Booker: “I confess that I have been imperfect. I confess that I’ve been inadequate to the moment. I’ve confess that the Democratic Party has made terrible mistakes that gave a lane to this demagogue. I confess we all must look in the mirror and say ‘we will do better.’”
Honestly the first actual sign of resistance from within the Senate chamber.
Resistance seems like a bit much, can we compromise and agree it’s the first sign that a Democratic senator has a pulse?
Credit should be given where due: Sen. Booker is about to make history in less than an hour, breaking the record for the longest filibuster in US history.
Edit: He did it! Now it’s on every American and person around the world to resist the Trump administration.
That’s fair enough, I absolutely agree that his resolve is notable and his voice should be elevated, but will we see that happen in reality?
Booker is a staunch zionist. He should be in prison for supporting the killing of Palestinians.
Okay buddy we’ll at least he wants to keep the fascism over there.
I don’t think that’s better…
That seems like a matter of perspective
You don’t think it’s better that the country with most powerful military and bases all over the world doesn’t fall to fascism before Israel?
Even if you don’t live in America it seems pretty obvious that is, in fact, better
Standards are low.
He stopped a full day of business in the Senate. I’ve never been a huge Booker fan but I gotta admit, not only is it a pretty impressive feat but this is exactly the kind of thing we need from them right now.
A full day of … nothing. The senate, and congress as a whole don’t really do anything these days. They pass maybe one consequential bill every 2 years and then go back to sitting on there asses because the filibuster prevents them from doing anything besides “bipartisan” shit like sending weapons to Israel.
All the bad shit that’s been happening is coming from trumps desk with no approval or input from congress.
Congress, republican controlled*, has chosen not to act, which many view as a tacit approval.
Hey now give him credit where credit is due, he at least made sure to wait until after the spending bill. That way he didn’t interfere with project 2025 at all.
What a thoughtful soul
No, we need their party to stop bombing Palestinian civilians. In no way is booker, who is a staunch zionist, promising to change that.
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I think a lot of people on both sides are still living in a weird fantasy bubble that we have “two sides” and they’re actually fighting each other.
Yes, some outliers are probably genuine, but we’re all getting played if we think this shit isn’t designed to make a select group of people wealthy no matter who wins or who speaks out or what the political landscape looks like. You don’t leave trillions of dollars up to chance and the votes of uninformed or uninterested voters.
The first sentence is true, the second sentence maybe but I don’t know. That’s why I am saying this is the first sign of resistance in the chamber, because up til now it was a lot of humming and hawing about how bad this is but otherwise nodding along as if it was business as usual, but this could be one of a future series of acts of resistance. It’s easy to write off all Democratic senators, but this is the first tangible delay to the Republican majority’s business. He brought to the spotlight many important messages in front of many people, about taxing the rich, giving affordable healthcare etc. (unlike Ted Cruz’s timewaster filibuster that was reading Green Eggs and Ham and stuff).
So many people seem to miss the point. Booker essentially became a streamer for a day except with usually boring Senate stuff, and was able to get at least a few people energized about important topics on how to resist Trump and cause “good trouble”. He pushed his health and stamina to an admirable extent for a politician. It’s far more newsworthy than Democrats waving little handboards around.
I get what you’re saying but to me this act seems completely consistent with the standard Democrat mo of not taking action when it really matters, while acting when it doesn’t. The mo that creates the impression of doing things by only doing an insufficient amount. Case in point - Booker’s action did not take place a week ago during the CR vote. Doing it then would have really mattered. If it did, I’d have been shocked. We discussed this with some friends when the rumor came down that Chuck is going to vote for the bill. So now I can’t shake the feeling this act is just meant to paper over that inaction which got many Democrat voters very angry at the party.
Democrats in Congress are experts at snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, I get it. But what the senator did is something that would inspire individuals to organize into groups to put more pressure on the administration and its allies. Booker put a part of himself on the line, got his message out there.
