JD Scholten Offers a Reality Check Amid GOP’s Disastrous “Empathy Collapse”
You know, sometimes politics just lays itself bare in a moment so ridiculous, so raw, that you can’t help but pause and think: Is this really how far we’ve fallen? That’s exactly what happened recently with Senator Joni Ernst from Iowa, who delivered what may go down as one of the most stunningly tone-deaf moments in modern political memory. And while she was busy offering up sarcastic apologies from a cemetery—yes, really—another Iowan, JD Scholten, emerged as one of the few voices willing to say what needed to be said.
Let’s back up. During a tense town hall where constituents confronted Ernst about brutal budget cuts that could impact lives—Medicaid among them—Ernst essentially gave up mid-sentence and muttered, “Well, we all are going to die, so…” It wasn’t just dismissive. It was almost nihilistic. And while this moment might have had the cadence of a tired mom shutting down a family debate, it was also the voice of a sitting U.S. Senator telling voters she simply doesn’t care. The stakes? Life and death. Her tone? Shrug emoji.
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Now here’s where JD Scholten comes in—not with a viral meme or graveyard theatrics, but with a sober, much-needed call for humanity in governance. Scholten, a former congressional candidate and advocate for working-class Iowans, didn’t just criticize Ernst’s bizarre display. He offered a reminder of what real representation is supposed to look like: listening, not mocking; empathizing, not deflecting.
Where Ernst leaned into performance—complete with a shaky phone cam, graveside irony, and a weird punchline about the tooth fairy—Scholten brought the conversation back to Earth. He didn’t sensationalize or play-act. He spoke plainly, pointing out that our elected officials should not trivialize the fears of the people they represent. The moment deserved compassion and honesty—not gallows humor.
And let’s be real: this isn’t just about Ernst. It’s about the broader culture of disengagement that’s creeping through parts of the Republican party. The cynicism isn’t accidental—it’s practically baked into the strategy now. Strip programs that help the most vulnerable, and when called on it, laugh it off. Make a joke, blame the media, invoke religion, pivot to Trumpism. Rinse and repeat.
Scholten’s reaction wasn’t just refreshing—it felt rare. In a political climate addicted to virality and drama, here was someone grounding the conversation in lived experience. In reminding us that behind every line item in these massive bills are actual people—families, workers, neighbors—he highlighted the moral bankruptcy of responses like Ernst’s.
So yes, we’re all going to die someday. But JD Scholten seems to understand something Ernst doesn’t: until that day comes, it does matter what our leaders do for us here on Earth. That’s not politics. That’s just basic decency. And right now, we could use a lot more of it.
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