Democats filibuster medicaid cuts for 12 hours live.

Can we finally stop the both sides nonsense.

Fuck no. This is exactly the time to hold their feet to the fire and demand they be better and do more... They're handing everything over to the fascists to try to get the oligarchs back on their side
The last thing we should do is believe they're an effective resistance
- Yes, that's correct. What I'm trying to get away from the "both sides" thing is because it does the exact opposite which is foster complacency.
Maybe when the Democrats stop taking the corporate campaign dollars that align them financially with their Republican colleagues and kick out the blue MAGA assholes like Fetterman.
- Maybe if more than 20% of voters showed up and voted in the primaries instead of incessantly bitching about term limits, we wouldn’t have so many capitalist centrists in Congress.
- It's just like you can make these gerrymandered racist districts disappear and reform by wagging a finger at them.
- Yea and maybe we can wave a magic wand and make Marg Taylor Green's district all respect people and democracy! wouldn't that be nice!
No apparently we must undermine any moral opposition that aligns with our own, and all suffer the consequences of trump together while doing nothing.
My life goal right now is to figure out why people on the left are still critical of Biden, Harris and dems doing their JOBS while having nothing to say about how to oppose mango and Minsk
- They like complaining and "being right" is more important to them than being helpful. Whether they are right or not is immaterial to the facts. Whatever the issue is they just need to be seen being right about it.
  Incidentally that's a common trait among narcissists.
No. Republicans filibustered overnight on medical care as well.
...Oh, wait, that was Ted Cruz speaking against the ACA.
Individual people who are Democrats can be good people. The Democratic party has been asleep at the wheel when they're not ignoring the will of their constituents since mid-Obama and allowed us to slide into this disaster.
- DNC bad, DNC suppress good democrats, and elevates bad ones. Lets figure out who the good ones are and empower them outside of the DNC.
- Asleep at the wheel is a nice way to put it while they are wearing eyeshades and earplugs.
When the Democrats grow a spine and start actually blocking all progress like the Republicans can magically do every time they are the minority.
- Fair point. They've always defaulted to Shumering because shutting down the government causes a lot of pain for people dependent on public services, but with the idiots in charge already dismantling everything, there's zero reason not to, most of the people dependent on the government are already getting fucked DOGEy style anyway.
- I think this is that thing. They have found a way to shut down the congress. They just need to hold the floor for 2 years. They need to be encouraged to hold the senate floor for 2 years. The ultimate sit in. You want your representatives doing something? Obstructing congressional progression is that thing. Endless sit in.
No one should know any peace until first past the post voting is replaced and 3rd parties are free to participate in elections with no spoiler effect.
No more holding noses.
No more hostage situation.
Democracy. Sure republicans dont want it. How about the democratic party? Is this a purity test that the democrats can pass? They say they support democracy, time to prove it. Shouldn't be hard to convince them.
- I don't think your post directly addresses my point but your point is extremely important. One of the reasons we're so fractured is the lack of proportion representation of people in government and that is because of the broken FPTP system that's so prevalent.
- No one should know any peace until
  Yeah fuck off, accelerationist fuck.
  To still be saying this stupid shit after witnessing the suffering that's already being caused... Gross.
When we have a side that rejects the corporate bribe take and has an overt agenda to fight the capitalist profiteers in defense of the people, sure.
Until we dig ourselves out by rejecting private profit/growth/metastasis at the expense of the people at the bottom of society, nothing can improve.
Since Reagan got his former opposition party on the take, all we've been voting on is the speed of decline as good cop(D) and bad cop(R) encourage us to hate one another and be divided over the social issue symptoms of the captured economy we don't get a vote on.
I vote blue out of harm reduction. But democrats still don't give a shit about mass murder for private profit, mass homelessness, income inequality, on and on. They affirm your identity instead of scapegoating you, which is nice, but is also free for their mutual donor's quarterly profit expectations.
What good is being free to be who you are when you're dying of exposure and police brutality under a freeway for failing to produce enough value for the owners?
If there's another real presidential election, and if a democrat gets elected, we'll get four years of relative quiet but the situation will continue to grow darker as the DNC will not allow the capital markets to be reigned in, which means even if we avert this fascist march, the table will still be set for them to continue their march in four years. Wall Street must end. And it will, by our hands, or capitalist made climate change in a couple decades when it no longer matters for our species.
- I think democrats do care about a lot of that issues. They just can't get any good ideas that will create bipartisan support. It's a failure of imagination and leadership. It is a failure to stand up to corporate interests. But at least the dems care. Im listening to 10 of them right now who really care. Watch the video please its important to boost media numbers and give a voice to this opposition.
Nah.
We're too busy believing immigrants are eating people's fucking pets in Springfield, Ohio because a felon rapist habitual liar told us so.
Americans are weak as fuck man. Weak and stupid. So we'll continue ignoring all available data and believe the falsehood that both sides are equally bad.
- I share your sentiment but I still chose to believe we are losing an information war. People are not that stupid the right wing media system is truly powerful. We're not going to get people back by belittling them. It's a cult we need to treat it like a cult. Plenty of research on how to get people out of cults.
- Shit man, there are still (a lot) of people on this very site pushing this shit. Like their entire personality is based around hating the Democratic party (yet have nothing but neutral to good things to say about Trump). It's so goddamn annoying.

