Cory Booker is taking action — something we wish all elected Democrats were doing during this crazy time in America.
There comes a time when a person has to look at themselves in the mirror and say, “Where was I when President Trump was steamrolling the country?!”
Democratic maverick and New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker can say that he was on the frontlines trying to stop him.
Monday evening, around 7 p.m., Booker took to the Senate floor and noted that he, like many Americans, is tired of the Trump and Elon Musk “dedication to destruction” U.S. tour.
“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, CNN reports. “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 continued. “These are not normal times in America. And they should not be treated as such in the United States Senate.”
He added that he was going to protest “as long as I am physically able.”
And thus began his marathon talk-in, which isn’t technically a filibuster because he’s not blocking legislation or preventing a nomination. Cory Booker’s speech keeps the Senate floor open and answers the call from many Democratic voters who were wondering when a Democratic leader was going to do something to try and stop Orange Thanos.
As of this writing, the New Jersey senator has been speaking for some 17 hours and counting.
Cory Booker’s speech has taken shots at Trump and his administration for possible cuts to Medicaid and noted what’s obvious to everyone besides Trump and his administration — the damage this could do to the most vulnerable among us.
“It is maddening in this country to create greater and greater health care crisis and for us not to solve it but to battle back and forth between trying to make incremental changes or to tear it all down with no plan to make it better, leaving more Americans suffering,” Booker said.
Booker also took a moment to reflect on late GOP Sen. John McCain’s commitment to healthcare.
“Senator McCain, I know you wouldn’t sanction this, I know you would be screaming, I’ve seen how angry you can get,” Booker said in a raised voice full of emotion. “I’ve seen you tear people apart on this floor, Democrat and Republican, for doing the same stupid thing over and over again. Listen to John McCain explain why he voted ‘no’ the last time the Republican Party tried to unite and tear down health care with no idea how to fix it, threatening to put millions of Americans in financial crisis and health care crisis. I can’t believe we are here again.”
As night became day, many Democrats joined Booker to pose questions so he’d be able to continue talking and not lose the floor.
“You’re taking the floor tonight to bring up all these inequities that will hurt people, that will so hurt the middle class, that will so hurt poor people, that will hurt America, hurt our fiscal conditions, as you document,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said.
“Just give us a little inkling of the strength — give us a little feeling for the strength and conviction that drive you to do this unusual taking of the floor for a long time to let the people know how bad these things are going to be.”
Before yielding to Democratic Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester, Booker noted that the two shared a moment of prayer before he began his protest.
“My sister came over and prayed with me that I could stand for a long time, because she knew what we were trying to do, which was to try to create with who we serve, with John Lewis-type good trouble in this institution, to not do things normal,” he said, adding that Blunt Rochester had “asked God to give me words of love today.”
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