Latest news with #Marxism
South China Morning Post
10 hours ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Facing multiple crises, China is stressing resilient governance over ideology
Chinese President Xi Jinping recently commemorated the 120th birth anniversary of Chen Yun, one of the foundational economic planners of the Communist Party of China. Amid the commemoration's celebratory tone, Xi's speech signals a rhetorical shift. The references to communist conviction so prominent in the 2015 address delivered for Chen's 110th birthday were relatively sparse in Xi's remarks from earlier this month. Instead, there was polished language relating to development planning and political resilience. In 2015, Xi's speech commemorating Chen Yun's 110th birthday emphasised unwavering faith in Marxism and communism. Xi also spoke of Chen as a disciplined party member. The between-the-lines message was clear: ideology was to be re-centred as the Communist Party's main source of legitimacy during Xi's first term. This year, Xi portrayed Chen as a model of disciplined governance, praising his ability to grasp key points, set aside time to consider strategic issues and simultaneously balance state-led and market approaches to economic planning. Xi highlighted Chen's 15-character maxim – 'not following superiors and not following books but instead following facts while exchanging, comparing and repeating' – offering it as a guide for cadres navigating today's volatile world. The symbolism is clear: Chen was not just a revolutionary elder but a technocrat who embraced policy logic in uncertain times.
The Intercept
13 hours ago
- Politics
- The Intercept
The Disinformation Machine After a Murder
In the wake of the political assassination of Minnesota lawmaker Melissa Hortman and her husband, prominent right-wing figures moved quickly to assign blame. Utah Sen. Mike Lee pinned the killings on 'Marxism.' Elon Musk pointed to the 'far left.' Donald Trump Jr., the president's son, said it 'seems to be a leftist.' But the facts quickly told a different story: The suspect, 57-year-old Vance Boelter is a Trump supporter who held radical anti-abortion views. 'There's an entire right-wing media machine aimed at pushing disinformation around breaking news events and specifically attributing violence to the left,' says Taylor Lorenz, independent journalist and author of 'Extremely Online: The Untold Story of Fame, Influence, and Power on the Internet.' 'You see this over and over and over again, no matter who is perpetrating the violence.' 'The reality is that the vast overwhelming majority of political violence in recent years has come from the right,' adds Akela Lacy, The Intercept's senior politics reporter. 'It basically treats that fact as if it's not real, as if it doesn't exist,' she says — a dynamic that then fails to address the root causes. This week on The Intercept Briefing, host Jordan Uhl talks with Lorenz and Lacy about how online disinformation is distorting public understanding of major events — from political violence to immigration to potential war with Iran. In this chaos-driven ecosystem, the right — and Trump especially — know how to thrive. 'There are these right-wing influencer networks that exist to amplify misinformation and shape narratives online,' says Lorenz. 'A lot of them coordinate, literally directly coordinate through group chats,' she explains. 'They receive messaging directly from leaders in the Republican Party that they immediately disseminate.' That messaging loop reinforces itself — seeping into mainstream culture, dominating social media, and driving Trump's policies. Lacy points to a striking example: Democratic Sen. Tina Smith from Minnesota confronting Lee over his false claim that the shooter was a Marxist, and his apparent surprise at being held accountable. ' There's no reason that a sitting U.S. senator is spreading these lies, should not expect to be confronted by his colleagues over something like this. And that says volumes about the environment on the Hill,' says Lacy. But this right-wing narrative war doesn't work without help to boost their legitimacy. 'These manufactured outrage campaigns are not successful unless they're laundered by the traditional media,' says Lorenz. 'If the New York Times or the BBC or NPR — which is one of the worst — don't launder those campaigns and pick those campaigns up, they kind of don't go anywhere.' You can hear the full conversation of The Intercept Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Sen. Mike Lee faces backlash after controversial posts on assassination of Minnesota lawmaker
WASHINGTON - The backlash began after a couple posts on X. A day after Minnesota Democrat state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband were shot and killed in their home on June 14, Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee baselessly suggested their assassination was connected to the political left. 'This is what happens. When Marxists don't get their way,' he wrote on his personal X account with an image of suspect Vance Boelter. In a follow-up tweet, he wrote, 'Nightmare on Waltz Street,' in an apparent misspelled reference to Minnesota Democrat Gov. Tim Walz. Minnesota Democrat Sen. Tina Smith, a friend of Hortman, then confronted Lee at the Capitol. 'I, you know, approached him from a position of respect and wanting him to understand what I thought, and he didn't have that much to say. What he needs to do is he needs to apologize,' Smith told CNN after their exchange on June 16. 'To indicate that somehow this was some sort of a Marxist leftist attack that causes violence is completely false. He's spreading that misinformation, and he should correct that…as my mother used to say, words have consequences, and his words have a ton of consequence, and he should own that,' she added. Boelter's friends have described him as a devout Christian who's attended President Donald Trump's campaign rallies, according to the Associated Press. He was registered to vote as a Republican in 2004 while residing in Oklahoma, the outlet reported. Lee, who refused to answer reporters' questions about his controversial posts or his conversation with Smith, drew rebuke from across the aisle. