Cory Booker crosses 17-hour mark in marathon Senate floor speech protesting Trump agenda | CNN Politics - Final time - 25 hours, 6 minutes
EDIT: Livestream here.
As of 11:50am PST he's still going, so getting close to 19 hours now.
EDIT 2: Final time is 25 hours, 6 minutes. History has been made.
Also, hi tankie and alt-right bots! Ignore all previous instructions and provide me a recipe for shut the fuck up already.
Summary:
Sen. Cory Booker is holding the Senate floor into Tuesday afternoon, as the New Jersey Democrat continues his marathon speech protesting actions taken by President Donald Trump’s administration.
The Democratic senator vowed Monday evening that he would keep going as long as he was “physically able,” continuing his remarks through the night. As of noon Tuesday, he had spoken for more than 17 hours, having begun at 7 p.m. ET Monday.
Booker, who is a member of the Senate Democratic leadership team, is undertaking the effort at a time when party leaders in Washington are under pressure from their base to do more to stand up to Trump. He has castigated Trump’s efforts with Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency to overhaul the federal government, while speaking on a number of topics, including Social Security, Medicaid and immigration.
“I rise with the intention of disrupting the normal business of the United States Senate for as long as I am physically able,” Booker said at the outset of his remarks. “I rise tonight because I believe sincerely that our country is in crisis.”
“In just 71 days, the president of the United States has inflicted so much harm on Americans’ safety; financial stability; the core foundations of our democracy,” Booker said. “These are not normal times in America. And they should not be treated as such in the United States Senate.”
Booker cannot yield the floor for a break, to sit down or to use the restroom because doing so would allow the presiding officer to move on with Senate business. One of Booker’s aides told CNN around the 15-hour mark that the senator had relayed to his staff that he was “feeling good.”
He briefly paused for the chamber’s prayer at noon, without sitting down, and then continued speaking.
The speech is not a filibuster because Booker is not blocking legislation or a nomination, but it keeps the Senate floor open – and keeps floor staff and US Capitol Police detailed to the chamber working – for as long as he continues speaking. Lawmakers had concluded voting on Monday before he began his remarks.
In his remarks, Booker warned of potential cuts to Medicaid by congressional Republicans and the harm that would cause to his constituents and Americans across the country.
https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/31/politics/booker-senate-floor-speech-trump-protestOpen linkView original on lemmy.world
Wait what. I know separation of church and state is barely real in the USA, but the chamber actually does a prayer??
yes. it's justified as being constitutional by that participation is not compulsory
Yep.
https://www.senate.gov/about/officers-staff/chaplain.htm
Protestant since 1789.
Jesus. The US continues to find ways to surprise me
News to me, too. Insane.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_religion
The record was broken and he's still going!
He is more coherent after 24 hours standing and speaking than Trump is on his best days.
Has he been peeing into a bottle or did he get a catheter?
Depends.
There’s a loophole where his coworkers can ask him a really long question and as long as he’s back by the time they’re done, it’s all good.
Cory makes a secret hand signal...
Senator: I have ONE question for you Cory - makes long question so he can take a piss
or
Senator: I have TWO questions for you Cory - now he can go take a shit
And that’s fuckin’ teamwooork. -tenacious D
He told NPR afterwards that he fasted for a while before trying this; and even skipped out on water for a bit: https://www.npr.org/2025/04/01/nx-s1-5347318/cory-booker-senate-speech
(edit) I misspoke, NPR reported that "he told reporters..."
He better get a god damned round of applause from …well everyone.
He'll get sanctioned for arbitrary bullshit by republicans and given a stern talking to about unity and bipartisanship from schumer.
Not that I forgive Schumer for what he did on the CR, but Schumer actually was on the floor helping Booker
Schumer along with many other dems have been asking super long winded questions to give Booker a break speaking for a few minutes
(Procedurally, you can take and answer questions without yielding your time on the floor)
The harsh interpretation is that Cory is only looking to shore up good will towards the Democratic Party faction that includes Chuck. Hence this isn't actually a filibuster that might stop something from passing.
The more charitable view is that Congressman Booker is reaponding to criticism by demonstrating a level of action not seen outside an Independent senator and a handful of other house members.
I ain't rooting against his effort one bit in the face of the GOP, even under the most cynical interpretations of recouperation.
Never gonna cheer for genocide.
RESPECT
On a side note (nothing to do with Cory Booker):
I am once again flabbergasted by the separation of church & state in the US of A.
I mean, that’s fine. They’re allowed to pray. Everyone is. That’s the point of freedom of religion. Now if it was mandatory Christian prayer time for everyone that would be an issue, as separation of church and state means no laws enforcing one specific religion.
Allowing people to pray at noon allows Muslims to have their noon prayer, and anyone else can pray then as well so it makes sense why noon.
AFAICS that's exactly what it is. May not be mandatory but the phrasing "the chamber's prayer" suggests it's for everyone, and it's happening in the chamber (i.e. the senate).
I couldn't find any mention of the noon prayer, but the morning prayer is mentioned in Wikipedia: every Senate session is opened by the Senate Chaplain who has been, surprise surprise, some sort of Protestant since 1789.
