The Speech: A Historic Filibuster on Corporate Greed and the Decline of Our Middle Class is a 2011 political book authored by U.S.

[1] The book is a transcript of the filibuster Sanders delivered on the U.S. Senate floor on December 10, 2010, against the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010.

[3][4][5][6][7] Despite his objections, the bill eventually passed the Senate with a strong majority, and was signed into law on December 17, 2010.

[8] Matt Taibbi of Rolling Stone praised the book, saying, “Bernie Sanders is such a rarity, and people should appreciate what he’s doing not just for his home state of Vermont, but for the reputation of all politicians in general.”[9] In response to the speech, hundreds of people signed online petitions urging Sanders to run in the 2012 presidential election, and pollsters began measuring his support in key primary states.

[10] Progressive activists such as Rabbi Michael Lerner and economist David Korten publicly voiced their support for a prospective Sanders run against President Obama.