The Filibuster That Feels Like a Lullaby

If I had run that filibuster? I would’ve had letters. From individual people who voted for every republican senator in the senate. And, I’d throw in some congress-humans too. Letters from constituents of each Republican senator telling them how angry they are. Their individual stories. I would’ve read them aloud. I would’ve gone senator by senator, detailing how they’ve failed their states, specifically - things they have said. Quotes, What their net worth is now. What they have done for their money peeps. One by one. Specific Factual things. No rush. He had more than twenty-five hours.

And then I would’ve asked, after walking through that which they don’t want exposed, I would have had him ask the question from SBC —every damn time—”What is your fucking red line in the sand? What will it take for you to stand up and stop this regime from taking our country down? Tell me what it is.”

“Senator Collins, you have voted for people like Robert Kennedy Jr. against the wishes of the citizens of the state you represent. Here is what he has done since taking office. What do you say now? Are you really going to repeat your, ‘well he said he wasn’t going to do that. I’m disappointed again?”

I watched him for the last four hours. In fact, he’s still talking and I have been writing for the last two hours. Cory Booker, standing and speaking and speaking and speaking. Over twenty-five hours of words. And I get it—he’s a great guy. Passionate, full of energy, someone I’ve always admired. I have no doubt that hundreds of hours were poured into preparing for this marathon moment.

But here’s the problem. After all that time, all that talk, all that effort—what exactly will come of it?

Not one actionable item.

And maybe worse—not one call to action for the American people. He never turned to the millions watching and said, “Now it’s your turn.” He didn’t say, “Here’s what we must do together. Here’s where we go next. Here is what you need to do. Each of you. Here is what you need to give up to change the rising tide.”

Contrast that with the Prime Minister of Canada, Mark Carney, who, in a one and a half minute speech, called every single Canadian into action—specifically. (Watch the speech at the end of this post.) He gave them a roadmap. He asked for discipline. He asked for sacrifice. And he promised that their effort would matter. More on that a bit later.

Back to Booker. Twenty-five hours of passionate rhetoric—without a single demand of us. No call to take to the streets. No demand to boycott the corporations funding this regime. No demand that the nation’s law firms finally stand together against the blackmail they’re under—because that’s the only way they win. No challenge to the universities, who are supposed to be in the business of education, not intimidation. No direction for us to run for office. No asking families to stop going to Disney until they rescind their donation to DT and commitment to do his bidding. To join the boards of organizations. To give money to make up for the loss of money … and oh so many things that if we saw this as the war it is, we would be doing.

Do I need to go on?

My friend SBC, who I often talk to about where we’re headed, asked me something weeks ago that I haven’t been able to shake. “What’s their red line in the sand?” She meant the Republican senators. They know. They see. The ones who do nothing. Who not only turn the other way, but double down on that which they know ifs a lie and not good for anyone, including their future children’s children.

Tonight, as Booker is wrapping up, my phone is blowing up. A thousand texts. “Isn’t this amazing?” “Isn’t this fabulous?” Millions of Americans watched this man stand for a full day and then some. They’re moved. They’re inspired. I get it. I do, and I wept at the end too, but I also recognize that they are wasted tears, and oh so easy for me to shed.

And one week from now? A record was broken? That’s what we’ll remember? Hopes and prayers that what he did standing there in diapers will change something?

Strom Thurmond? You can’t be serious. Do you really want to compare this moment to that one? Do you have any idea what’s happening around us?

We Americans love shiny words that make us feel things. We love a good speech. We love a man standing tall. But those words, however stirring, aren’t going to do one damn thing if we don’t start acting. And, they did not give us the to do list we should be inspired to complete.

Disciplined, collaborative action.

We have to be willing to sacrifice. A lot.

We have to confront our neighbors.

We have to be willing to walk away from clients.

We have to be willing to risk comfort.

What is your red line in the sand? Ask yourself—because sitting in the comfort of your home, watching this for hours, and then turning it off without one thing added to your to-do list?

It proves my point, not his.

Do we understand that in a few years, there might not be a Senate? That the next generation may never see someone break a filibuster record—because they won’t be electing senators anymore?

This was showmanship. And showmanship isn’t getting the job done.

We got a full history lesson. Guess what. I know all that he said, and it is not going to change this moment. If anything it makes the other side more committed. It won’t change a single vote. Our racial history makes us feel angry and inspired but it’s not what is needed now. It won’t force one hearing. It won’t shift one power dynamic. It just makes you feel good before you go to bed. “We showed them!” we’ll whisper as we fall asleep.

Showed them what? That Senator Booker can still stand for a day and talk?

That’s not heroism. A hero changes outcomes. Again, I like Booker, but like the rest of them he is useless to me. Please do not call him a hero today.

I beg you—please tell me you know this didn’t change anything. That Trump and his people were laughing. (Ok, maybe not DT, but he’ll be on to the next thing tomorrow.) That the GOP was rolling their eyes. That Stephen Goebbels Miller could care less, and in fact, is grateful for the diversion from us looking at what he did today. That the machine keeps humming.

The PM of Canada, Carney, called his nation to action. You know what he said? He said they had agency. That it would take discipline. That every Canadian would have to step up, and give up thing, and so would every government agency. He told them sacrifice was coming. That America was no longer their ally. That there is no going back. That they have to find a way to become independent from us - and quickly.

He wasn’t talking about the Trump administration. He was talking about us. The people. People in other countries are tired of our request to separate ourselves from the administration. “Why aren’t they rebelling,” they ask behind closed doors. Why is the senate voting with him. We are now the enemy of Canada. And they’re preparing. They’re mobilizing. They’re sacrificing. They’re doing the work. And, Greenland and Mexico? Same.

You know who’s not? Us. You and me.

We’re watching a filibuster and I bet you at the same time ordering off Amazon, who is our oppressor.

Until we have the discipline of our neighbors, until we find the backbone our grandparents had during WWII, until we’re willing to give something up to save this democracy—we have no business celebrating.

I like Cory Booker. I do. But if I had run that 25-hour stage, every senator in this country would be on the record, every constituent would’ve had a voice, and this nation would’ve been forced to ask itself the one question that still matters, “What is your line in the sand?”

PS. Please know that if I am wrong, I will be the happiest person on the planet. I wrote something similar awhile ago about the futility of calling your senator and congressperson. Months later, it hasn’t done anything other than magnify the conversation. The Hill has not done one thing to stop this train wreck.

PPS. If you didn’t see Mark Carney’s speech, I hope you will take 1 1/2 minutes to watch it. One and one half minutes.

The Text if you prefer.

The old relationship we had with the United States based on deepening integration of our economies and tight security and military cooperation is over. What exactly the United States does next is unclear. But what is clear is that we, as Canadians, have agency.

We have power. We are masters in our own home. We can control our destiny.

We can give ourselves much more than any foreign government, including the United States, can ever take away. We can deal with this crisis best by building our strength right here at home. It will take hard work.

It will take steady and focused determination from governments from businesses, from labor, from Canadians. We will need to dramatically reduce our reliance on the United States. We will need to pivot our trade relationships elsewhere.

And we will need to do things previously thought impossible at speeds we haven't seen in generations. - Mark Carney, April 1, 2025