Latest news with #Marxist
Int'l Business Times
an hour ago
- Politics
- Int'l Business Times
GOP Lawmaker Berated After Urging Users to 'Reject Marx' in Support of Privatizing Public Lands: 'So Roosevelt Was a Marxist?'
A Republican lawmaker was ridiculed online after urging Americans to "reject Marx" as he proposes privatization of some public lands as part of his colleagues' spending bill. Utah Sen. Mike Lee added a section into what President Donald Trump has called the "one big, beautiful bill" that would allow the sale of 2 million acres of public land, The Hill reported. After Lee's proposal was revealed, the senator was met with prompt backlash online, with several users expressing concerns about conservation efforts and wildlife protections. Lee turned to X Thursday night to defend his idea, encouraging users to "Reject Marx & Lenin" and "Embrace private land ownership." The senator was referring to philosopher Karl Marx and Russian revolutionary Vladimir Lenin, who are widely known for spreading communist and socialist ideologies. However, the senator seemingly drawing comparisons of keeping public lands public to Marxist thought was met with fierce opposition online. "Communism is when you refuse to sell Yellowstone to BlackRock," one user mocked. Another simply wrote, "Such a terrible idea." "Give Up. You've lost. You have managed to unite the country on at least one issue though. Good job!" one user added, noting that the idea has been met with bipartisan backlash. Several users were quick to note that Lee's proposal to sell public lands appeared to go against the ideas of former President Theodore Roosevelt, who is known for his staunch support of national parks and preservation of historic landmarks. "Theodore Roosevelt? The communist?" one user commented. Another added, "So Roosevelt was a Marxist, Mike? That's the position you want to take?" The senator has insisted that the bill would not mean that parts of national parks or wilderness areas could be bought. However, millions of acres of land run by the Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service could be up for sale, according to an analysis by The Wilderness Society. Originally published on Latin Times
USA Today
2 hours ago
- Politics
- USA Today
Trump says we have too many non-working holidays. He's right: Rest is for LOSERS!
Like most Americans, I cannot stand work holidays. I want to be in the office, making America great again by working tirelessly for a corporation that squeezes maximum profit out of me. If there's one thing hardworking Americans who support President Donald Trump can agree on, it's that we're not working hard enough and desperately need to eradicate radical Marxist concepts like 'days off' and 'holidays.' That's why I was so proud to read the MAGA president's social-media post – which was totally coincidentally sent on Juneteenth, a day that celebrates the end of slavery – calling for a sharp reduction in rest: 'Too many non-working holidays in America. It is costing our Country $BILLIONS OF DOLLARS to keep all of these businesses closed. The workers don't want it either! Soon we'll end up having a holiday for every once working day of the year. It must change if we are going to, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!' Exactly. Like most Americans, I cannot stand work holidays. I want to be in the office, making America great again by working tirelessly for a corporation that squeezes maximum profit out of me as I slowly drift apart from my family. IT'S IN THE BILL OF RIGHTS, PEOPLE! Trump treated Juneteenth like a 'DEI program' he wants to cut Now some libs out there will suggest Trump intentionally posted about getting rid of holidays on Juneteenth because he's doing everything in his power to strip the federal government of anything that suggests non-white people exist and thinks acknowledging the end of slavery is leftist DEI thinking. And some will note that Trump recently issued presidential proclamations honoring Flag Day, National Flag Week and Father's Day while completing ignoring Juneteenth and making it a regular work day at the White House. How dare liberals connect numerous dots that form a straight line and logically conclude that President Trump's actions reflect how he feels. It sounds like they have too much time on their hands, which is why we desperately need to eliminate work holidays and give