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Bangkok Post
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Bangkok Post
Piyabutr slams MPs over S112 amnesty
Piyabutr Saengkanokkul, secretary-general of the Progressive Movement, criticised politicians for not backing an amnesty for lese majeste offences as the House of Representatives began deliberating five bills aimed at fostering reconciliation and granting amnesty for political offences. On his Facebook account, Mr Piyabutr wrote on Friday that politicians were reluctant to support an amnesty for political expression, including cases involving Section 112 of the Criminal Code, or the lese majeste law, because they did not have "permission". He said these politicians were concerned about being stripped of permission to be in government or the opportunity to become the government. He suggested that had they been given the green light, many would have reversed their stance. Mr Piyabutr said one of the responsibilities of MPs is to make laws, which raises the question as to who these MPs represent if his assumption is true. He said that politicians in this day and age were more "cowardly" than those in the past. His criticism drew a strong backlash from Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana, a list-MP from the United Thai Nation (UTN) Party, which also proposed a reconciliation bill called the "Promote Peaceful Society Bill". He accused Mr Piyabutr of distorting facts and stirring divisiveness, saying political legitimacy was given by the people who selected the MPs to represent them in the House, so any amnesty bill must be thoroughly examined. Mr Thanakorn defended the UTN-sponsored bill, which was criticised by People's Party (PP) list-MP Rangsiman Rome during the debate as being selective and tailored to certain groups. He said the party's version sought to grant amnesty to general political offences that were non-violent in nature and that an independent committee would be appointed to screen amnesty cases to ensure fairness. He said that lese majeste offences were a national security issue and granting amnesty could encourage more violations. He urged Mr Piyabutr and Mr Rangsiman to stop using radicalism to deepen divisiveness. "Stop throwing tantrums when things don't go your way. Change your mindset to be in line with constitutional principles. Don't see every case as a political case," he said. Phai Lik, secretary-general of the Klatham Party, said the party did not support any amnesty for lese majeste offences. Its "Promote Peaceful Society Bill" was among the five bills being examined.
Wall Street Journal
02-07-2025
- Politics
- Wall Street Journal
What Would Hayek Think of AI?
It keeps happening—some shiny new idea or technology promises to solve all our problems. Give power to experts to arrange affairs 'scientifically,' and poverty, oppression, disease, war and all human ills will disappear. Today, we are asked to trust artificial intelligence. The International Monetary Fund promises that 'AI can enhance democratic institutions by ensuring citizens' voices are truly heard.' Power wielded by a few experts can enhance democracy? Isn't that what the early 20th-century Progressive movement promised? For that matter, isn't that the thinking behind Soviet 'scientific socialism'?
Yahoo
17-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bernie Sanders endorses McKinney's challenge of Rep. Shri Thanedar
U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, a two-time Democratic presidential candidate and stalwart of the progressive movement, has endorsed state Rep. Donavan McKinney, D-Detroit, in his intraparty challenge of sitting U.S. Rep. Shri Thanedar. McKinney's campaign announced Sanders' endorsement on June 17. Although he's an independent member of the U.S. Senate representing Vermont, Sanders caucuses with the Democratic Party in the chamber and is widely seen as a leader of its progressive wing. His endorsement has helped candidates lift their national profiles and raise money. Sanders' endorsement could also further lift McKinney's profile relative to another candidate who is challenging Thanedar, former state Sen. Adam Hollier, also of Detroit, who lost a Democratic primary race against Thanedar in the predominately Democratic district in 2022 and then failed to qualify for the ballot in 2024 due to a lack of valid petition signatures. "I'm urging all Michiganders to join me in supporting Donavan's campaign," Sanders said in a statement. Sanders becomes the second sitting member of Congress to endorse McKinney in his challenge of Thanedar, following U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib's announcement in May that she would back McKinney over her fellow Detroit Democrat. Tlaib, a progressive stalwart in her own right and longtime ally of Sanders', has insisted that Thanedar's representation of his constituents − many of whom previously were represented by Tlaib − has been poor, which Thanedar, a wealthy Indian immigrant and entrepreneur, has denied. In his endorsement message, Sanders did not mention Thanedar or his record since entering Congress in 2023 representing Michigan's 13th Congressional District. 'I'm proud to support Donavan McKinney for Congress," Sanders' statement said. "Donavan is exactly the type of leader we need in Washington right now. He understands the struggles working class communities are facing in Detroit and across the country because he's lived those struggles himself." Sanders' statement also said that as a state legislator, McKinney has "fought to get big money out of politics and taken on powerful special interests" and that in Congress, he will support increasing the minimum wage, providing more funding to public schools and for public housing and universal health care. Thanedar shares those political positions. But McKinney, who entered the race to challenge Thanedar in next year's election in April, has continued to claim that Thanedar, as a "self-funded multimillionaire," has more in common with President Donald Trump than he does the 13th District, which is one of the poorest in the nation. McKinney also criticized Thanedar for using taxpayer funds to effectively promote himself; Thanedar has said the funds he has used on billboards and other media with his name and face on them are intended to improve outreach to constituents. 'Senator Sanders has long been a progressive champion for working class Americans and I am honored to receive his endorsement,' McKinney said. 'His political courage and his commitment to doing the right thing — even when it's unpopular, even when it's hard, even if he's alone — are a true inspiration to me, as is his commitment to fighting for a more just, more equal America." Sanders ran for president as a Democrat in 2016 and 2020, and won the state of Michigan's presidential primary over former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2016. Contact Todd Spangler: tspangler@ Follow him on Twitter@tsspangler. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Bernie Sanders endorses McKinney's challenge of Rep. Shri Thanedar
