The Colorado congresswoman lashed out at the president’s plans to write off up to $20,000 in student debt for millions of Americans in an interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity earlier this week. “How the hell can Joe Biden call America First conservatives a threat to democracy with a straight face and a dry diaper?” he said. “He is the one who allowed millions to invade our southern border. “He’s the one robbing hard-working Americans to pay for her daughter Karen’s degree in lesbian dance theory.” Social media went into overdrive after a clip of the interview was posted on Twitter by the Patriot Takes account on Saturday, with many Twitter users mocking her for her comments. Tennis legend Martina Navratilova, who is gay and has long supported LGBT+ rights, said she was “delighted” Ms Bobert is straight as she told her she was “grasping at straws”. “Wow – to think he had to write that. And this 65 year old lesbian has never heard of the lesbian dance theory, but maybe it’s a thing Lauren – you grasp at straws my love. And I’m really glad you’re straight,” she tweeted. Others criticized the controversial MP for what they called “bigotry” and “homophobic” comments. “Enough with this homophobic, ignorant, bum in the back of our republic,” one person tweeted. “She’s a low-life piece of trash whose husband exposed herself to minors and whose hero sold out men and women protecting our country.” Another person agreed: “The ‘dance theory’ trope is usually stupid and philistine. The ‘lesbian dance theory’ adds that vicious bigotry that really excites your basic semi-fascist.” “Lauren Boebert is the prime example of what happens to a country when it values guns over education,” she said in another. Meanwhile, another person mocked both the congresswoman and fellow GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis for his attacks on LGBT+ rights in Florida after he introduced the controversial “Don’t Say Gay” bill earlier this year. “You know, as soon as Lauren Boebert uttered the words Lesbian Dance Theory, Ron DeSantis drafted legislation to remove it from Florida schools and GOP super PACs gave a bunch of money,” they tweeted. Meanwhile, others turned to trolling the MP, commenting on signing up for such a degree and sharing memes imagining what the courses would be like. “I have a degree in women’s studies but I must have missed the seminar on lesbian dance theory. If it doesn’t involve Brandi Carlile music and flannel plaid leotards, I don’t care,” one person tweeted. Another person asked: “Does ‘Lesbian Dance Theory’ mean a lesbian’s theory of dancing, a lesbian’s theory while dancing, or a theory about lesbians dancing?” “I’m not going to lie, I’m a little mad that lesbian dance theory wasn’t offered when I went to college,” another person tweeted. Lesbian dance theory is a term sometimes used to describe degrees that some believe have no value. Her comments came in part in response to the president’s comments at a Democratic National Committee fundraiser in Maryland on Thursday, where he called Donald Trump’s America First agenda “quasi-fascism.” “What we’re seeing now is the start or death of an extreme MAGA philosophy,” he said. “It’s not just Trump, it’s the whole philosophy behind it — I’ll say something — it’s like semi-fascism.” Ms. Bobert’s response also marks the latest in a string of strange statements made by Republican lawmakers in response to Mr. Biden’s student loan forgiveness program. Earlier this week, the Biden administration announced a new student loan forgiveness plan that will cancel thousands of dollars of debt for millions of Americans. Under the plan, up to $20,000 in debt would be canceled for borrowers who earn less than $125,000 a year and who received Pell Grants – education grants for students from low- and moderate-income families. Borrowers who receive less than $125,000 per year but did not receive a Pell grant can have up to $10,000 of their loans. Democrats welcomed the move, with progressives saying it should go even further. But Republicans immediately took issue with the move, arguing that other taxpayers without debt or a college education would lose out. Their anger over the issue has become a source of derision as other Americans point to their outlandish complaints and point to the hypocrisy of GOP lawmakers who have benefited from federal debt relief programs in the past. Sen. Ted Cruz was also mocked this week for hitting out at “landless baristas” over student loan relief (Getty Images) Texas Sen. Ted Cruz scoffed after hitting out at the “lowly baristas” who would benefit from the plan. “There’s a real danger that if you’re that laid-back barista who wasted seven years in college studying completely useless stuff, now has loans and can’t get a job, Joe Biden just gave you 20 euros,” he said. “Like, holy cow! 20 grams. You know, maybe you wouldn’t vote in November and suddenly you’ve just received 20 euros.” Mr. Cruz expressed concerns that the debt relief plan for millions of Americans could pose a “real danger” to Republicans in the November midterms “if you can get away for a minute and head to the polls.” Like Ms. Bobert, the Texas senator was quickly schooled by Democrats and social media users on the issue of student loan debt. Democratic Sen. Bernie Sanders posted a video on Twitter where nurses talked about the crippling debt they face from the training they needed to enter the profession. In the video, one nurse revealed that 120 nurses in her union had a combined $7 million in student loan debt, while another says she has to work two jobs to pay $1,100 in student loan repayments each month. Republican lawmakers who have criticized Americans’ economic relief have also been called out for their hypocrisy by the White House. The official Twitter account fired off a series of tweets pointing out that several GOP lawmakers had personally benefited from their own loan forgiveness during the Covid-19 pandemic. Representatives Marjorie Taylor Greene, Mike Kelly and Markwayne Mullin were all exposed as having forgiven six and seven figure Payment Protection Program (PPP) loans.