After this is the part where the Democratic minority of the Senate, conceivably, will fail to follow through and organizing together and amongst their constituents and putting pressure on red state senators. At least I heard Booker was doing something along those lines in NJ this weekend. If they can force a 60%-80% productive work week in the Republican Senate that is something.
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What did he resist? There wasn’t a bill he was filibustering. This was a performance.
Stop being satisfied with performance.
I already said downthread that it was a record-breaking performance. It got eyeballs on an important message in the same way as what Sanders and AOC are doing in their tour around their country.
Dem Senators’ performance has been a big pile of disappointment during 2025 so far, hence I’m calling this a first sign of resistance because we have had essentially nothing noteworthy prior to that and in the chamber since Sanders’ organizing efforts are outside of that, while his and other Senators’ efforts to bring bills forward and grill Trump appointees have seemed ineffectual, and Schumer led a big letdown with the CR bill.
It’s not everything we need, it’s not enough on its own, but it’s not nothing either. I don’t know how many people I have to say this to.
If it’s not nothing, then show me the win. Show me what we gained.
A WI supreme court Musk defeat, millions of views who have heard of “good trouble” and the whole plan to cut services to fund billionaire tax cuts, increased turnout for Apr 5 protests (50501), a 500pt Lemmy thread, so on and so forth. The action is a seed that would bear fruit if Americans and others actually care for it, be part of the solution and not act all nihilist.
We’re doing our part in Canada. We are out protesting, boycotting Tesla, boycotting many other American goods and not travelling to the US. Time to do yours, and not use your ineffectual Senate as an excuse for inaction. Call your Dem and Repub senators, and even if they don’t listen, then take to the streets, see eye-to-eye with your fellow statesman and make change happen. This is a moment that Americans have to seize upon, not just for the 40-odd old geezers in the Dem Senate Caucus to do.
No, how is this a win as a result of this “filibuster?”
The immediate effect is that Senate business has been delayed by an entire day. From within the Senate as well, if there’s ever going to be a tone shift with Republicans in Congress wrestling back control from the President, it would be now, looking at how Trump declared a emergency against a trade deficit today.
Like I said already, the most significant benefits of this speech will come by Senators and Americans at-large following through, if that can happen. Your line of questioning is like watering a seed and wondering where the fruit is right away.
He made a loyalty pledge to Israel during this performance, and defended the genocide. I don’t want him to follow through.
Have you seem what Sanders is doing?
Yes, but most his effectual action seems to occur outside the Senate chamber, rallying crowds together with Ocasio-Cortez.
Have you seen the bills he’s drafted? Dude does both.
Not a filibuster, there’s not a bill in question or a confirmation on the line. He’s just holding the floor. I applaud the effort and certainly the message, I’m just not sure why he’s doing it now instead of you know when it counted.
That’s really too bad. This sort of effort should be directed at something specific rather than just being performant :(
Unfortunately that seems to be the Democrat playbook these days. Make a lot of noise, but don’t suit up for the actual battles that would win the war.
He also took the time to praise Israel and defend the genocide during his filibuster.
Fuck right off.
He also put on a genocide pin and proceeded to preach some biblical Zionism quotes. Usually Democrats stick to the liberal Zionism. Apparently they have moved so far right they identify more with the MAGA crowd now.
It was a loyalty pledge. He put on this performance to get a shot at a leadership position, and he wanted to make it clear to the aipac lobby which side he was on.
Why are our politicians like this… Anyone with eyes can see it’s evil what’s happening there.
Because we have legalized bribery.
And call it ‘lobbying’
AIPAC
I regret cheering him on now. Fuck this dude.
I thought it was kinda cool he was mad at Trump for 24 hours straight. This shit takes a lot of physical effort, especially for a 55 year old.
Highly performative though. Not saying it was useless, because it definitely was a statement. It was not yet a "step in the right direction, but at least a “slight bend of the neck to maybe someday start looking in the right direction”. Now I would like every other congressional Democrat to follow it up with something. Furiously voting against absolutely everything the MAGA terrorists propose, no matter what. Call Mike Johnson a cuck live on C-Span, every day. Lock MTG in the bathroom. Create 100 policy proposals for the docket, every day and from everyone until the .txt list is 500 Petabyte big.
