by Senator Bernie Sanders, an Independent member of Congress representing the state of Vermont, passionately opposes the passage of a tax bill that would retain the Bush-era tax cuts for the wealthy. To express that opposition, he stood up in the Senate at 10:34 a.m. on Friday morning and began speaking. He continued to speak until 7:00 pm that evening.Senator Sanders’ eight-hour-and-thirty-six-minute speech included many points to underline his strongly-held view that it was unconscionable to be “giving tax breaks to millionaires and billionaires,” especially when so many American were struggling just to make ends meet. Sanders read letters from some constituents who have written to him about their difficulties in paying their heating bills.”We should be embarrassed that we are for one second talking about a proposal that gives tax breaks to billionaires while we are ignoring the needs of working families, low income people and the middle class,” the Senator said.The lengthy talk became a top news item, especially on Twitter, as well as on C-Span2, which broadcast the speech. Congress, however, is still expected to pass the bill.