Bernie Sanders (AFAIK) has done two 12 hour sessions of this in the past week or so. It feels surreal to watch an American politician at his age show such an impressive feat of stamina and determination to fight for the American people. I'm eternally grateful for that man and his lifelong efforts in working for the interests of the working class.

He'll be making posts from his deathbed. As bleak as things are right now, I really hope he never thinks he didn't do enough.
- It would have been nice if he didn't bend the knee to the DNC in 2016
  Easily his biggest mistake, a cowardly and fatal one.
  Other than that he has been a great rep.
Go Bernie! Go Go! Go Bernie!! I hope all the dem senators can keep the floor forever. it's been so inspiring watching brooker and the senators helping him make this historic event. longest filibuster in american history.
When the story of this era is written, Bernie will be lauded as one of the greatest heroes in American history.

Holy shit, he's still going.

LETS GOOOOOO. I am full of american pride and i haven't felt like this since last november. It's making me feel sane to hear heard. Its nice to know someones willing to suffer to express my concerns. Thank you sentator brooker. This is a welcome moral booster. I hope it encourages his peers.
- I'm not holding my breath on him swaying MAGA leaders, but maybe he will wake the dems up.

I thought the republicans only had to threaten a filibuster but didn't actually have to do it. But democrats have to do it live?

Yes because democrats are pushovers. Everyone knows that. Nice of Booker to show up with his spine and his shit talking voice. He's a legend for this.
We might have to hold the flooor and filibuster for 2 years straight to save old America. Im glad somones got the balls to show up and do it. I'm here for it. In this house all we do is listen to filibuster and support the peoples power.
Technically it isn't a filibuster,
Depending on how long he is able to go, he could disrupt Senate business on Tuesday, though his speech technically isn’t a filibuster — the chamber is currently in a limited period of debate time for Matthew Whitaker’s nomination as ambassador to NATO.
Per https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2025/03/31/congress/cory-booker-talk-a-thon-00262482
It just behaves as you would expect a filibuster to behave. The standard no-show threatening is still a thing you can do.
- idk where politico and news week are getting their definition of a filibuster, but talking for 24 hours to hold off a nomination vote is a filibuster to me. My community college education may have failed me but i interpret a 25 hour speech on the senate floor a filibuster.
Idk the workings of it but i heard that this type of filibuster hasn't been done in many years. Idk if thats true but that's what i heard
- The distinction everyone is making is usually filibusters are held during a bill debate, before a bill can go to vote. In theory you would have to filibuster indefinitely until one side can get 60 votes to end the filibuster and pass the vote. It forces the other party to gather a larger majority or compromise.
  This was delaying a vote on a nomination, it was also proving that they can and will filibuster, not just threaten to filibuster, but talk for 25 hours straight. someone should have continued after him because the nomination passed and i am sad again. 52 votes so more dem defectors yay.

I just emailed my Senator and told them now is the time to kneel, or govern.