Shut congress down. Completely, until Trump is gone. This is war.
Where was this motion when the continued resolution was on the floor? Fucking clowns.
Feels like too little too late.
He’s applying for the Democratic nomination.
Nomination to what?
There are no primaries from now on in the democratic party, only nominations.
You wouldn’t force the democrats to pass a purity test would you?
Because it is.
If the Democrats actually wanted to be an opposition party he wouldn’t need to be speaking right now. At least some are supporting him.
I confess we all must look in the mirror and say ‘we will do better.’”
Spoiler: they won’t
Hey now, lets not forget that time Schumer and Pelosi led that “We will win!” chant. If it wasn’t for that, we might be in REAL trouble right now.
Simply admitting it does not mean you don’t have to correct. This was a fillibuster in name only, no bill was protested. This is theatrical at best.
It was performative nonsense, as per usual of the democrats.
The only thing it did was take the record from a segregationist.
Of course, the Dems are experts at theater.
Then do it
Words are cheap
American politics are a clown show
Yes. That’s not new
Not a countries in America are like this
True, but we were talking about the US banana republic.
I apologise to all further developed and civilised nations of America.
Except half the clowns think we didn’t hire them to jump through flaming hopes. Get jumping, ya bozos.
Booker a day later: let’s give Israel more money
Also, too tired to filibuster when something bad actually needs to be stopped, like Chuck Schumer collaborating with Trump two weeks ago.
“My job is to keep the left pro Israel” -
Chuck ShumerCory Booker
I think this sentiment is good and happy to see something like this out of the Democrats for fucking once in their lives.
That said, Booker is a huge embodiment of the Democratic Party he’s criticizing here. While certainly better than a ton in the traditional centrist camp like Schumer and Pelosi, Booker still towed the line the past 10 years since the DNC has actually been screwing over genuine progressives like Sanders.
If this is a genuine recognition of a failed strategy then great, but I’m skeptical.
towed the line
*toed
toad* 🐸
Weird
Cool, but also confusing
“Toe the line” = conform to standards by lining up with your toes on the line. What the heck would “tow the line” mean as a metaphor?
Like the line is the standard, and you’re pulling it, like you’re in a line of people all pulling on the same line in the same direction.
A lot of words and no actions… until Schumer steps down Democrats have learned nothing and have nothing new to offer. If you want us to believe you have changed show us don’t tell us.
Cory booker is probably an even more virulent zionist than Schumer. He’s been pro israel, and anti-palestine his entire career.
I was in no way suggesting Booker replace Schumer. I want Booker and the other democrats to pressure Schumer to step down.
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Citation needed
He praised Israel and defended the genocide in this very same filibuster.
“Ending security assistance to our closest ally in the Middle East at a time when Israel faces new threats emanating from Syria and continued aggression from Iran and its proxies would undermine stability in the region and harm our own national security,” he said at the time. “The United States and Israel have a history of unprecedented cooperation on the basis of shared ideals and democratic principles. [Curtailing funding] would dramatically undermine our enduring commitment to Israel’s security and the historic ties between our two nations, jeopardizing a peaceful and stable future.”
We need more words! We need to drown out the republican message.
Would it turn the GOP? No, but it would certainly drown out their insane rhetoric.
Anyone know what he is filibustering?
There’s is no particular vote that he is fillibustering, he is just doing it because he can.
The NYT also theorized that he wanted to do this at some point anyway, because the record for longest continuous speech in the Senate is currently held by Strom Thurmond, while fillibustering the
19671957 Civil Rights bill, and Booker wanted to top it. He only has an hour or two to go to get there.NPR also mentioned that there just hadn’t been that much going on to filibuster. Nominations, sure, but Congress has been mostly taking a back seat to the presidency, for better or worse given executive actions aren’t as permanent as Congressional law.
He’s not filibustering. He’s grandstanding.
Just holding the floor