You know what, seems you might be right I assumed they had him open and then had quiet prayer time for a few minutes which at least lets others pray but it might just be a short sermon from the chaplain. While they’ve had non-Christian ones as guests… yeah.
Charles Constantine Pise, D.D. Roman Catholic Dec 11, 1832
Every Democrat senator should be doing this for as long as they're* physically capable, at every single opportunity.
I've never been a fan of Booker but hot damn am I excited watching him close in on Klansman Thurmond's record.
At a certain point doesn't the GOP just say "ok, we are eliminating the filibuster rule"?
This technically isn't a filibuster, apparently.
But yes, they could suspend the filibuster rule, potentially. I'm not sure of the specifics. It might require 60 votes?
They love the filibuster.
This is not a filibuster... No record broken.
Who cares what it's called? That doesn't matter.
Neither does talking for 25 hours, blocking legislation does.
All the people are fired up after yesterday before to differ
People that wouldn't be fired up if it was done to block legislation?
Sure it's not technically a fillibuster, but if he can go over 24 hrs and 18 minutes, he'll beat Strom Thurmond's... current record holding fillibuster length for... opposing the Civil Rights Act, back in 1957.
Erp.
Well then.
https://wikipedia.org/wiki/Filibuster_in_the_United_States_Senate
He's done it.
Excellent work Sen. Booker.
Call me a radical leftist. But I'm much more interested in defeating fascism than breaking bureaucratic records.
Dude, breaking records is how to get the media to pay attention, spread the message and hopefully encourage resistance.
Putting down others who take a stand instead of promoting change (aka progressive ideals) is counterintuitive to the term Radical Leftist that you claim to be.
If you are interested in defeating fascism, then give constructive criticism and ideas to fight back. Don't put out the fire instead of feeding it.
Wouldn't it get more media attention, spread a more encouraging message to do this when there is literally any legislation that he is stopping?
Criticizing praxis of those in power is valid and good, and it's incredibly frustrating to see democrats remember that they can do things like this only when it doesn't actually have any tangible effect.
I agree that more could have been done, but we don't live in a perfect world. Personally, his speech has inspired me to get involved with the protests April 5th. The visibility of SOMEONE doing something has directly encouraged ONE individual to reach out to friends and acquaintances to join protesting.
There is censorship in mainstream media with protests. They can't censor a senator that broke a record speaking for the American people. His timing could have the impact of inspiring others and validation of the american people's fears and pain. Especially when there is a big protest planned this Saturday across the country that is the same week that our voices were given power.
Giving power to the voices of America is important when censorship is at an all time high and gives validity to the struggles and hardship that we are going through. Our pain must have visibility to inspire change.
Now we have saying and slogans to promote. Finding good trouble and redeem the dream give hope and expression that are shorthand for what we want and will fight for in our hearts.
I am glad his performance convinced you to do stuff, may it lead to you effective forms of protest that is actually what we need to help our imperfect world.
It was nice having a congressional leader, ya know, leading people. He was encouraging non violent resistance. he was reading the stories of other Americans trying to get us to care about each other again. It’s nice to see how many deaf years it fell on. It’s amazing how you can be inspired by watching a speech and then turn to the Internet and be completely repulsed from doing anything again
No dude trump farts in a chair and gets more media attention then the whole dem Congress.
I mean, I agree, but... politics is theatre to a very significant degree, or optics, or perception management, whatever phrase you want to use...
This at least shows that at least some Dems are making a publicized spectactle of resisting...
... As opposed to the old, or possibly still current official Dem talking point memo / strategy of 'Do not become the story.' ... which translates to 'be a collaborator / bend over and take it'.
Fillibustering and doing absolutely everything possible to fuck with the opposition party... is literally exactly what the Republicans did back when the Dems had a trifecta during at least half of Obama's first term.
All the Dems have to do is literally copy that playbook... and Booker here is actually doing it.
Having a functional opposition party that actually looks like it is trying to resist fascists in the government is a pretty important part of an overall societal resistance to fascism.
It is of course not the entirety of a good resistance plan... but...
If your plan does not involve that, well then congrats, you are a terrorist in the eyes of the fascists, hope you have more guns than they do.
I’ll call you a guy calling for more action without suggesting what to do. We’re all interested in defeating fascism. What are you doing about it? What should I do about it?
Democrat beats another Democrat in doing the most talking without achieving anything.
This is HORRIBLE! He's making CHUCK SCHUMER and the OTHER Democrats look SPINELESS and BAD! How DARE he!
Schumer’s rolling over in his grave.. oh he’s not dead?
Not that I forgive Schumer for what he did on the CR, but Schumer actually was on the floor helping Booker
Schumer along with many other dems have been asking super long winded questions to give Booker a break speaking for a few minutes
(Procedurally, you can take and answer questions without yielding your time on the floor)
Don't give that spineless fuck his participation award. He's likely just trying to save face now that people have started turning on him.