Based. I like it. Remind them every week.

"Booker's speech is not a filibuster because it is not blocking legislation or a nomination." (archived)

Democrat Cory Booker's marathon Senate floor speech, in which he is largely criticizing the Trump administration's policies and spending cuts, has just passed the 12-hour mark.
The U.S. Senator from New Jersey has held the floor since about 7 p.m. ET on Monday, pausing only to take questions—and a breath—from Democrat allies.
He has so far largely targeted spending cuts, including efforts to dismantle the Department of Education, and the need for greater bipartizanship in Congress.
The 55-year-old has vowed to keep going "as long as I am physically able."
Booker's speech is not a filibuster because it is not blocking legislation or a nomination.
The New Jesey Senator is part of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's campaign strategy to focus on kitchen-table issues, including federal spending cuts, ahead of next year's midterms.
Watch speech clips in the video above, and follow live footage and text updates below.
fil·i·bus·ter /ˈfiləˌbəstər/ noun 1. an action such as a prolonged speech that obstructs progress in a legislative assembly while not technically contravening the required procedures.
- What progress was obstructed here? He started at 7 in the evening and went through the middle of the night, I doubt Republicans had plans to move some critical legislation at 3am.
Your link just had a ton of articles i could not find your quote.
He's holding the senate floor in a filibuster. If what you say is true they maybe trying to introduce legislation or a nomination. I seriously doubt they are standing up there all night to stretch their voices. They are submitting public testimony to the record.
Did you have any thoughts? I'm not even sure how to respond to your link.
Edit: I found the quote, they described a filibuster, and then claimed his was not one. Great reporting. Holding the floor for 12 hours is obsructing the legislature.
fil·i·bus·ter /ˈfiləˌbəstər/ noun 1. an action such as a prolonged speech that obstructs progress in a legislative assembly while not technically contravening the required procedures.
- The Senate does not have a time limit on any speech like other bodies do. One a Senator has the floor, they can keep talking until they yield the floor.
  A traditional Filibuster is when a Senator does this to postpone a particular vote. Since there was no vote pending, technically this doesn't count as a Filibuster. Which means Booker can get the press coverage for doing this, without really holding up anything important.
and therefore it can't be stopped by cloture or withdrawal or override because it is just a senator talking
which he can do for as long as he likes
- Nope, a motion for cloture would end this speech and any other debate and move the Senate along to its next vote
Oh, I thought they were actually doing something.
- I mean, giving an extra long speech where you point out all the terrible things Trump is doing and read letters from constituents is doing something, it's just not a filibuster or anywhere near the level of intensity we need. Telling Republicans they're hurting people isn't going to change their minds.
- Did you find anything in that link to suggest that they are doing a filibuster for fun. would love it if they would filibuster until 2026.
  fil·i·bus·ter /ˈfiləˌbəstər/ noun 1. an action such as a prolonged speech that obstructs progress in a legislative assembly while not technically contravening the required procedures.
  Im so glad so many people understand how our government works and make every effort to undermine oppostion and support authoritarianism.
- Democrats voted and spoke out against Trump’s cabinet nominations, forced a 15-day vote against Trump’s executive order, confirmed Biden’s pending judicial appointments when Republican attendance is low, and are the ones bringing these cases to the courts. They are doing everything they can to stop this from the minority. Pay attention or hold your criticism.

This is what we should have been seeing from day one.

Fucking Schumer

Yea we need to keep that energy, i was really hoping someone else would step in and extend it to prevent the vote another day or two.

Class warfare of course. The rich want to make an example of him.

Crank up the class warfare time. we outnumber them by like 10 million to one. This gonna be an easy win.
- Yeah ummm hate to break it to you, if you had got those 10million to one people organized enough to vote, then your problem would have been solved already and we shouldn't be where we are

Not really, this wasn't a functional filibuster. A filibuster is supposed to hold up a vote, and either wear down the opposition, or force concessions in the bill. This wasnt attached to a bill, it was just an opportunity to grab the mic, and score political points with the voters.

