On April 2, New Jersey Senator Cory Booker delivered a historic speech in which he spoke on Capitol Hill for 25 hours and five minutes straight with no breaks. But, why did Senator Booker decide to speak for 25 hours specifically? Well a filibuster is when one or more members of the Senate or any legislative body prolong debate on any piece of legislation to delay or prevent a decision. An example of filibustering is when in 2013 Senator Ted Cruz led a 21 hour filibuster against Obama Care.
The thought process in which Senator Booker operated under is that of framing issues he has with President Trump to the American people, that the people need to rise up and protect America from the Trump Administration. In the form of relaying personal anecdotes, stories, and other experiences that have affected Senator Booker, and everyday Americans that have been affected by the current Administration in a way that he feels is wrong morally and ethically attempting to build bridges with Republicans as well. During this feat Senator Booker was not alone either Senator Elizabeth Warren, and House Minority Leader Chuck Schumer fielding questions and speaking, taking time off of Cory Booker to speak and briefly rest.
Senator Cory Booker’s reasoning as to “protest” the Trump administration follows stating: “I hope that perhaps this is one of many ignition points that get people to kind of galvanize and come together and stop him from doing a lot of these things, like we did in 2017, when Americans from all backgrounds were able to stop him, along with three Republican senators from taking away health care for millions of people.” In an interview with NPR. The Senator briefly referred to 2017 in which the Democrats won key Governorships in Virginia and New Jersey as well as filibustering and combating the first Trump Administration on the ground through mass protests and organizing.
What the Senator from New Jersey did is newsworthy because it demonstrates how the filibuster can be used in contemporary politics. The idea that a Senator can speak on the floor for 25 hours straight is a historic precedent for America as a whole. The Senator stand relates to history as Senator Cory Booker broke the record for the longest filibuster in American history which before belonged to Strom Thurmond.
Thurmond filibustered the Civil Rights Act of 1957, Thurmond an open racist. It is historic and ironic that Thurmond’s record was broken by a Black man, a person that Thurmond would never want to be on or allowed in capitol hill. Whether you agree politically with Cory Booker, this event is historic and in some ways a triumph for any member of the Senate to speak for 25 hours straight with no breaks, quite a difficult feat both physically and mentally. To summarize what Senator Cory Booker did was historic whether you agree with what he stood for or not.
On April 2, New Jersey Senator Cory Booker delivered a historic speech in which he spoke on Capitol Hill for 25 hours and five minutes straight with no breaks. But, why did Senator Booker decide to speak for 25 hours specifically? Well a filibuster is when one or more members of the Senate or any legislative body prolong debate on any piece of legislation to delay or prevent a decision. An example of filibustering is when in 2013 Senator Ted Cruz led a 21 hour filibuster against Obama Care.
The thought process in which Senator Booker operated under is that of framing issues he has with President Trump to the American people, that the people need to rise up and protect America from the Trump Administration. In the form of relaying personal anecdotes, stories, and other experiences that have affected Senator Booker, and everyday Americans that have been affected by the current Administration in a way that he feels is wrong morally and ethically attempting to build bridges with Republicans as well. During this feat Senator Booker was not alone either Senator Elizabeth Warren, and House Minority Leader Chuck Schumer fielding questions and speaking, taking time off of Cory Booker to speak and briefly rest.
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Senator Cory Booker’s reasoning as to “protest” the Trump administration follows stating: “I hope that perhaps this is one of many ignition points that get people to kind of galvanize and come together and stop him from doing a lot of these things, like we did in 2017, when Americans from all backgrounds were able to stop him, along with three Republican senators from taking away health care for millions of people.” In an interview with NPR. The Senator briefly referred to 2017 in which the Democrats won key Governorships in Virginia and New Jersey as well as filibustering and combating the first Trump Administration on the ground through mass protests and organizing.
What the Senator from New Jersey did is newsworthy because it demonstrates how the filibuster can be used in contemporary politics. The idea that a Senator can speak on the floor for 25 hours straight is a historic precedent for America as a whole. The Senator stand relates to history as Senator Cory Booker broke the record for the longest filibuster in American history which before belonged to Strom Thurmond.
Thurmond filibustered the Civil Rights Act of 1957, Thurmond an open racist. It is historic and ironic that Thurmond’s record was broken by a Black man, a person that Thurmond would never want to be on or allowed in capitol hill. Whether you agree politically with Cory Booker, this event is historic and in some ways a triumph for any member of the Senate to speak for 25 hours straight with no breaks, quite a difficult feat both physically and mentally. To summarize what Senator Cory Booker did was historic whether you agree with what he stood for or not, on April 2nd the Senator from New Jersey Made History.
