Morning Briefing: Hungary's Right-Wing Authoritarian Leader to Speak at CPAC Texas
Viktor Orban, the right-wing authoritarian Prime Minister of Hungary, and darling of the U.S. conservative movement, will speak at CPAC Texas.
Morning Briefing: Viktor Orban, the right-wing authoritarian Prime Minister of Hungary, will “speak at the upcoming Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Texas next month.” The CPAC Texas’ featured speakers will include assortment of right-wing politicians, pundits, and activists.
Moms for Liberty, a right-wing group, held the organization’s National Summit in Tampa Bay, Florida, and featured speakers included Betsy DeVos, former Secretary of Education; James Lindsay, right-wing political commentator; and Dr. Ben Carson, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
Moms for Liberty “typically represents itself as nonpartisan and grassroots, the group's ties to powerful conservative leaders and institutions runs deep.” The conference was reportedly focused on the groups’ strategy to “elect their own candidates to school boards, pass state legislation and diminish the influence of teachers unions.”
Must Reads
John Knefel writes that “over the last several years, the United States has seen a dramatic rise in Christian nationalism, a loosely defined ideology that fuses patriarchy, xenophobia, and pretextual economic populism with an overtly biblical foundation and a deep distrust of democracy. This phenomenon has manifested in many ways, but one of the organizations driving the trend is a far-right think tank called the Center for Renewing America. Several former Trump administration officials are associated with the group, including its president, Russ Vought, who served as director of the Office of Management and Budget under Trump. Vought led the administration’s efforts to demonize critical race theory, including removing anti-racism training from federal agencies.” [MMFA]
Cassie Miller writes that the “Proud Boys’ attention has shifted toward a tightly focused campaign of transphobia, homophobia and misogyny. These hateful sentiments have always helped fuel the far right, but they currently sit at the forefront of its organizational efforts. To understand why, one needs only to look to the GOP. A growing radical wing of the party has in recent months embraced militant opposition to LGBTQ people and reproductive rights – a position reflected most clearly in in their legislative assault on trans people and the overturning of Roe v. Wade. The Proud Boys’ harassment and violence now help reinforce a multi-fronted attack against those fighting for bodily autonomy, racial equity and democracy, and their current activities are a sign of how tightly interwoven extremist activists such as the Proud Boys have become with the GOP.” [SPLC]
Donovan Schaefer writes that “key themes in conspiracy theories — like a sinister network of “pedophiles” and “groomers,” shadowy “bankers” and “globalists” — have moved into the mainstream of right-wing talking points. Much of the commentary on conspiracy theories presumes that followers simply have bad information, or not enough, and that they can be helped along with a better diet of facts. But anyone who talks to conspiracy theorists knows that they’re never short on details, or at least “alternative facts.” They have plenty of information, but they insist that it be interpreted in a particular way — the way that feels most exciting.” [Nieman Lab]
What to expect from Radical Reports: Morning Briefing provides a daily round-up of reporting on the Radical Right; Extremist Links offers a weekly round-up of extremists activities including the white supremacist and militia movements; Research Desk provides monthly highlights research and analysis from academia on the Radical Right; Field Notes delivers research on key organizations and analysis of the strategies and tactics of the Radical Right.