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.


    • atempuser23@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      Because of this part

      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.

      It’s symbolic because he’s not doing it when it actually delays something. His action is not holding or delaying any efforts of the Republicans. It’s still a viable form of protest.

      • Triasha@lemmy.world
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        2 days ago

        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.

        • SoftestSapphic@lemmy.world
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          2 days ago

          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.

        • technocrit@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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          1 day ago

          I would have dude oppose genocide. I would have him do something meaningful instead of this performance. Nothing will come of this.

              • NovaOG@lemm.ee
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                2 days ago

                It’s hair pulling watching Dems not get it over and over and over and over and over and over and over…

                • SoftestSapphic@lemmy.world
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                  2 days ago

                  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”

                  • bishbosh@lemm.ee
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                    1 day ago

                    “Raising awareness” activism has been such a pernicious tool of pacification for the current era.

        • LeninOnAPrayer@lemm.ee
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          2 days ago

          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.

    • DarthDax@lemm.ee
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      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

        • bishbosh@lemm.ee
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          1 day ago

          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?

      • TronBronson@lemmy.world
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        22 hours ago

        How can I make this more about meeeeeeeeee

        Reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

    • LeninOnAPrayer@lemm.ee
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      2 days ago

      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.

        • LeninOnAPrayer@lemm.ee
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          1 day ago

          /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.

      • KillingTimeItself@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        2 days ago

        Also, I’m pretty sure I could shup down Congress for a day with a convincing enough phone call.

        just to be clear, this is what we call terrorism.

          • KillingTimeItself@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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            2 days ago

            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.)

            • LeninOnAPrayer@lemm.ee
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              1 day ago

              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.