people less time to think. Opinion: From massive protests to a puny parade, America really let Donald Trump down Trump knows Americans just want to work. And work and work and work. America proudly has the second-lowest number of paid vacation days and the fewest paid leave days of any nation on the planet, and I can't think of a single patriot who would welcome more time off. As Trump said in his post, 'The workers don't want it either!' Damn straight. If there's one person qualified to know what workers want, it's a billionaire who spends huge amounts of time selflessly golfing so that golf-club employees and the people who protect him can work more. Opinion: Trump's parade didn't make him feel tough. Maybe a war with Iran will? Trump must immediately do away with ALL federal holidays Because I know President Trump doesn't have a prejudiced bone in his body, and to demonstrate that he wasn't singling out Juneteenth as an unworthy holiday, I'm sure he'll take quick action to eliminate all paid federal holidays, including the Fourth of July, Columbus Day, Christmas and Washington's Birthday. Because, as Trump wrote, 'It is costing our Country $BILLIONS OF DOLLARS to keep all of these businesses closed.' We MAGA Americans want to work, work, work, and not be burdened by the socialist concept of paid days off. So I'm sure we can all get behind this new slogan, soon to be available on red hats everywhere: 'MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN – WORK UNTIL DEATH!' Follow USA TODAY columnist Rex Huppke on Bluesky at @ and on Facebook at
The Hindu
3 hours ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Kerala's internal revenue generation tipped to cross ₹1 lakh crore in 2025-26, says Finance Minister
Kerala's own revenue is projected to cross the ₹ 1 lakh crore-mark in 2025-26, signalling that State finances will continue in recovery mode despite severe challenges on the fiscal front, Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal has said. Mr. Balagopal said the Finance department expected internal revenue generation, from both own tax and non-tax sources, to touch ₹1.05 lakh crore in the current fiscal. The estimated growth, he said, was the outcome of improved efficiency in tax collection enabled by a comprehensive overhaul of the Taxes department in the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime. Under the present Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led Left Democratic Front government, the State's own tax revenues (SOTR) had steadily improved from ₹47,661 crore in 2020-21 to ₹76,656 crore in 2024-25. Non-tax revenues grew from ₹7,327 crore to ₹16,568 crore during the same period. The government, Mr. Balagopal said, had succeeded in pulling up the State from a Central policies-induced 'nosedive' to a position where it was equipped for 'take-off' to the next phase. 'We have achieved this in a situation where Kerala was deprived of about ₹50,000 crore annually due to the shrinkage of borrowing space and discontinuation of the revenue deficit grant and GST compensation,' he said. Mr. Balagopal said there was continued scope for finetuning tax collection. On the Integrated GST (IGST) front, systemic issues in the mechanism of its settlement with all States had deprived Kerala of ₹956.16 crore. Kerala had taken up the matter with the Centre, Mr. Balagopal said. Mr. Balagopal said the State expected to allocate ₹600 crore this year towards the Guarantee Redemption Fund (GDR). The GDR was meant to cover government guarantees offered for loans availed by public sector entities and cooperatives. According to Kerala, the Centre had reduced the State's borrowing limit by a further ₹3,300 this year citing the GDR as a requirement. Mr. Balagopal also swept aside reports that the State's debt would touch ₹6 lakh crore this year-end. It would increase to about ₹4.7 lakh crore, but the State had been able to reverse the previous trend where debt doubled every five years. As part of the drive against tax evasion, the State GST department was planning action against traders/businesses who evaded taxation by deploying street vendors to sell their products, the Minister said. 'Such practices take unfair advantage of the benefits enjoyed by genuine street vendors,' he said. In May, the SGST department had busted an organised racket engaged in the manufacture and sale of spurious diesel, he said.