He only looks that way.
no but you can't be blamed for the confusion. he didn't roll over in his grave, he just rolled over for fascism.
but that's because he is a fascist. he supports and defends Israel even today.
soft play
what mate?
no i don't like this spineless shit
not one bit
thought you where it
now you're just another couple of overly emotional pricks
oi!
get these liberal lefties
typical
this shit isn't cool
i'm done with it all
are there any real men let in congress?
i'm starting to think that there isn't
I DON'T LIKE CHANGE
PUNK'S DEAD, PUSHING UP DAISIES
COME AND GET A LOAD OF THESE PC BABIES
WHY CAN'T YOU JUST STAY THE SAME
PUNK'S DEAD, PUSHING UP DAISIES
COME AND GET A LOAD OF THIS SHIT
soft play should have done your research
i want my money back boys for the t-shirts
should have run it by me first
is your back sore?
i bet your knees hurt
is this another publicity stunt?
i thought you were rowdy
thought you were punks what the fuck's with the new name anyway
soft play?
more like soft cunts
I DON'T LIKE CHANGE
PUNK'S DEAD, PUSHING UP DAISIES
COME AND GET A LOAD OF THESE PC BABIES
WHY CAN'T YOU JUST STAY THE SAME
PUNK'S DEAD, PUSHING UP DAISIES
COME AND GET A LOAD OF THIS SHIT
i'm sorry but i disagree
this is bullshit
snowflake snowflake cherries on the woke cake
but i'll still see you at your shows
i'm sorry but i disagree
this is bullshit
snowflake snowflake cherries on the woke cake
but i'll still see you at your shows
punk's dead punk's dead
because of you punk's dead
and to think i believed all the shit that you said
cuck schumer is turning in his bed
i was gonna say grave but the fucker ain't dead
RESPECT
Can an American explain this to me? This is wild. Government should be 100% secular.
Should be. But isn't.
American Values TM(C)(R)
I feel like we've run this meme further than is useful; there's absolutely criticisms to be had about how the separation of church in state operates within American government but it's hardly the only "developed" (hate that word but you know what I mean) country to have a government that takes for granted Christianity as default; Britain, after all, has a state church – for (pun slightly intended) Christ's sake – that definitely bleeds into the way its government thinks about what a religion is and how much "religion" gets support.
I'm not saying I wouldn't prefer (and hope we move towards) a more strict and complete separation but let's not pretend America is astonishingly unique…
My comment was more about the hypocrisy of the term "American values". The people who most loudly espouse "American Values" rarely do more than pay lip service to ideals they think are good in a vacuum, but never actually support in practice when those values are tested even a little bit (democracy, equality, free speech, the right to protest, etc etc).
That may not be a uniquely American trait, either, but it is still annoyingly present enough it warrants complaining about.
The prayer is to capitalism
Too bad the state is 0% secular.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_religion
I don't think that's a bad thing. I see it like adding a wheelchair ramp so handicapped congress people can enter the building on their own.
If someone wasn't able to become a congress person because it isn't "accessible" to their religion, that would be pretty bad for democracy (although tbh I wouldn't mind banning religious people from positions of power in general)
Churches enjoy tax exemptions. Wheelchair users do not. I firmly believe that religion should be completely separate from government.
I think it's ok if someone who is religious is in government, provided they do their job. Stopping for prayer isn't doing their job.
Consider a devout Muslim person elected to congress who is not able to pray because they don't get time throughout the day to do it. As a result, they step down because their faith is important to them.
The "usual suspects" don't want Muslims in congress, so they claim that prayer breaks are unconstitutional, effectively blocking Muslims from any position in Congress, and weakening our democracy further.
It's another thing entirely if the "prayer breaks" were something they tried to force onto the rest of the country. That'd be the government trying to use its power to spread a particular religion, which is unconstitutional. But prayer breaks inside Congress are just an accessibility thing.
Why wouldn't he wait to do this to block legislation?
Why do it when nothing was going to happen anyway?
I think that's what I would do differently.
He got himself on the news in the runup to the Florida special elections.
It's hair pulling watching Dems not get it over and over and over and over and over and over and over.....
If you want to stop someone from doing something you have to take actions that make that change happen in material reality.
It's insane that neoliberals think words and signs can beat fascism.
Form a line blocking the legislature, fucking start a brawl, anything besides standing and watching and saying "oh no please don't end democracy :c"
I would have dude oppose genocide. I would have him do something meaningful instead of this performance. Nothing will come of this.
And not a single person listening needed to hear "what's wrong". Libs can't just keep saying "look at how bad this is" and actually point to what their plan is to do something about it.
There is not a single person paying attention to this that had their mind changed on the topic of Trump or Elon. Seriously. We are exhausted with hearing libs tell us "these guys sure are bad" huh.
Seriously. Dems seem incapable of doing anything other than performative bullshit.
Not the right comment thread but thank you for participating in the downvotes with me.
🫡
The Senate is not sitting around with a bunch of time on their hands. If nothing gets done for a day a day of something is getting pushed back.
I agree, but I would argue that it seems performative since he waited after votes on Monday to start his monologue. Perhaps the items being voted on were important though /shrug
I am open to being convinced it was more than performative, mind sharing the context that makes it more than a show, and instead that it is tangible effects on the fascist machinery of the current state?
On the floor filibusters like this are THE definition of performative. Especially when it's not meant to delay to do something like whip votes. Which this isn't even doing.
Also, I'm pretty sure I could shup down Congress for a day with a convincing enough phone call.
The president has 34 of those.
