Sen. Cory Booker’s pointless imitation filibuster epitomizes Democrats’ pathetic incoherence in the wake of last November’s defeats.
The New Jerseyan took to the floor not to achieve something, nor even to oppose anything in particular, but as a stunt to symbolize how these are not normal times.
Which, actually, nobody who paid any attention denies.
The self-promoting 20 hour-plus marathon drew a few curious viewers online, and might have spoken to those in the party’s left-wing base who are still fuming that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer didn’t force a government shutdown last month.
But it did nothing to thwart the Senate GOP majority or slow the Trump agenda.
And it certainly didn’t win back a single swing voter.
Such symbolic performances are as onanistic as politics gets, but that’s where Dems are right now.
Indeed, even as Booker was babbling on the Senate floor, city Comptroller Brad Lander was announcing plans to sue Tesla for securities fraud — accusing CEO Elon Musk of abandoning the company for his budget-slashing DOGE role and so causing the company’s stock price to fall almost 40%.
Lander’s excuse: In less than three months, Tesla’s drop has cost the city’s $285 billion pension funds some $300 million.
But suing CEOs over stock drops is a proven loser; this is purely about Lander hoping to bolster his sinking mayoral candidacy by posturing against Musk.
Then again, that’s more of a point than we can find in Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders barnstorming the hinterlands with their ridiculous “Fighting Oligarchy” tour.
Sure, the two socialists can draw crowds by ranting that the Democratic Party is “heavily dominated” by billionaires and “run by consultants who are way out of touch with reality,” but “out of touch with reality” also describes socialists in the eyes of most Americans.
And their tour won’t change that, nor anything else.
Look: The party is down to a 20% approval rating because Democrats keep fighting furiously on the wrong side of “80-20” issues like protecting trans rights to compete in girls’ sports.
Grandstanding for the 20% will win their cheers, period.
Nobody else cares, Cory.