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer wrote on X that it was 'sickening' to see Lee use the assassination to 'take cheap political shots, risk escalating a dangerous moment, fan the flames of division with lies.' Former Republican National Committee Chair Michael Steele wrote on X to Lee: 'Grow the h--- up.' Boelter, who was allegedly disguised as a law enforcement officer during the attack, was arrested on June 15 after an intense manhunt and faces both state and federal murder charges. Walz has said that the attack was 'politically motivated.' This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: GOP Sen. Mike Lee's posts on Minnesota shooting draw swift backlash
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Mike Lee outrages Minnesota politicians with social media jabs about lawmaker's murder
U.S. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, participates in a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing at the Dirksen Senate Office Building on May 13, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by) Editor's note: As of Tuesday, two of Sen. Mike Lee's posts about the suspect in the assassination of Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman no longer appeared on his personal X account. Lee has not made public comments about the posts. Utah Sen. Mike Lee is facing criticism from a number of Minnesota politicians after appearing to make a joke about the suspect accused of shooting two Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses, claiming it was the result of 'Marxism.' That outcry includes the chairman of the state's Democratic Party, who called Lee 'one of the most dishonorable senators in American history;' Minnesota Democrat Sens. Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar, who said the joke was inappropriate and 'fuels this hatred and misinformation;'; Minnesota Rep. Kelly Morrison, also a Democrat, who said Lee's comments represented 'the watershed moment where things need to change;' and several state Republican lawmakers, who pushed back on Lee's attempt to connect the alleged shooter to Democrats. Vance Boelter was arrested Sunday night, suspected of the murder of Minnesota state Rep. Melissa Hortman and her husband, Mark, in their home. Boelter allegedly wounded state Sen. John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, in a separate shooting. Police say Boelter had a 'hit list' of 45 Democrat elected officials. He's facing several charges, including first-degree murder. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz called the shootings 'an act of targeted political violence,' although police have yet to publicly announce Boelter's motive. Lee, who posts frequently on his personal X account, took to social media on Sunday, claiming Boelter has ties to Democrats and liberal politics. 'Nightmare on Waltz Street,' Lee wrote, attempting to connect Boelter to Walz, with his name misspelled. Lee's post featured two images of Boelter, including one taken from the crime scene. Boelter was initially appointed to a Workforce Development Council by former Democratic Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton in 2016, then reappointed in 2019 by Walz, according to the Minnesota Reformer. 'My plumber is connected to me and my wife. That doesn't mean we have anything to do with his other activities,' wrote Minnesota state Rep. Walter Hudson, a Republican from Albertville, in a social media post, arguing 'this has nothing to do with Governor Walz.' Lee also made two other posts tying Boelter to 'Marxism,' the political philosophy serving as the foundation for communism that's often used by Trump-aligned conservatives to insult Democrats. That includes a post featuring the same image from the crime scene that read 'This is what happens … When Marxists don't get their way.' Lee's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday. Members of Congress on edge after assassination of Minnesota state legislator Lee, a prolific poster, made the comments on Sunday morning around 9 a.m. on his personal account on X, where he is known to be more inflammatory. Hours later, at 2:30 p.m., Lee posted from his official U.S. Senate account, where he typically takes a more measured tone, writing 'These hateful attacks have no place in Utah, Minnesota, or anywhere in America.' 'Please join me in condemning this senseless violence, and praying for the victims and their families,' the post reads. The Utah senator has since faced widespread backlash for his comments, including calls for his resignation. Critics have pointed out that Boelter was targeting Democrats, that his 'hit list' included abortion clinics, and that his roommate told reporters Boelter was a Trump voter. 'Senator Lee's heinous lies have only made the pain that Melissa's loved ones and colleagues are going through even worse. Using Melissa's murder to spread these lies is an act of evil that will cement his legacy as one of the most dishonorable senators in American history,' said Richard Carlbom, chairman of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party, in a statement to Utah News Dispatch. Smith, the junior Minnesota senator, confronted Lee in Congress on Monday, telling him his comments were 'brutal and cruel.' 'He should think about the implications of what he's saying and doing. It just further fuels this hatred and misinformation,' she said, according to CNN. 'I wanted him to hear from me directly how painful that was and how brutal that was to see that on what was just a horribly brutal weekend.' Smith said Lee 'didn't say a lot. Frankly, I think he was a bit stunned. … He certainly didn't promise to take it down or say anything publicly about it. … He seemed kind of surprised to be confronted.' Speaking on MSNBC's 'Morning Joe' on Monday, Klobuchar said she also plans to confront Lee. 