Everyone says that Medicaid is being cut. People are going to see their benefits cut. That's not true. That. No. Go ahead. It's corrections of overpayments and people that have not been eligible for these programs by law as it is currently written. [00:00:16] We people are not. Well, we all are going to die. So for heaven's sakes. For heaven's sakes, folks. That was Republican Senator Joni Ernst being unbelievably flippant [00:00:33] about the likely devastating impacts of Medicaid cuts. So at a town hall in Iowa on Thursday, frustrated attendees interrupted Ernst as she repeatedly defended the big, beautiful bill and what it means for recipients of Medicaid from The New York Times. [00:00:49] 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 requirement. The independent, nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office [00:01:06] projected that the bill would cause around 10 million Americans to become uninsured. And the truth is that the overwhelming majority of people on Medicaid are working, or have no valid reason not to be based on the data. Only a small share of Medicaid adults were not meeting work requirements or [00:01:27] would not have qualified for an exemption. However, many more Medicaid enrollees who would remain eligible would be at risk of losing coverage because of the administrative burden and red tape related to reporting requirements. The bill also reduces the amount of Medicaid expansion funding the federal [00:01:46] government provides to certain states, and if states have gaps in federal funding, they may have to make additional cuts. Nonetheless, Ernst dismissed her constituents concerns, saying, well, you know, like we're all going to die anyway, so what's the big deal? She did go on to claim that the Republicans will protect the most [00:02:04] vulnerable recipients of Medicaid. But the attendee who said that people could die if Medicaid is cut is absolutely correct based on the data. So this is from the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy. And it says new research finds that Medicaid expansions under the 2010 ACA [00:02:24] and earlier state waivers reduced mortality among low income adults by 2.5%, representing a 21% decrease in the mortality hazard for new enrollees, saying about 27,400 lives between 2010 and 2022. [00:02:43] An additional 12.8 12,800 deaths could have been prevented had all states opted to expand Medicaid. So nonetheless, Ernst is remaining defiant. Her spokesperson had this to say after the backlash. [00:02:59] They said while Democrats fear monger against strengthening the integrity of Medicaid. Senator Ernst is focused on improving the lives of all Iowans. 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 [00:03:17] hard earned tax dollars in their own pockets and ensuring their benefits are protected from waste, fraud and abuse. Oh my God. I you know, there's more to this story, but I want to stop and get your thoughts on this because, like, it's so disrespectful to not just the people [00:03:34] of Iowa, but just to human life, right? We're all going to die anyway. Like nobody wants to die before their time. Nobody wants to suffer as they're dying, and nobody wants to die when they don't have to die. Right? That is the point. And the government is supposed to take care of these people. Otherwise, what is the point of having a federal government? [00:03:51] Jordan, what is your take on this? It's so ridiculous just to hear it said out loud. And even when I was reading that quote from, from, Ernst's people, I almost couldn't get through through it. It's so ridiculous. Yeah. I mean, the Republicans hate you. [00:04:08] I hope everybody understands that they hate you. They do not care about you. She gets a government funded healthcare plan that takes care of everything that she or her family might incur. Everybody else, working people. No. Good luck. [00:04:24] Not only are potentially millions of people going to lose their health insurance as a result of these cuts, from what I understand, they do not qualify for a life event exemption to enroll [00:04:41] in the Affordable Care Act, or in a plan on the Affordable Care Act marketplace. So if it happens in the middle of the year, like it's like it's poised to do and these go into effect. Millions of people won't just lose their Medicaid, they will lose insurance altogether. [00:04:58] That's when people die, and that's what they were trying to highlight. And she could not care less. Oh, we're all going to die. She can say that because she's fine. And this callousness, this, this disgusting sickness that we're seeing from Republicans has to be stopped. [00:05:14] I mean, I don't want to say, thankfully, because it's from a cost perspective, but there are a few people. Rand Paul is one of them. We might see some major defections in the Senate, so hopefully these don't come to fruition because these are preventable deaths that [00:05:33] we can do something about now to save. Yeah, I mean, that's such a good point. And I just want to emphasize that she is saying these things because she does have access to healthcare. And I don't know if people really understand the mindset of having access to something and then saying it's not a big deal for these people over here who. [00:05:52] Don't. Because if you have good health care, it's so easy for you