The objective was for Cory Booker to audition for Chuck Schumer's job by laying out what the Democratic agenda would look like under Booker's leadership, including exhibiting strength. Does anyone believe that the simpering, spineless, weakling Schumer could have spoken like that for even an hour, no less 24?

It is long past time for Schumer to go. Nobody on either side, anywhere in the government, respects him. He's used his position to gain enormous wealth, and now that his weakness has helped MAGA to gain power and destroy our nation, he STILL wants to hang around and pad his bank account. What other reason could there be? He certainly isn't offering ANY opposition to the Nazis, just appeasement and compliance.

I've hated him with a white-hot passion ever since he cooperated with the Republican smear campaign against Al Franken, destroying his career and his life, just so he could clear the decks for his friend Gillibrand to run for president. Then her camaign flamed out in weeks. They ruined Al Franken's life for NOTHING. Fuck this Vichy piece of shit.

If he was in front of me, I would happily say all of this to his stupid Nazi collaborator face. I wish I had that chance.

Schumer needs to go, and make way for AOC, and let Booker run the show. I'm not a huge fan of Booker, but he's light-years ahead of Schumer.

Great situational awareness. Ignore the vote on NATO head in the senate a minute after the filibuster. Ignore the election in Wisconsin we have won against Elons money, and ignore the votes in Florida.
Sure it was worthless what ever you say. I’m over here this topic.
Booker beat the record for longest filibuster on the Senate floor, which was held by a racist, southern fucker beforehand. That itself should be celebrated.
But go off. I didn’t read the last one. Feel free to drop another long one.
- You're the type of shallow thinker I was referring to. Excited that he gave a big speech and stuck it to a dead racist, instead of understanding what was really going on here.

Yet somehow Democrats are even worse than Republicans, which is why Americans took power from them and gave it to Republicans.

Stupid fucking clown country.

it is an absolute clownshow out there for sure! We need to stop it before it gets way out of hand and has cataclysmic effects.
- Well yeah you should. Im honestly shocked that most people are okay with this and arent protesting. If Germany would be in the midst of a fascist takeover again, Id spend half my day on the streets shouting. Im not evem sure if its not already too late, Trump has eliminated almost all resistance except for something the order of a revolution.
DARVO shit right here. And upvoted that high nonetheless.

When are we going to finally get rid of the filibuster?

When the republicans can get a majority in the senate and stop the dems from using it? Hopefully it lives on for 200 more years with this country i know and love.
- I'm OK with a live filibuster. Being able to "filibuster" a bill by passing a note to the teacher threatening to talk all night does not promote compromise or good lawmaking.
It wasn't a filibuster.
- How so? Even the link OP shared says it is

Not a filibuster

noun: filibuster; plural noun: filibusters
an action such as a prolonged speech that obstructs progress in a legislative assembly while not technically contravening the required procedures.
HOW IS THIS NOT A FILIBUSTER HOW IS THIS NOT A FILIBUSTER HOW IS THIS NOT A FILIBUSTER???????

Why do people keep posting this nothingness?

Because if you watch the negative news on trump all day, the news stations will play negative news of trump.
If you watch the oppostion, the news will follow the oppostion. This is a war for attention and you are losing.

Performative garbage, they had a chance to actually prevent it and they folded.

It's the ONLY productive thing they can be doing. Prevent republicans from using the congress. They only want to use it to give the power of the people to ELon musk.
- This SHOULD have been done to stop the last CR. Democrats had a chance to present a united opposition with both the Senate and the House but threw it away. This is not the ONLY productive thing they could be doing, it's the only legal thing they can do. Democrats are still playing by the rules and following decorum. Americans are angry many seem to be starting to realize they were sold a culture war when what they are actually fighting is a class war. Until the messaging becomes that of a class war Democrats will not be able to capitalize on the anger.
This is the type of stuff we need. The battle is being fought in the media. It's time to for a performance that outshines the political garbage the right dishes out.
- This is the whole problem, the government isn't working for people. The media isn't even working for people, look how few people even rely on traditional media these days. The answer can't be more government as usual more traditional media coverage. What we need is grand action. Fight the battle in the streets (not violence) force a prolonged general strike, organized mass boycotts, create a run on the banks, and become generally ungovernable.