From March 31 to April 1, New Jersey Senator Cory Booker delivered a record-breaking 25-hour filibuster on the Senate floor of the United States Capitol. In his marathon speech, Booker repeatedly chastised President Donald Trump for his discriminatory politics and policies and for his attempts to circumvent the US Constitution.Booker also criticised both the Democratic and Republican parties for failing to do more to oppose Trump. “Do better than me. Do better than we in this body. We are flawed and failed people,” he said unironically, adding, “My voice is inadequate. My efforts today are inadequate to stop what they’re trying to do.” Two days later, he proved himself right. Booker voted against two resolutions that would have limited US arms sales to Israel – just as Israeli forces once again intensified their genocidal campaign in Gaza. In doing so, he aligned himself with one of Trump’s most extreme and violent foreign policy positions – and exposed the hollowness of the Democratic resistance. After all, you cannot claim to be fighting Trumpism at home while helping it advance abroad. Advertisement
That contradiction sits at the heart of the Democrats’ paralysis. In the five months since Trump began his second term as president, meaningful opposition from the party has been almost nonexistent. The so-called resistance to hi …
