US politics is about the inclusion and representation of both parties to reflect the will of the people. Cory Booker’s 25 hour speech brings attention to the promises that Trump has made to the American people. Seeing conflicting ideas between the two parties can show the people that differing viewpoints are being represented. Notably, his speech broke the former record from Strom Thurmond, Senator from South Carolina. Thurmond’s speech was a filibuster, a prolonged speech that is meant to stall legislation, in which he spoke in order to prevent the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1957. Any speech that lasts an entire day is bound to capture public attention and highlight an issue in a dramatic way. Trump’s policies actively threaten the values Democrats—and millions of Americans—stand for: equality, truth, and basic decency. This has made Booker’s speech a pointed and necessary rebuttal. When Cory Booker stood up for Democrats, he helped spur the much-needed recognition of why Donald Trump’s policies are deeply and morally wrong.
Cory Booker is the type of Democrat that represents the people. Through his speech, he did not tell us the issues—he showed us the issues. Rarely do you see a politician speak for hours on end with so many important points. In his speech, he told people’s stories and protested against Trump’s second term, and criticized Elon Musk’s involvement in political decisions. This speech isn’t just a record—it’s a reckoning. It is history not only for the amount of time that has passed, but for the message being sent. While the new record-breaking speech was intended to mend broken promises and inform the public—ultimately strengthening democracy—Senator Cory Booker’s decision to rename it as a forward-looking message of hope and moving forward sends a powerful message of hope, especially to those who oppose the current president. For 25 hours and 18 minutes, viewers could tune in and hear real stories from everyday people, illustrating the harm caused by President Trump’s actions. This wasn’t just a message for one party—it was meant for Republicans, Democrats, conservatives, liberals, and anyone willing to listen. He broke down and analyzed the promises that Trump made to the people, decoding the political messages and creating an easily understandable message. With each issue he addressed he was able to critique and say how the president is harming the American people. This speech was formidable, critical, and seizing of the moment. We need to stand up now—the more time that slips by, the more irreversible decisions that are made. Cory Booker made history, and he deserves our respect.
Trump’s policies have endangered us all. He has cut federal funding to schools that encourage education on racial inclusivity, transgender inclusion, and political discussions, closing education departments, defunding large government agencies. This is affecting the children of tomorrow. The future leaders of America. Not only has he been making drastic changes to education, but he’s also been working on increasing our emissions of fossil fuels. The only promises Trump has kept are the ones that cause the most harm. Continuing to drill for fossil fuels, withdrawing from the Paris Climate Agreement, signing pardons for the January 6 insurrection. What Trump has managed to ignore was the policies that could help the people, such as ending inflation, or resolving the war in Ukraine. His promises to the people are not being upheld; people elect a president based on character and their promises that will in turn benefit them. Cory Booker being a man of the people was able to see these false promises and guide the people towards the truth.
Calling Booker’s speech a drastic measure is precisely what it is. Drastic times call for drastic measures. Trump’s drastic measures and promises require others to do something extreme. Booker was the one to step up and call out those in power. He spoke with veracity and reason as a response to some unreasonable acts.