The Hindu
4 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Upputhara panchayat to initiate revenue recovery proceedings against 27
Upputhara grama panchayat in Idukki will initiate revenue recovery proceedings against 27 individuals to recover funds for fraudulently obtaining houses under the LIFE Mission scheme. An emergency panchayat meeting on Thursday decided to take the revenue recovery proceedings. Sources said ineligible people in Upputhara obtained LIFE Mission homes during the tenure of the last Left Democratic Front (LDF) government. Communist Party of India (Marxist)) leader and Kattappana block panchayat president V.P. John and Congress Upputhara mandalam president V.S. Shal were among those who obtained houses illegally. 'Mr. John owned 1.5 acres while Mr. Shal sold the house obtained under the LIFE Mission scheme,' said an official. The Vigilance wing of the Local Self-Government department had found large-scale irregularities in the LIFE Mission housing scheme in the panchayat in 2022. It had also recommended recovery of ₹1.14 crore from individuals who illegally obtained homes. However, panchayat authorities had only issued a notice to those involved. Last week, the Vigilance wing sought an explanation from the panchayat on the recovery process, prompting the latter to hold an emergency meeting and initiate revenue recovery proceedings. Sources said the panchayat had prepared a list of 1,200 beneficiaries in 2018, of which 150 were later found ineligible. The Vigilance wing had found that ward members and officials supported the malpractice. Meanwhile, Upputhara panchayat president James Jacob said the panchayat committee had directed the secretary to initiate revenue recovery proceedings against 27 people. He said 722 homes had already been completed in the panchayat under the LIFE Mission scheme. Sources said the panchayat would request the Vigilance wing to investigate the eligibility of the 722 beneficiaries who had been handed over houses constructed under the scheme.
Scroll.in
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Scroll.in
‘English is not barrier, but bridge': Opposition criticises Amit Shah for remarks on languages
Several Opposition leaders on Friday criticised Union Home Minister Amit Shah for saying those who speak English in India will soon feel ashamed. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi remarked that English is 'not a barrier, but a bridge', and said that the language provides employment and boosts people's self-confidence. He alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party and its ideological parent, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, did not want poor children to learn English 'because they don't want you to ask questions, move ahead, and assert equality'. Gandhi said that in today's world, learning English is as important as learning one's mother tongue. अंग्रेज़ी बाँध नहीं, पुल है। अंग्रेज़ी शर्म नहीं, शक्ति है। अंग्रेज़ी ज़ंजीर नहीं - ज़ंजीरें तोड़ने का औज़ार है। BJP-RSS नहीं चाहते कि भारत का ग़रीब बच्चा अंग्रेज़ी सीखे - क्योंकि वो नहीं चाहते कि आप सवाल पूछें, आगे बढ़ें, बराबरी करें। आज की दुनिया में, अंग्रेज़ी उतनी ही ज़रूरी… — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) June 20, 2025 In a similar vein, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam MP Kanimozhi told Shah that 'the only thing to be ashamed of is imposing your will on the people and trying to destroy the pluralism of India'. Kerala Education Minister and Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader V Sivankutty remarked that no language was higher or lower, PTI reported. 'Each language has its own importance,' Sivankutty said. 'English, as an international language, is an important means of knowledge and communication. It can only help in the progress of the country.' Communist Party of India (Marxist) MP John Brittas accused the mainstream media of suppressing and underreporting Shah's statement. He speculated that this was 'likely due to external pressures and direction that came as an afterthought, as the remark could have triggered significant backlash'. Shah's remarks In a video shared by news channels on Thursday, Shah was quoted as saying the creation of a society in which those who speak English in India would feel ashamed was not far away. 'A complete India cannot be imagined with aadhi-adhuri [incomplete] foreign languages, that can only happen with Indianness, with Indian languages,' Shah reportedly said at a book launch event in New Delhi. He also called Indian languages 'jewels of our culture', adding that without them, 'we cease to be Indians'. The home minister's comments on Thursday come against the backdrop of several state governments and regional parties accusing the Centre of imposing Hindi through the National Education Policy's three-language formula. On Tuesday, the Maharashtra government issued an order making Hindi a 'generally' taught third language for students from Class 1 to Class 5 in Marathi and English medium schools. The Opposition in the state has accused the BJP-led government of trying to erase Marathi identity through the move. Tamil Nadu too has repeatedly opposed the three-language formula in the National Education Policy. The state government said it would not change its decades-old two-language policy of teaching students Tamil and English.