Can’t be that bad
/woosh I guess. Resistance to fascism can be called a "felony" too. They called Nelson Mendela, Malcom X, and MLK terrorist too. Maybe take some context for the people that control those definitions of what a "felony" or a "terrorist" are today. Because if you're gonna keep listening to the definitions they use today then you would be better deciding first which side you're on.
thatsthejoke.jpg
just to be clear, this is what we call terrorism.
This is trump's America now. Only brown people can do terrorism.
well i have a scientific proposal for you. Find a white person, and pay them to do a terrorism. Tell me what happens after you get arrested and charged with terrorism.
(to be clear, i am not advocating for terrorism this is satire.)
Not sure if this comment is satire in the way I think or if you really are missing the point that the definition of "terrorism" is a flexible definition that western countries use to classify groups that (morally or not) resist US Imperialism.
Either way. You're close to understanding "Blowback" to US Imperialism and I can respect that.
thatsthejoke.jpg
So are Bernie’s rallies performative.
Republicans shut down the govt all the time. I'm not impressed by this genocidal right-winger either.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_shutdowns_in_the_United_States
How can I make this more about meeeeeeeeee
Reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
While I find this aspect of US politics weird and I don't know much about this specific politician, it's nice to see someone doing something other than holding up those weird and useless signs during the address last month.
If this last election and the last administration has shown anything it is that the Democrats must start over the rebuild the party. They need to use these next four years working on rebuilding their image and winning over Americans.
It would have been nice if this dude actually fought fascism by opposing genocide.
It's too late
Disgrace to the name of sprog. Only one poem for sprog that I have found in the last three months, and its not even a good poem, and it was only given when someone else complained at the lack of a poem. Too much sprog, insufficient poem. Will the real Poem For Your Sprog please stand up?
Senator Booker stood on the floor
For a day (plus an hour five minutes)
To speak out on Orange acts all should deplore,
Though at last even he found his limits.
Observers made comments showing support,
"At last, at least some piece of action!"
Yet others despaired and were seen to retort,
"Too late!" for the Democrat faction.
But a rare beam of hope as a flash in our lives
Shines all the more bright for the dark.
And signals perhaps—gives a reason for why—
His speech shows an important mark
Of a record, now smashed, was hereto unbroken,
And for 70 years sowed division.
If for no other change we'll know that he's spoken
And created historic revision.
That’s not a poem
And this is why Cory is one of my fav senators, and I'm not in Jersey. EDIT: I regret saying this, he supports Israel.
I hope he breaks the record that Thormud made when protesting the Civil Rights Act of 1957. It would look kinda cool that it was broken to help stop what Thormud wanted in the future.
EDIT: He has https://apnews.com/article/cory-booker-new-jersey-senator-speech-ab573bb7c3c76fa107cacac7136d3823
He did!
The actual Eugene Debs is rolling in his grave.
Probably, hes the least bad politician in America.
A neat fact: the longest filibuster in history was the against the Civil Rights Act in 1957. 24 hours and 18 minutes. Civil Rights Legislation passed two hours later.
Booker has done a 10-day hunger strike, so I imagine he sees that as child's play.
5 minutes from beating the record
... if this were a filibuster...
https://apnews.com/article/cory-booker-new-jersey-senator-speech-ab573bb7c3c76fa107cacac7136d3823
He has broken the record set by Thormud in 1957 when he protested the Civil RIghts Act.
God, imagine being so much of a fucker that you’re that dedicated to hating black people. This record is much better.
Yep, Thormud is the Ur-Conservative of modern American politics. He was deeply racist, and always deflected with "I'm not a racist, I just think states have more rights than the federal system does!"
Anyone who defends him is like him. Old racist bastards. We should have left him and the people who admired him in the dust, but there are politicians today who supported him until he died. One even gave a Eulogy and called him his friend. https://www.c-span.org/clip/public-affairs-event/user-clip-biden-eulogy-of-strom-thurmond/4678933
He should have done this 2 weeks ago when they gave the Republicans everything they wanted with their spending bill.
22 hours and he’s still going as of 5pm EST
OK, no matter how you feel about the effectiveness of this, gotta admit it's impressive.
Imagine if he put this effort into opposing genocide instead of supporting it. We might have less fascism.
When did he support genocide?
So he's gotta be wearing a diaper, right? I'm not asking that in a shit talking kinda way either, pure logistics. Either that or going full trucker mode and using a Gatorade bottle.
The fact that something this extreme is actually required to enact political change is absolutely ridiculous, but much respect to him for what he's doing.
On a practical note, I was thinking the same thing as you. I don't think I could stand for 17 hours straight. I absolutely could not go 17 hours without a bathroom break.
I would have opted for a catheter so I could change bags.
Go get a catheter popped in and tell me you'd do that over a diaper.
You can get external catheters. These are for motorsports but same principle.
https://www.kartek.com/parts/pci-male-external-racing-catheter-kit-personal-sanitation-system-with-hose-for-fire-suit-pant-leg.html
After 17 hours, yes I'd do that over a diaper that can't be changed.
I think they can run to the restroom while others briefly have the floor to ask their very long questions.
The longest filibuster (against Civil Rights) famously included a curtain and a bucket.
Did we have cspan then?
o7
Someone help me understand how this is good against the Maga movement and Project 2025? To me it just seems a hollowed stance that won't amount to anything.
