WASHINGTON, D.C. — As coronavirus cases spike in many states around the country and tens of millions of Americans face health and financial crises, People For the American Way, Progress Iowa, and the Iowa Alliance for Retired Americans are calling out Senator Joni Ernst for undermining desperately needed social safety net programs by voting for Donald Trump’s judges.
In a new video released today, the groups highlight how Ernst’s votes to confirm judges who oppose such safety net programs as Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act are seriously harming Iowans and millions of other Americans.
“These are very challenging times for Iowa families, and Joni Ernst is turning her back on us by voting for judges who want to shred the social safety net,” said Matt Sinovic, executive director of Progress Iowa. “The governor just extended the emergency proclamation for our state. This is a time when we should be bolstering our support for people’s health and security, not undermining it. Ernst is voting for Trump judges who want to rip those supports away.”
“Iowa’s seniors have earned their right to Social Security and Medicare. It’s outrageous that Joni Ernst would vote for a judge who has literally called government spending on Social Security and medical care ‘harmful’ to our country,” said Mike McCarthy, president of the Iowa Alliance for Retired Americans. “How can she do that and claim to have Iowans’ best interests at heart? It looks more like she only cares about making Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell happy.”
“Joni Ernst has made herself a tool of the far right’s decades-long effort to do away with Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid — and now, the Affordable Care Act,” said Ben Jealous, president of People For the American Way. “This administration is fighting the ACA tooth and nail in the federal courts, including telling the Supreme Court last week that ‘the entire ACA…must fall,’ and thanks to Trump judges that Ernst is voting to confirm, they are on the verge of winning and stripping millions of Americans of their health care. Especially now in the midst of a pandemic, it is inexcusable for Ernst to vote for Trump judges who want to destroy the social safety net.”
The script for the newly-released video is below:
Iowans rely on social safety net programs like Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act.
But Donald Trump is nominating judges who think the social safety net is unconstitutional.
And Joni Ernst is voting to confirm EVERY ONE of those nominees to the bench.
Nominees who say government spending on Social Security and medical care is “harmful” to “society as a whole.”
And that providing seniors with “a comfortable, modern standard of living and full medical coverage is not a worthwhile goal for the government to undertake.”
What will that mean for YOUR Social Security?
For Medicare? Medicaid? The Affordable Care Act?
Trump judges will be on the federal bench for LIFE.
Could their rulings put all these programs at risk?
Seniors NEED Social Security and Medicare.
Families NEED affordable, accessible health care NOW more than ever.
And Iowans want Congress to protect these programs.
But Joni Ernst is putting them at risk by confirming bad Trump judges.
Tell Joni Ernst: STOP trying to destroy our vital social safety net.
STOP voting for dangerous Trump judges.
About People For the American Way
People For the American Way is a progressive advocacy organization founded to fight right-wing extremism and build a democratic society that implements the ideals of freedom, equality, opportunity and justice for all. We encourage civic participation, defend fundamental rights, and fight to dismantle systemic barriers to equitable opportunity. Learn more: https://www.pfaw.org.