Ernst’s disdain reveals disconnect

I read Sen. Joni Ernst’s apology/not apology. Her response reveals the immense disconnect between the Republican’s disdain for a social safety net, and the needs of ordinary people. After all, according to Gov. Reynolds, the social safety net is a hammock for those too lazy to support themselves. NOT.

The passionate “People will die” could have been an expression of the frustration of watching children in Gaza starved to death, Trump washing his hands of Ukraine, and the loss of lives across the globe due to the destruction of USAID. Adding the snarky comment in her apology “At least I don’t have to explain the tooth fairy” illustrates her disdain.

She would rather give those who are wealthy more tax cuts than to help meet the needs of those who struggle to afford groceries, medical care, child care and housing. Ernst’s role in DOGE, and what it has done to the agencies that help people, has made citizens suspicious of the proclaimed benefits of the Big Beautiful Bill. Perhaps she has forgotten Jesus’s lesson that we care for the least among us?

Carolyn Stephenson

Cedar Falls