Cory Booker, the Senator from New Jersey known for his activism on poverty and justice, delivers a powerful message about America’s need for moral leadership. He details his record-breaking Senate speech aimed at resisting authoritarianism, urging both parties to prioritize accountability over partisanship. Booker dives into the current immigration crisis and the struggles faced by communities, advocating for bipartisan compassion. He emphasizes the importance of empathy and the role of emerging leaders in shaping a just future.
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Grave Attack on Democracy
Trump's administration attacks fundamental constitutional principles and post-WWII world order traditions aggressively.
This damage risks irreversible consequences that could take generations to repair.
insights INSIGHT
Science and Immigration Under Attack
Trump's cuts to science and immigration directly harm America's global leadership in critical research areas.
These policies mimic China's past cultural revolution, threatening a century of innovation and growth in the U.S.
insights INSIGHT
Silence Enables Authoritarianism
Many powerful people and corporate leaders remain silent or prioritize private interests over democracy.
Democratic decline happens when good people choose personal gain over standing up against authoritarianism.
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In this book, Harvard professors Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt examine the breakdown of democracies, arguing that modern democracies do not die in a sudden coup but rather through the slow erosion of critical institutions and political norms. Drawing on decades of research and examples from 1930s Europe to contemporary cases in Hungary, Turkey, Venezuela, and the American South during Jim Crow, the authors highlight the importance of mutual toleration and forbearance in maintaining democratic stability. They identify key indicators of authoritarian behavior, such as the rejection of democratic rules, denial of opponents' legitimacy, tolerance of violence, and curtailment of civil liberties. The book also discusses the role of political parties in defending democracy and proposes solutions to counteract democratic backsliding, including elite-level cooperation, addressing social inequalities, and restoring democratic norms[2][4][5].
As Donald Trump continues to launch unprecedented and innovative attacks on immigrants, civic institutions, and the rule of law, the Democratic response has been—in the eyes of many observers—tepid and inadequate. One answer to the sense of desperation came from Senator Cory Booker, who, on March 31st, launched a marathon speech on the Senate floor, calling on Americans to resist authoritarianism. Booker beat the record previously held by Senator Strom Thurmond’s twenty-four-hour-long filibuster of the Civil Rights Act, in 1957, and he spoke in detail about Americans who are in desperate straits because of federal job cuts and budget slashing. “We knew . . . if I could last twenty-four hours and eighteen minutes, that we could potentially command some attention from the public,” Booker tells David Remnick. “That’s the key here . . . to deal with the poverty of empathy we have in our nation right now.” Yet Booker bridles as Remnick asks about Democratic strategy to resist the Administration’s attacks. Instead, he emphasized the need for “Republicans of good conscience” to step up. “Playing this as a partisan game cheapens the larger cause of the country,” he argues. “This is the time that America needs moral leadership, and not political leadership.”
The Political Scene | The New Yorker 