if you get sick to. Just call up your doctor or go get a prescription from somewhere. There are so many people in this country who can't do that, or who won't do that because they're afraid of incurring some kind of surprise bill that they [00:06:08] didn't know they would have to pay. There is so much uncertainty with American health care that so many Americans who should be able to participate in it simply do not. And they live wildly different lives than the people who do have healthcare. It's a mental thing. It's like it's like a mental state of what you're allowed to have [00:06:26] and what you have access to. It's just like how people who have so much money don't understand what it's like to live as somebody who doesn't have money. So all right, Sharon, what do what do you have to say about this? What a nasty woman. She's an unbelievably nasty, nasty woman. Okay. [00:06:42] And if she were an independent contractor working for Amazon, or perhaps not everywhere, but a lot of Amazon. Independent contractors or Uber or DoorDash. Perhaps she wouldn't be talking like this. I call her a nasty woman because she doesn't even have [00:06:58] to come before her constituents. I'd rather her arrogant but stay at the country club and leave these people alone. If you're not going to be genuine and you have a black heart, that's what she should do. But instead it was like she relished it. She rather enjoyed herself. [00:07:14] It seemed like she's so ignorant and out of touch, out of touch with everyday people who, let alone a mother, can't afford to get sick because she has to go out the door to work. But can you imagine if you're caring for your child or your parent [00:07:31] and they better not get sick because you will not be able to help them? This woman is sick in a different way, just disgusting. We have to rid the government of these kind of callous people and their black hearts. [00:07:47] And that's not about politics. It's about greed. It's about vapidness. She's disgusting. I find her completely disgusting. It was bath time to have to listen to her. Yeah, well, you know, the Republican Party is trying to get rid of empathy because empathy is weakness, but yet they still want to govern all these people. [00:08:05] And you know what, Sharon? It's funny that you said, why doesn't she just stay home? Because, I mean, you know, maybe that is what's going to start happening. So Joni Ernst isn't the only Republican lawmaker getting an earful from fed up constituents. Recently, representative Mike flood faced furious residents [00:08:22] at his town hall the other day, and when asked about proposed measures in the big beautiful bill that would make it easier for the US government to defy court orders. This was his response. He said, I'm not going to hide the truth. This provision was unknown to me when I voted for that. [00:08:40] So his defense for voting for the bill is that he didn't read the bill. So Representative Ashley Hinson in Iowa faced similar heat from her constituents earlier this week. Take a look. Proud to vote for President Trump's one big, beautiful bill last week. [00:08:56] This is a generational investment. This is a general investment. This is your time. The president is, I believe, fighting for you and fighting for me and fighting alongside of him. And I thank God, saved President Trump's life in Butler. [00:09:14] I think he saved his life in Butler, Pennsylvania, for a reason. He is helping deport criminal illegal aliens rather than letting them roam our streets freely. At a recent event in Cedar Rapids, I received overwhelmingly positive feedback about the work that Doge is doing. [00:09:30] My entire philosophy is the intent behind Doge is that we absolutely have to cut waste, fraud, and abuse. All right, so the town halls have been so contentious since Trump took office [00:09:46] that Republican lawmakers have now been advised by the National Republican Congressional Committee chair against holding them at all. And you have to you know, first of all, I feel like I called this. I said, why are they even doing these town halls anyway? They're going to stop doing them altogether because, like, [00:10:03] it's such bad press for them, right? They have to keep defending themselves every time they get booed constantly, incessantly. And it's not just the the the representatives who are getting booed. Trump is getting booed. And you know, he doesn't like that and Doge is getting booed and Elon Musk is getting booed. [00:10:18] All these people collectively are getting booed by these Republican constituents. And whether or not they're Republican voters or not really doesn't matter, because these Republicans are representing these all these people. And, Sharon, do you think that it matters whether or not they're doing [00:10:36] these town halls anymore? Because, like, they're not listening to the people anyway. They're going to do whatever they want to do anyway. Lindsey Graham actually said at one point he goes, I don't need to go talk to the people to know how to do my job. They're just going to do whatever they want to do. That honestly, I'm surprised that they've done as many as they have done so far. [00:10:55] Yeah, they're indoctrinated cowards. And I suspect the only reason they're still doing some is because they've got a pinch of worry about election