As an activist working to strengthen the green jobs vision (4.00 / 3)

I find this extremely disheartening.

While I thought Van Jones' talents were better utilized as a force outside the government with the legitimacy to pressure for change, the degree to which the Obama administration is willing to allow radical right-wing ideology to chart its course makes me very worried for the prospects of the next few years.

Van Jones has consistently been one of my favorite activists.  Having read up on his history and intellectual journey I think he's got one of the best senses for how to cultivate really constructive coalitions- and there are few coalitions more urgently needed than one around green jobs.

That Obama could let him go so easily (while keeping truly destructive counselors) is a testament to the fact that he has dangerously misdiagnosed the political terrain.  I don't know what he thought he was about to lose by keeping Van, but it's way less than the mutinous feeling this and similar choices will instill in the people who want desperately to support him- but are finding it harder every day.

Figuring out how to be a progressive college graduate transplant to Ohio:  http://citizenobie.wordpress.com/

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by: joelfrominwood @ Sun Sep 06, 2009 at 14:41:24 PM UTC

He came to MI to talk about green jobs. (4.00 / 3)

I was at the conference.  He did a very good job.  He was truly enthusiastic about the subject and the goals.    

The Obama administration doesn't seem to be able to do anything but talk a good game.  The minute they have to put up, they apologize, shut up, and flip-flop.  I haven't seen a Democrat tell the wingers where to put it yet, except for Barney Frank - and he apologized too.    

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by: dkmich @ Sun Sep 06, 2009 at 15:00:09 PM UTC

The calming effect of chum in the water (4.00 / 3)

It is well known by many unnamed sources in the Beltway Establishment that the best way to calm a bunch of sharks in the water is to pour lots of blood and fish bits in the water since they know they'll get food.  We're told it works very well.

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by: El Cid @ Sun Sep 06, 2009 at 15:05:36 PM UTC

LOMG! I'll NEVER Fit in with diaper shitting Dems (4.00 / 1)

cuz I call the leadership of the republican party lying, stealing, cheating FUCKING FASCISTS.

no wonder obama hasn't called! woe is me!!

For the future - HOPE fully my comments will live FOREVER -
The current leadership of the Republican Party are either lying, stealing, cheating fascists, clueless dupes, or synchophants to fascists.

WE the peee-ons lose to these fascist bastards for a lot of reasons, one of the worst is that the pathetic sacks of shit in charge of the Democratic Party are pathetic sacks of shit, on their best day.

robert murphy
seattle.


It is too full o' the milk of human kindness To catch the nearest way

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by: seabos84 @ Sun Sep 06, 2009 at 15:19:05 PM UTC

"a bit over the edge" petition? (0.00 / 0)

That group believed - and I think still believe - that 9/11 was an inside job!

I agree with you that Bushies were never held to account for the national security failure that was 9/11, but jeebus man - minimizing the crackpot petition and Van Jones signature on it is crazy.

I am fine with czars but they should be vetted as if they were Senate confirmable. Jones would have never gotten a second interview. Lesson learned. I hope.

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by: newdemrex @ Sun Sep 06, 2009 at 15:32:34 PM UTC

How Many Internet Petittions Has He Signed, Anyways? (4.00 / 1)

The "9/11 Truthers" are a plague, to be sure.  But there have been all sorts of variants of petitions, some pure lunacy, some merely suggesting that the possibility should be looked into.

It would be one thing if Jones were a dyed-in-the-wool
"9/11 Truther" and were working in a field related to that.  But he's 0-for-2 on that metric.  So it's really nothing but one big red herring.

Heck, I've even heard that he used to groove on the Bay City Rollers, but I'm not holding that against him.

"You know what they say -- those of us who fail history... doomed to repeat it in summer school." -- Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Season 6, Episode 3

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by: Paul Rosenberg @ Sun Sep 06, 2009 at 15:38:20 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Most of Beck's viewership (4.00 / 1)

subscribe to the "Inside Job" theory. Which makes the irony that much more delicious.

