting consistently to harm others.

Her response to the backlash was to release a video and continue to joke about how she didn’t know she was telling grown adults a truth. The video was in a cemetery.

She also outed the tooth fairy as not being real. As always she completely misses the point.

Yes, everyone dies. It is a fact of life. There is a finite number of days that each person is granted. You can try not to die by wearing your seatbelt. Or, I don’t know, getting vaccinated against known killer viruses. You can exercise and eat right but that does not forestall death. None of us made a deal with the devil.

Everyone dies.

It is in the manner of death that is important.

The concerned constituent’s point was less o, save me, great and powerful senator, and more people are going to die badly.

Because they will.

Without Medicaid people no longer will have access to even the bare minimum of healthcare. Things like A1c checks for diabetic control would be too expensive for people. Women will no longer get cancer checks such as a pap smear or mammogram. Why? Because they can’t afford it. Cancer will no longer be caught in a treatable phase.

People will die in agony.

Entire towns and cities will suffer as hospitals close. This has already started happening. Becker’s Hospital Review, something I read myself, states that there have been 16 hospital closures in 2025. This rate is up from 25 in all of 2024, and overclocks the 14 cited by OR Manager as closing in 2023. To do the math that is just over 3 a month since January 1st.

People will die.

From neglect, from delayed diagnoses, and from Congress not giving a fuck.

Yes, we know, senator, that everyone will die. But do you have to add fuel to the fire as we all burn to death? Yes, even you.

I know I would prefer not to be tortured to death. Because none of us are getting out of here alive.