Speaking on Trump, Musk, and America’s Moral Moment on the Senate Floor | Senator Cory Booker

New Jersey Senator Cory Booker delivered an historic speech in the Senate over the past two days, calling out the Musk/Trump regime’s criminality, venality, disregard for the rule of law, and deliberate abandonment of American leadership and honor. He also evoked the better angels of our nature, calling for nonviolent resistance, exhorting patriots to risk good trouble, and reminding us of the sources and heights of American greatness and how we can rebuild.

In its duration, his speech was also a symbolic victory over hate — the previous record for a Senate speech was a filibuster by the triple-threat racist-rapist-segregationist Strom Thurmond, who took the floor for more than 24 hours to fight against the Civil Rights Bill of 1957. Senator Booker’s speech lasted 25 hours and five minutes. Of Thurmond, he noted:

“'To hate him is wrong, and maybe my ego got too caught up that if I stood here, maybe, maybe, just maybe, I could break this record of the man who tried to stop the rights upon which I stand,” Mr. Booker said. “I’m not here though because of his speech. I’m here despite his speech. I’m here because as powerful as he was, the people were more powerful.”

https://www.youtube.com/@senbooker/videos

[From Democracy Docket] Rage Against the Obscene: The Totally Organic Movement Confronting Trump

“You’ve seen the posts. Vast expressions of support for Ukraine. Friends you didn’t think were particularly political suddenly railing against Elon Musk and swearing to dump their Teslas. Ordinary people worrying about Republican cuts to Medicaid. Fear of flying under the DOGE-reduced Federal Aviation Administration. The stock market posts. The Putin memes. Hockey fans rooting for Canada. That arch #FAFO hashtag. Slogans scribbled on the dusty hoods of pre-scrapyard Cybertrucks.”

Read the whole article.

People Are Stepping Up

As President Musk continues his onslaught against the US Government and its people, backed by the new chairman of the Kennedy Center, patriots across the country are organizing to protect democracy and their neighbors. One brave Congressman notified the president during the State of the Union that he has no mandate to cut Medicaid. Protestors gathered in Peekskill to demand action from Chuck Schumer. Scientists and their supporters gathered on March 7 to halt funding cuts for medicine, the environment, and countless other critical missions. Courts are pumping the brakes on reckless firings.

Peekskill rally on 2/17 demanding action.

The crowd gathered at Chuck Schumer’s office.

More people are starting to understand the stakes. Your local and county Democratic Committees are feeling the energy, too. Our invitations to join have yielded real results. Local activists are spontaneously organizing rallies and walks to call attention to Musk’s ongoing attacks and the lawlessness and corruption he’s bringing to Washington. And we’ve got candidates stepping up for November to secure the blessings of liberty right here in Orange County.

What can you do?

CORNWALL DEMS ENDORSE DYNAMIC TEAM
 FOR TOWN ELECTIONS IN 2025

Your amazing Town Board candidates: Council Member Rokhsha Michael-Razi, Supervisor Josh Wojehowski, and next Council Member Mary Heed.

The Cornwall Democratic Committee is pleased to announce the unanimous endorsement of a dynamic team of candidates for office in the November 2025 Town elections.

In the committee’s endorsement meeting last month, Josh Wojehowski was nominated for re-election to the office of Supervisor, a position he has held since winning his first term in 2021. Also endorsed for re-election to another term as Council Member was Rokhsha Michael-Razi.  Long-time Cornwall resident, Mary Heed, was tapped to run for the other open Town Council seat. This will be Heed’s first run for office.

"Our 2025 slate of candidates represents a seasoned, energetic team that will build on the considerable achievements made on behalf of Cornwall residents by Town government under the leadership of Supervisor Wojehowski,” said Cornwall Democratic Committee Chair Barbara Smith. “In these uncertain times, we need a steady, reliable hand in local government. Josh, Rokhsha and Mary have the experience and the vision needed to keep Cornwall moving forward,” Smith said.

Since taking office, Wojehowski, a lifelong Cornwall resident and former small business owner, has focused on smart economic development, Main Street revitalization, affordability, and addressing critical infrastructure issues. Under his leadership, the Town has improved emergency services and public safety, and secured funding for projects that enhance our community’s resilience to severe weather. During her term in the Town government, Michael-Razi, a USPTA tennis instructor and former pre-school teacher, has expanded recreational opportunities for families and children, fostered volunteerism, and focused on making Cornwall’s public spaces more inviting to residents and visitors alike. Heed, a member of the Town’s Economic Development Advisory Committee, runs an active real estate business in Cornwall after a successful career in media strategy and planning.

The Town Democratic slate joins an experienced group of candidates for Cornwall’s three new Orange County Legislative Districts. Laurie Tautel of neighboring Highlands is seeking re-election to represent the Village of Cornwall-on-Hudson in the newly created Legislative District 14; Cornwall Council Member Virginia Scott is running for the new Legislative District 12 in the central part of Cornwall, and Stephanie Powell, an educator from Woodbury, is running to represent the southwestern portion of Cornwall in new Legislative District 5. Each was unanimously endorsed by the full Orange County Democratic Committee at its convention in February.

