Trump Erases History & Fights with Elon, but it's OK ... because We All Are Going to Die. | The Lincoln Logue

This week, the Trump administration continued its relentless march toward authoritarianism, cloaked in the guise of policy, patriotism, and a surplus of gaslighting. Whether it was dismissing Medicaid deaths with a nihilistic shrug, cracking down on worker protections, targeting LGBTQ+ legacy during Pride, or recycling travel bans that punish immigrants for existing — the throughline was clear: cruelty as strategy.

Even as the president's allies make headlines with increasingly absurd statements, the machinery of regression keeps turning. One senator brushed off questions about preventable deaths with fatalistic indifference. Trump-era bans are back. LGBTQ+ icons are being erased from military honors. And the GOP is finding new ways to bully unions into submission.

Welcome to The Lincoln Logue, your weekly briefing on what happens when the Constitution becomes a speed bump on the road to autocracy — and how you can still swerve to resist.

Monday, June 2nd — Sen. Joni Ernst's Compassionate Mortality

▌"We all are going to die," says Ernst, offering comfort only a skydiver with no parachute could feel.

At a town hall in Iowa, Sen. Joni Ernst was asked a direct question: would cuts to Medicaid in the new GOP budget result in deaths? Her response? "We all are going to die." A quote destined for the Hall of Fame of Political Tone-Deafness.

Rather than defending the substance of the Trump-backed “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” which slashes federal funding for Medicaid while adding work requirements, Ernst opted for a nihilistic shrug. Her follow-up claimed she was being taken out of context and that she's "very compassionate." But the damage was done.

It was a Marie Antoinette moment for the MAGA era: if they can’t afford healthcare, let them ponder their mortality. While Republicans continue gutting life-saving programs, they're also testing how far they can push public indifference. The result? A policy agenda soaked in cruelty and wrapped in platitudes.

Source: CBS News...