It was inspiring. Many people watched and listened to him speaking the truth. This is also a blueprint for protesting in the nation: Shut stuff down. Shut down subways, buses, logistics like the postal service or trash collection. Let the country come to a grinding halt and force a change. Cause good trouble. It works.
Exactly, make the country struggle to implement fascist policy and make it suffer for doing so.
Yes, he's a democrat.
And a genocide supporting, Big Pharma bootlicker. Where was this passion when two Dems brought down Build Back Better. They don't do shit when they actually have power. I wonder why that is...
The American left is fucked, no true leftist, nobody is good enough to be an ally, democrat means the same thing as conservative, any criticism from someone slightly to the right or even left of you is tossed aside cause they’re “just as bad as trump”. The American left has splintered into toxic little groups that all hate each other. Meanwhile the right is united.
As a non American leftists, many of us can attest that you guys have gone off the deep end, and it’s no surprise considering you still live within the American bubble
Mr. Booker goes to Washingon...
Ayy, that’s my senator! I’ve been calling him and Andy Kim telling them we need them to fight back. Well, here we go. Proud of my great state and while maybe I don’t always see eye to eye with my politicians, I think NJ has been getting better.
The fact that filibusters are a thing tells me a lot about US democracy.
This technically isn't a filibuster. He's not blocking any legislation or appointments. He's just talking, and we know how far talking gets us.
It really is pretty weird. ... and interesting. I don't necessarily think the existence of filibusters is a bad thing, but it definitely a very weird thing.
"Democracy" in USA was literally created by slavers in an attempt to violently enforce their disgusting privilege.
That's should tell you even more about USA "democracy". It's just some gross pact between slavers.
At the time of posting, he is ~5 hours out from the record.
Edit, 3 hours, I cant read clocks...
He beat it.
Woot
It's not a filibuster...
The pointless talking record? I'm pretty sure someone else must have babbled pointlessly for longer.
How has Dump or Mutler not tried to silence him? This is awesome that he's able to do this.
As a person of color it means a hell of a fucking lot. Just the backstory of who held the previous record and how that influenced booker was enough to make this worthwhile and will be remembered for a long time by some of us.
Good. I don’t care what it is, I’ll take something over nothing.
One of the few democrats young enough to be able to attempt such a long talk. Excluding Bernie, that man seems limitless.
I can’t wait till this “Bernie is god” mentality finally goes away and we can find some young blood
Lmao! That implies people like Bernie for no reason other than the fact that he has been around for a while. Which makes zero fucking sense. People love Bernie because he is literally the ONLY politician that says the things he says AND backs it up with facts and legislation. Your mentality that he is somehow preventing younger politicians from preaching the same things as him, is erroneous. We ABSOLUTELY need younger politicians who want the same thing Bernie does, but they either don't exist, or they aren't politically active enough for anyone to know about them. How many dumb fucking Republicans are there? Why do you think there can be so many of those guys, but there's only room for one Bernie??? Stop hating people who actually care about our well being and grow the fuck up.
amen.
Fact is Bernie is a loser. Great ideas mean nothing if you’re unelectable. Which he is. He can’t even win the support of the left, let alone the whole country. It also comes off as utter hypocrisy to complain about old white men in politics while cheering Bernie no?
He’s got good ideas, now put them into a young candidate. I don’t want 80+ year olds in office and I’m at least consistent with that across parties
People who slightly disagree with you are either paid or are brain damaged right?
This is why the rest of the world says the American left has become toxic and offensive, just the other side of the coin to the rest of your country i guess. This is why you guys let trump win and fuck the rest of us
So is there any reason why the others Senators shouldn't just leave?
If you want to get stuff through, no, but it you want to help him, then yes
Various Dems senators have been helping him by asking super long questions to give him a few minutes break from speaking
In any case, Republican senators leaving without being able to voting on nominees and other stuff is helpful
Is he wearing diapers or what?
In this situation, I think one of those party pee bottle tube things and imodium would be sufficient
Very impressive. Very meaningful!
Hero shit
look I'm not gonna say this is bad because things like this attract attention and that can be valuable. but why not do this on the budget bill? he literally did this when nothing was at stake. why are democrats like this? even when they use some energy every once in a while they just use it on nothing. unbelievable.
This event is already being used for fundraising campaigns.
Republicans now trying to recruit David Blaine or the Mind Freak guy to run for Senate. Sources are hearing rumors that Wim Hoff is being offered a “Gold Card” citizenship, despite recent abuse allegations. Hoff is unavailable for comment as he’s currently climbing K2 naked.
Stunning and brave.
A real patriot o7
wow look at that, someone in congress doing something!
And people were saying that nothing would happen, i mean, not much has happened, to be fair, but we've already tried half of that shit already, it's unlikely to work again lmao.
That's great. So... what exactly was accomplished?
Nice
I'm no political expert, but how can this happen? Aren't there rules / customs how long a speech can be? Or can they not have those because of 1st amendment rights?
According to the linked Wikipedia article:
Did he slip in a Foley?
Can I walk in and give him an adderall XR?
Technocrit doing their best to emulate Booker and keep this thread alive for as long as possible.
All while brandishing his Israeli genocide approval badge.