time. When that comes around, when their seats are up. But they honestly have pledged their undying support to a dictator. [00:11:12] And he one man and his orange tan means more to them than their that scared. Look at these cowards. They can't even band together and do something. They're that afraid and they let it get this far. [00:11:30] Despicable. They don't care about the boos and they're not going to keep going there. They might send an aide or something. Okay. Or maybe they'll just play a videotape. This is where the American people in every jurisdiction need to come out in full [00:11:47] force and not leave these people alone. They'll try to pass laws. Show up at their congressional offices before you're kicked out. They'll accuse you of insurrection if you do that. But we've got to do it. And how pathetic. Donald Trump, whenever somebody doesn't like him, or Ellen, who took his chainsaw [00:12:05] and went home and was just so angry. Empathy. They want empathy when they're being talked poorly about for really poor crap behavior. I mean, this is what we get until we take back our rights. [00:12:23] It's unbelievable to me. All right. What do you think, Jordan? Yeah, I think yes. Show up. Speak out. Get organized. Put pressure on them. Now. Of course, we have seen that work before. Remember? Remember Trump's first term? [00:12:40] He tried and tried and tried to repeal the Affordable Care Act. But there was so much pressure. They caused major defections in the Senate and that ultimately killed it. There are multiple vulnerable senators going into 2026. [00:12:55] Joni Ernst is one of them. She's up for reelection. You can single them out and continue to put pressure on them in hopes of changing their vote. So if, of course, do that now, but also and I was thinking about this earlier, [00:13:11] you can't just hang up your hat if a Democrat wins in 2028. You can't do it because that that lack of pressure to push them in an even bolder direction results in moments like this. This could be preventable had people showed up and stayed involved [00:13:32] while Biden was president and continued on the progress that they had built in Trump's first term. We might not be in this situation now. And I think, of course, this audience knows that. But you really need to put pressure on your friends and family who check the box, [00:13:48] but then just sit at home for four years. It's also continuing to get stay organized in your community to enrich and build the grassroots and continue to apply pressure, especially when a Democrat is in power. [00:14:03] Yeah, I mean, that's such an important point because I really do feel like not enough people are engaged at their local and state levels, and that is where you can enact the most change that is going to impact your life more directly than whatever is going on at the federal level. Not to say that what's going on federally is not important, but a lot [00:14:21] of the groundwork is laid right here in your own city and town and state. I live in Texas. I know what that's like. I know what it's like to have the state interfering in my local government. I know what it's like to feel like certain people are overtaking your your school districts and things like that. [00:14:37] I mean, these are things that really do impact your communities. And, you know, it's kind of like what Jordan was saying about getting involved and staying active, especially when Democrats are in office. It's like, what's a good analogy for this? Like, you know, when you're already like, happy with your with your health [00:14:54] and it's easier to maintain that versus if you're trying to overcome something. Right. It's always better to prevent and maintain than it is to just defeat something outright and get on with it that way. We do have some people who are fighting and trying to to get into position [00:15:09] to maintain some kind of better status quo, hopefully. But, you know, it is the job of the American people to hold our representatives accountable. They shouldn't have the option to just not talk to us. They shouldn't have the option to just not do town halls. [00:15:25] So it's kind of like what Sharon was saying, if I understand you correctly, Sharon, to just like, just find them, you know, badger them. Don't. That's their job, right? That's the job that they wanted. That's the job that they campaigned for, the right for the privilege for them to do. [00:15:40] And we said, sure, you can do it because we think that you're going to do a good job. And yeah, but the longer they stay, the more they believe that they are entitled to it. - And that's really the issue. - Yeah. And you can't have a functioning democracy whenever there's that level of entitlement [00:15:57] from your elected leaders, you know, like it's just not going to work, you know, and especially when you have that, you know, then there's also the corruption. But oh, that that's another story. - That's another. - Story. Yeah. I don't know. It's it is a very interesting, scary time that we're, we're that we're in right now. [00:16:17] And I think there's so much stuff that's always constantly happening that people are just trying to cope and figure out how to do that. Every time you ring the bell below, an angel gets his wings. Totally not true. But it does keep you updated on our live shows.