This month volunteers will collect signatures to enable these and other energetic and highly qualified candidates to appear on the November ballot in Cornwall. The general election is November 4, 2025.

Two Questions, with Answers

Elon Musk and his follower Donald Trump are attacking American values and destroying our country’s global leadership while harming our economic interests. Unfortunately, their corruption, greed, lawlessness and cruelty are still acceptable to too many supporters locally. Those of us who are serious about protecting democracy and our neighbors have work to do.

Time to roll up our sleeves.

 

Q: What happens next?

We pull together, as we did in 2017. That means finding and building community, helping our neighbors, and organizing to hold and gain office so we can preserve freedom and democracy.

Q: What can I do?

Not Even Republicans Voted for This

New York Times: “Republicans Face Angry Voters at Town Halls, Hinting at Broader Backlash” (gift link)

As President Musk and his MAGA acolytes continue their assault on federal agencies and the rule of law, voters across the country are catching on. The article above details some of the outcry.

  • They’re attacking veterans benefits.

  • They’re attacking education.

  • They’re attacking our National Parks.

  • They’re attacking the US Postal Service.

  • They’re attacking the medical profession.

  • They’re gearing up to attack Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security.

  • They’re firing the people who advise them to obey laws: senior military leaders, inspectors general, judge advocate generals, and DOJ lawyers.

  • They’re attacking YOU. (Even if you’re a Republican.)

MAGA Mike Lawler questioned Westchester legislator Jose Alvarado’s citizenship to his face.

Nearby in the Hudson Valley our neighbor MAGA Mike Lawler questioned the citizenship of a Hispanic Westchester County legislator, and refuses to apologize for racism and xenophobia. He’s a go-along, get-along Musk follower, willing to let the White House do whatever it wants to whoever it wants.

And their friends in Orange County are on board, too.

This year’s County and Town elections are critical to show that the people of Orange County are not on board with the MAGA agenda. It’s divisive, it’s cruel, and it’s harmful to our communities, no matter how we voted. As more Republicans and Republican-voting independents see and feel the effects from Washington and Goshen we’ll welcome them to help move forward.

Some actions you can take now.

Change your voter registration to Democratic or Unaffiliated here.

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Interesting Times

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In 2017, 37 of your fellow Cornwall citizens saw the election of Donald Trump—and the fact that he carried Cornwall—and went to the local Democratic Committee to understand its workings and what went wrong. Since then members of that group, along with some longstanding CDC members and new allies, filled the Committee and built it into the representative body that Cornwall’s Democratic voters deserve. Cornwall’s party registration flipped to majority-Democrat, and we've had many electoral successes, including a majority on the Town Board. 

So the threshold of the second and potentially even more disastrous Trump era is even more heartbreaking and unsettling. Getting through it as a functioning and free country—and we will—will take a million seeds sprouting from dry soil.

We, Cornwall, can start with a measure of comfort in this fact: ALL of our supported candidates carried the town, and ALL except Vice President Harris won their races. We re-elected Senator Gillibrand, Congressman Ryan, State Senator Skoufis, and Assemblyman Eachus, and elected Orange County’s own Brett Broge to the state Supreme Court. The State’s Equal Rights Amendment won resoundingly here and across New York. Cornwall showed once again that we are a patriotic town dedicated to freedom, fairness and the rule of law, as reflected in these results. THANK YOU. 

It might not always be comforting to be on the right side of history, but it’s where we are today as Democratic voters. We’ll be on the right side of the future, too. 

You can join us! Register or change your party registration here, and attend an upcoming meeting.

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A Note for Our NY-17 Friends (Rockland, Dutchess, Putnam, Westchester)

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The congressional election between MAGA Republican Mike Lawler and Democrat Mondaire Jones will be extremely close. The votes cast on the Working Families ballot line could very well be the difference. By stealing the line,  Lawler and his MAGA radicals hope to confuse WFP voters and stifle the will of the district.The only way to fight this is to make sure that every voter knows that the candidate appearing on the WFP line is a MAGA spoiler, and not a real candidate for Congress.  Learn more.

Trump Threatens Political Opponents

When he’s not listlessly swaying from side to side on stage for 40 minutes listening to music while his supporters leave, the republican presidential candidate (a convicted felon out on bail awaiting sentencing) is more and more actively promising “revenge” on those he doesn’t deem loyal enough to him.

Trump’s threats, and his supporters’ willingness to empower him, are direct threats to democracy and to the country. We’ve already seen one insurrection at his behest. Many Cornwall Democrat readers have sworn an oath to defend the Constitution, whether through elected status, as military personnel, or for other civic service. Voting is the best and easiest way to defend the Constitution and the United States from Donald Trump and his supporters.

Check your registration and voting location here.

Post a sign to show your patriotism.

Volunteer with your local Democrats to get out the vote.