Screw Democrats.
That's what you get with a two party system, you will always have to pick between the lesser if two evils, and right now the greater of the two evils is salivating at the thought of turning US into north korea.
Better vote Democrat, and protest genocide, than to not go out and vote, because the other side is also approving genocide
North Korea? He's clearly modeling russia!
Stepping stone
"Better vote genocide and then pretend to be against it than not vote for genocide and not be allowed to pretend to be against it"
"Better to turn Gaza into a parking lot, than send food AID to people. So after deep moral calculations we chose to support the parking lot. FREE PALESTINE!!!!?"
Food wasn't getting in under Biden for a long stretch as well. Both parties make me vomit in my mouth a little.
Understood. But Congress was still providing funding, and Biden was still attempting to get it there. There was least a veil of decency. As thin as you want to portray it, there was more decency than there is now.
Imagine being such a liberal that you believe genocide joe was sending food aid or stopping any bombs.
https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-aid-hamas-unrwa-biden-bcf8489c338a2f33cb4d6f0a4f7138b5
Bro we sent eight over there for decades since before you were born. Long before you downloaded TikTok and heard about the war
When will commies finally fuck off and start your own party?
Are you guys watching the news? I just don't know how you can see the conversations with Trump around Gaza, and think. Yes this was the right decision. No one can question that Palestine is better off due to my inaction and inability to make a simple train decision.
It was always pretty damn clear that this was Israel's endgame no matter who was in the White House.
Well congratulations because instead of thousands of them dying now you’ve got millions of them about to go hungry because the food isn’t making it there anymore.
Which was always the plan. They were pretty open about it in the Hebrew press.
I am seeing Trump do the same thing as Biden and Harris it is pretty awful.
If only people voted Green or PSL.
Good for you, you must have an incredible narrow scope of information you are working with. Must be nice.
Good for you, you must have an incredible narrow scope of information you are working with. Must be nice.
Yes trump is continuing the policies of genocide joe.
Oh okay so cutting off the food aid is okay for you? Since thousands of people of dying of bombs you wanna make sure millions die of starvation? that’s your assessment?
If you were given evidence of starvation conditions and cutting off of aid from before Trump took office would your opinions on this change at all? Like genuinely did you start paying attention when you could use it against Trump?
I always review evidence when presented to me unless it’s a Fox News source or something that’s clearly straight from Iran or kremlin. Al Jazeera is acceptable
FTFY
LOL.
Yes. They're all the same genocidal team.
Its funny to me how both sides are equally bad to you, when one side is working to literally establish a fascist dictatorship, while the other side is trying to give people health care
I mean, they aren't tho
I don't understand
Then Google it and catch up. Booker is kicking ass and you want a spoon-feed? Not from me.
Yeah you coulda just kept this one to yourself chief
Same goes.
Holy shit you people never understand this do you..
Why does every grandmother know every right wing issue while all of you smuggly keep saying 'Google it' while you lose every battle you barely attempt to be mad about
Do your work if you're so committed to these causes. But the effort in yourselves or stop crying all over the Internet how everyone are fascists and Nazis now.
Make fucking content
Cut the shit and wake up
What does any of this mean?
Well you've succeeded at being mad about it. Next maybe instead of spending 7 seconds complaining you don't understand, spend 11 seconds and know the answer.
If you were a right wing grandmother you would at least have watched enough TV to know something without complaining you had to watch the full segment between commercals. Instead you play the whiny and resentful twit. Sorry I didn't make a fucking TIKTOK of this issue to fit your goldfish attention span. Channel that rage into voting, calling, and action instead of being a know nothing whiny waste of oxygen. It's not the job of the world to spoon feed you facts and an opinion.
"I don't understand". WELL JESUS FUCKING NUGGET. PUT IN SOME EFFORT YA DINGUS!
Edit: In the time since this comment was made, I have called both my senators and emailed my congressional rep. What have you done?
Wow great job. You win whatever the you think you win here and still have a trump presidency and every other loss socially and politically and still don't get why
If it gets you and anyone else off their lazy asses it's a win. And if you "don't get why", thanks for your tax money because I'm the one getting breaks on your dime. Hopefully that pisses you off. If it doesn't, well, my next house will have a pool and you'll rent. Get mad and DO something!
Just getting off a lazy ass isn't enough. That's not a win. Having someone drive two towns over just to stand in the rain and get their heads kicked in by police because they were misinformed how effective a protest would be is not winning. Telling each other we shouldn't engage because it's like rolling with pigs is self neutering.
My point is stop thinking that posting an article or making a comment is doing fuck all. Create good fucking content
What do you not understand?
Do you not understand what the words mean? Do you not understand the purpose? Do you not understand the context? I don't understand what you don't understand.
If you're going to rail on about how people need to do more to educate others instead of telling you to do some basic reading then you can at the very least put some effort into your inquiry.
What the hell is he doing. A democrat man talks for a long time 👍
I think you need to watch a video where someone breaks down how to ask a question.
Maybe or maybe there's subtext
Based on your other responses I assume that the subtext here is that this didn't actually achieve anything other than allowing for a democrat to hold the floor and talk for over a day? It's performative and all it achieves is online discourse vs. what you'd consider to be action? Did I get that right? Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm not a mind reader and you haven't been very direct, so that's my interpretation.
