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Senator Ernst, Let Me Do the Funny. You Do the Grown-Up Work.
Mockery doesn’t work when lives are on the line. Here’s how you fix it.
I once took a comedy masterclass from Steve Martin. His number one rule? “Always be funny.” Simple. Brutal. True.
His point was a warning. If you aren’t sure about the joke, then don’t do it. Misfiring on a punchline doesn’t just kill the bit. It kills trust. Credibility. And if you’re a U.S. Senator? It might just kill your political future.
Which brings us to Iowa Republican and MAGA handmaiden Senator Joni Ernst.
No one thinks Joni Ernst is funny. Not the constituents she tried to mock. Not the healthcare advocates in her state. And definitely not the people worried they’re about to lose Medicaid access thanks to a GOP bill she’s supporting that treats human beings like budget line items.
Let me be crystal clear: making fun of a concerned Iowan asking about healthcare at a town hall is not funny. It’s not smart. It’s not tough. It’s just cruel.
Senator Ernst, here’s my advice: Stick to being straight with your constituents. Let people like me do the funny. You? You have lives to protect and a state to represent.
And if you’re open to a reset, here’s some safe, strategic, and, dare I say, humane advice for…