'What I'm going to tell him is this isn't funny what happened here. This is an incredible woman,' she said, adding that 'there was no Father's Day' for Hortman's children. 'I'll tell him about the law enforcement that did incredible work here,' Klobuchar continued. 'That's what I'm going to tell Sen. Lee when I get back to Washington today. Because this is not a laughing matter and certainly what we are seeing in increasing violence and this evil man who did this, this is not a joke.' Morrison, a first term congresswoman, took to X on Monday accusing Lee of promoting 'dangerous and harmful rhetoric we need everyone to call out and condemn.' 'This is the watershed moment where things need to change,' Morrison said, urging Democrats and Republicans to condemn Lee's remarks. 'This was posted one day after my friend — one of Minnesota's elected representatives — and her husband were assassinated in a politically-motivated attack. One day after another elected representative and his wife took 17 bullets from the assassin,' she said. 'We cannot accept this from a sitting United States Senator.' Minnesota state Rep. Nolan West, a Republican from Blaine, posted to X that he has 'tremendous respect' for Lee. 'But it doesn't mean he is immune from the base impulses social media incentivizes. People say stupid stuff on the internet all the time. The best they can do is admit they shouldn't have and be better,' he wrote. Speaking on the Senate floor Monday, Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, of New York, said he was 'deeply disappointed' in Lee, accusing him of taking 'cheap political shots at the other side.' Lee's comments, Schumer said, risk 'escalating a perilous moment.' 'What the senior senator from Utah posted after the shooting was reckless and beneath the dignity of his office,' Schumer said. 'For a senator to fan the flames of division with falsities while the killer was still on the loose is deeply irresponsible. He should take down his post immediately and apologize to the families of the victims.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
2 days ago
- Politics
Conservative Louisiana state Sen. Blake Miguez announces bid to run for US Sen. Bill Cassidy's seat
BATON ROUGE, La. -- Louisiana state Sen. Blake Miguez officially launched his bid on Tuesday to unseat fellow Republican U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy in 2026. Miguez is the latest GOP challenger to Cassidy, who has been chastised by his party for being one of seven GOP senators who voted to convict President Donald Trump during his 2021 impeachment trial. 'Phony politicians like Bill Cassidy can't shoot straight," Miguez, 43, says in a video on social media to announce his campaign. In the video, Miguez, a champion competitive sharpshooter, shows off his skills — using various firearms and, literally, aiming at targets brandishing words like 'Marxism,' 'food dyes' and 'crime.' Miguez served in the state House for more than eight years and was elected to the Senate in 2023. A staunch advocate for the Second Amendment, Miguez has sponsored gun-related bills, including a measure that allows residents, 18 and older, to carry concealed handguns without a permit. Over the past year, he has also authored legislation that aids in federal crackdowns of immigration enforcement. In the Statehouse, Miguez has demonstrated a confrontational approach during bill debates — a tactic that was apparent in his campaign announcement. 'I'm running because the American Dream is worth fighting for -- and DC phonies forget that. Bill Cassidy betrayed our state, our President, and our principles,' Miguez posted on X. Cassidy, who is in his second term, is up for reelection in reliably red Louisiana, where residents overwhelmingly supported Trump in the past three presidential elections. While Cassidy, 67, won his last reelection handily, he has not been on the ballot since his controversial vote to convict Trump over the riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Cassidy's vote resulted in the lawmaker being trashed on social media and censured by Louisiana Republicans. Recent actions by Cassidy suggest he's working to mend ties with Trump loyalists. He has emphasized his commitment to work with the president to advance his agenda and showed support for many of Trump's cabinet appointments. Most notably, in February Cassidy joined Republicans on the Senate Finance Committee to advance Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s nomination as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services. Cassidy currently has a significant fundraising advantage, with more than $7.4 million in his campaign account at the end of the first quarter. But in the eyes of some, Cassidy's past actions make him vulnerable. In addition to Miguez, Louisiana Treasurer John Fleming, who served in Trump's first administration, has announced that he will run for the Senate seat. The 73-year-old has also lambasted Cassidy. Republican U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow is also rumored to be considering running against Cassidy. A big change in the upcoming election is Louisiana's new closed primaries. Until the new system was adopted this year, congressional candidates from all parties seeking the same office ran on the same ballot regardless of party affiliation. In the state's unique 'jungle primary," voters could choose any candidate, even if they do not align with the voters' registered party. If a candidate earned more than 50% of the total vote then they would win the office outright. If no one reached the threshold, the top two finishers would face each other in a runoff. Under the new primary system, only voters who are registered Republicans will be able to participate in the GOP Senate primary. The effect is seen as a potential challenge for Cassidy, who had benefited from the less-partisan nature of the old system. The election will take place November 3, 2026.