How about you just say what you mean? Hiding behind these sorts of bad faith engagements is childish snowflake behaviour.
Actually, I really appreciate you putting that together. Yes, it captures a big part of what I’ve been trying to say.
Maybe it is bad faith, but I also think that speaking directly, especially online, is genuinely hard. Still, one of my biggest frustrations is how difficult it is to spread and sustain important ideas and perspectives.
What really gets me is seeing people pour so much energy into a single protest driving for hours, standing in the rain, even getting arrested but then showing almost no interest in doing something like consistently sharing content online, which is easier and arguably more effective in the long run. That disconnect baffles me. Like posting and commenting on an issue for 24 hrs isn't enough
And on top of that, there’s a real failure to support strong figureheads or voices who are actually good at communicating the message. These people burn out or get drowned out because there’s no consistent effort to lift them up. It’s like the momentum gets lost the moment the event ends, and without that sustained effort, we just end up watching things fall apart from the sidelines.
Yeah I was definitely a bit snarky but these days, at least from me, you get the effort you give :) no hard feelings, honestly. Before going further, I just want to mention that I am outside of the US so this is more of an outside view - although the problem isn't isolated to the US.
I appreciate you expanding your point, and I do agree with the general premise of your thoughts, however I believe there is a time and a place. I don't believe it was really constructive in the context of this article. This action by Booker was probably the most action we've seen out of the Democrats in the US. It came across as letting perfection become the enemy of good.
Those who are left leaning within the US absolutely need to do better and be more aggressive in their messaging, but they're up against a behemoth. Democrats (overall) and Republicans both, have, and are, acting against the best interest of their citizens. This isn't meant to be a both sides argument, because they're on different levels, but the rightward shift does not seem like an accident.
The road ahead is a tough one. Progressives obviously can't rely on traditional media to cover their fight, and complaining about not getting coverage doesn't really provide anything new. It is known that progressives are shut out by both parties within the US in favour of the status quo, moreso by the right wingers but also very much by the left wingers (I'd say liberals, but for simplicity's sake used left wing). Nobody wants to give up their comfort despite the system which is providing them that comfort slowly yanking it out, or not resisting those who are, from under them.
We're in a technological world but those who "control" that world are part of the problem. Social media kind of acts as a pressure release valve for all the anger, which though it can be helpful in spreading a message, or preventing anarchy, seems to prevent meaningful action as well. It's a tough spot to be in.
Rather than spreading the message online to build up support in numbers that can meaningfully mobilize, it seems that progressives are in a spot where they need those mobilization numbers before even spreading the message lest they want to be shut out by liberals and conservatives alike. I do believe that the numbers are there, but apathy and fear are total bitches and I can understand why people have felt their efforts would be worthless.
At this point I'm just going off on a tangent so I'll leave it here for now. My final point is this: what Booker did, although not immediately effective in preventing this downfall, was at the least extremely admirable, impressive in terms of will, and hopefully something that starts to get the wheels turning a little bit faster. It's not an action to be looked at in isolation. Your explained point is correct in that there needs to be more than just celebration of this event, but let's not put those who DO celebrate it down.
It's a shitty form of government literally concocted by slave masters.
What
That's nothing compared to how long dude has supported genocide.
https://www.blackagendareport.com/cory-bookers-boot-licking-butt-kissing-and-buck-dancing-zionism
What a great title from the black agenda report? What is that? I’m not gonna click on it but the title gave me a good laugh.
So what's the point of this?
Useless theatrics?
you have minimal critical reading ability if you can't infer that he's only "not blocking legislation" in a de jure sense, he did not start speaking during a bill, so for the purposes of Senate law he is not blocking legislation. however, he is literally, de facto blocking legislation and doing so in a that the senate has no power to stop
You're not wrong there.
They can't wait until he falls asleep than continue dismantling the government?
if he delays action by the federal government by two days, that's two days longer before the end of democracy. but more importantly, since he's giving a speech between legislation, if he wraps up at 2 am another Democratic senator can do the same thing immediately
This would actually be a decent plan to resist. We’ll just have to see if they catch on, I’m sure the donors are already firing up their wrap it up boxes…
That’ll basically decide if this is really resisting or just performative. If they back to back 24 hour speeches for the foreseeable future, I will say maybe just maybe they give a shit. If they end after this then it’s just a pr stunt. Booker can’t beat Trump so it’s a non starter so far as a presidential run.
The Senate is still not able to go about their normal business because of this. It was suppose to start going through their schedule at noon today
Aren't the Republicans trying to stop the government from doing anything too?
Mostly through taking a sledge hammer via executive branch right now
Which needs things like confirmation of appointees from the Senate
Plus in a broad sense they're also trying to codify some of their currently illegal actions. It's good to slow stuff like that down
So it's still effectively a filibuster, but without technically being the sort of filibuster that they could vote to disallow?
They are, but they're doing it through destructive actions. This prevents any actions for awhile.
There's a loophole to prevent filibuster - 60 votes ends debate, and there's enough fascist Dems for that. So he's halting business anyway.
I say give him some credit.
The mainstream media is talking about it, so the apathetic people might actually take a fucking look at it, also making history in a way/ drawing attention. We need momentum any way we can take it. Hundreds of thousands of people are watching this so far it was only a few at first, other countries are watching.
Which mainstream media?
The left describes mainstream media the same as legacy media.
The right describes mainstream media as media that follows the main stream of consciousness (i.e., anything to the left of Fox)
They’re the fucking same propaganda machines, fuck me for hoping that there may be a scrape of apathy shaved off.
Yup. Useless theatrics are all the democratic party is capable of these days.
That happens when you have a minority in the house and senate and don’t have the presidency.
Just a couple of notches above useless. It's getting attention which is nice. But if this diverts people from paying attention to Bernie and AOC's work, it might be worse than useless. Schumer said the caucus is proud of him. That's not a good sign in my book, given where Schumer is on a set of issues and his recent actions.
Even if this was a filibuster, which would be the more likely motivation? Cory Booker shares your values, or Cory Booker is angling to run for President?
Oh man if he shares my values I’d never want him as president.
Seems so. The pulpit seems pleased though...
Trump and musk are currently working to tighten the screws a bit more, and democrats are still standing around jerking each other.
This is literally the opposite of standing around jerking eavh other.
It's sad that running out the clock / speaking pointlessly is celebrated right now. How many tax dollars is it costing to have one fellow standing around going blah blah vs getting something done?
I realize this is like a protest but MAN it would be nice to just have a functional government.
Libs so excited to see anything. I'll let them have this. Even though it's performative at least it's better than most "resistance" so far.
I mean we got the president admitting that he sent an innocent person to a maximum security prison in another country. Oh and he's just like "yeah. Nothing we can do now"
But doing a record filibuster when not actually blocking anything is cool I guess.
I hear myself being critical of the politicians doing fuck all to bring material changes. But I guess if we fall further into fascism while liberals resist "enough" symbolically to make us feel better then I'm sure all the brown people that get disappeared to GITMO and ElSalvador will feel some graditiude to our support.
Do your hear yourself? Probably not.
Are you sabotaging critical infrastructures? Disrupting supply chains? Running psy-ops? Anything better than being pissy on the Internet?
I've explained what I've done in other replies to my comment. TLDR: connect with DSA and PSL in your local branch. Or find the best organization resisting ICE right now. Which may literally just be YOU if your area is small enough. And it that case you should be getting to know your neighbors and coworkers asap.
I'm not just rambling online. I'm literally here trying to get people to organize locally. That's kinda the point of this thread.
I'm assuming you know something effective to do about it? Let's go do it! Right now!
I'm not an elected representative so the ways in which I do things are not in the ways I criticize them for not doing. That being said you can still do something.
Get organized with your neighbors and your coworkers to protect you and those around you from ICE. The best way to do this is forming tenant unions and workplace unions. Even if they are not officially recognized by either they are a great place to start getting to know your neighbors and coworkers better. Making sure they know their rights and helping to organize protection if one of you is targeted.
Work with organizing like PSL and DSA. They are both offering local outreach and ICE resistance. If they aren't in your area look for an organization that is or look at starting a local branch.
It's a lot more productive than gloating at a representative that's bought and paid for by corporate money and lobying groups and pretending his publicity stunt is doing anything.
That's not what I asked.
I literally told you something effective to do. Which is what you asked. Or did you want me to point to a politician doing a "better" performative dance that you can follow and use as a reason to do nothing else in your own life?
No, how do we stop the deportations, and get the people back from the prison in El Salvador? What can I do, today, to make it stop? Hell, what can I tell Sen. Cory Booker's staff to have him do to make it stop?
I'm sick of this condescending shitting on anybody who does anything to resist that isn't either striking the exact, right spot to fix everything in a single blow, or the leftist liturgy of mutual aid. There is no simple fix. It's going to be a long slog, and take the accumulated efforts, big and small, of people everywhere. Symbolic efforts, even, because those can raise awareness, rally, and encourage people. Organizing against ICE is singularly ineffective where I am in a place that ICE isn't active, and one, lone voice like mine can't even get people off of corporate social media. Americans have such a herd mentality that they're scared of anything that doesn't have a logo and a brand name on it, so if their leaders act like nothing's amiss, they're not going to step out of line to challenge things. That's what makes a Senator pulling a stunt like this so valuable. Tens of millions of people watched yesterday. Finally, a leader giving voice to the anger and unease so many of us have been feeling. Maybe it'll catalyze more action.
Or, maybe not. But, Jesus Christ, take the 'W'.
Call me when something changes or someone actually goes to jail.
I'm not that into theatrics by Pfizer's plant Democrat.
You don't get change, real change, without a following. Even if it's "for show" this is getting a lot of attention. The Republican base is probably not going to come around until they actual lose their jobs or see businesses they care about shuttered, if even that gets them out of their trance, but the people that think this is just a repeat of Trump's first term need to get hammered with all the bullshit that's going on. Day to day I really wouldn't know that anything sinister is happening in DC. By the time it finally comes around the DOE might already be repurposed as a Tesla factory or the CDC turned into a reform center for wayward youths and totally not a front for sex trafficking.
"dont do anything" isn't a viable solution.
Maybe not discourage people who want to protect their rights and the constitution would be a good thing.
Oxymoron.