Van Jones should go into the belly of the beast and spread his progressive vision to the Alex Jones types.

Cognitive dissonance is a potent weapon.

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by: Paul Goodman @ Sun Sep 06, 2009 at 17:22:30 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

this is all so fucking ridiculous (0.00 / 0)

Obama can kiss us disillusioned Gen X & Yers goodbye.

Lesson learned, just focus on local politics because the rest is one big bullshit fest for corrupt assholes, scared senior citizens, and slimy media tools.

For a second there I thought my cynicism might not justified.  I was wrong.    

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by: sisterfish @ Sun Sep 06, 2009 at 15:51:09 PM UTC

I Have A Diary Later Today (0.00 / 0)

that talks about what to do in response to frustration and disgust with the Democratic Party.

I have three suggestions that have to do primarily with what could be organized, nationwide efforts to establish strong, local democratic structures, so that folks like you would have places to plug into that would ensure that your individual efforts were part of a more coherent larger whole.

"You know what they say -- those of us who fail history... doomed to repeat it in summer school." -- Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Season 6, Episode 3

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by: Paul Rosenberg @ Sun Sep 06, 2009 at 16:45:54 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

I look forward to reading (4.00 / 1)

Because I am very frustrated and disgusted right now.  Where's my Left-Wing Noise Machine?

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by: aperio @ Sun Sep 06, 2009 at 17:16:43 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

If you view this as a one-front war (4.00 / 1)

you will be soundly routed.

It is a two-front war, we fight a holding action in the "Establishment" while we devastate the enemy amongst the populace by building an infrastructure of progressive communities.

I'm for the Democrats to the hilt as part of that holding action.

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by: Paul Goodman @ Sun Sep 06, 2009 at 17:25:10 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

Take a break, lick your wounds, (4.00 / 5)

re-engage when you're ready. This is a fight we will be in for the rest of lives so we're gonna have to pace ourselves.

Personally, I'm feeling more hopeful than I have in a long time. My biggest fear was not that Obama would be a sell-out and/or in over his head, because I kind of saw that coming. My biggest fear was that no one on our side would recognize or acknowledge it.

But that's not what's happening. Instead we've got a viable movement to pass real healthcare reform (i.e. with a public option) over, through, or around Obama if necessary. And we're less than one year into his first term. God bless Chris Bowers and Jane Hamsher.

Montani semper liberi

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by: Sadie Baker @ Sun Sep 06, 2009 at 18:14:40 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

good point n/t (4.00 / 1)

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by: sisterfish @ Sun Sep 06, 2009 at 21:47:59 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

if using a crude term (4.00 / 1)

to describe republicans is a reason to resign from a political position then we wouldn't have many repugs left in congress if that was the criteria, unless of course this only applies to the dems since the gopers are so sensitive and proper when voicing their opinion toward the opposition.

ps - jones should have been applauded not condemned for his actions, of course in a wh that has no courage and less fight this is a predictable response. fall on your sword for obama while obama would not fall on his for anyone or anything.  

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by: pc @ Sun Sep 06, 2009 at 17:59:45 PM UTC

Incompetence seems way too small a word... (4.00 / 1)

I'm expecting the rest of the progressives in the WH to be similarly purged as well. The double standards at work here are just too silly to even entertain in a serious manner.

Consider that tax evasion was no impediment to success for Turbo Timmee. Consider that Larry Summer's CV relating to his hedge fund connections while he was president of Hahvad, reads like a rap sheet... still no impediment to success within this administration. Oh, Daschle. It would have been okay if so many Dems hadn't cried foul at the time. I don't need to mention all the Bushist USAs still causing trouble, do I?

And yet here we have a firing offense for signing an on-line petition and having been in the same room with some (gasp) Marxists? OMFG!

This isn't merely incompetent... This is laughable! This is satire that writes itself!

"More than any other time in history, mankind faces a crossroads. One path leads to despair and utter hopelessness. The other, to total extinction. Let us pray we have the wisdom to choose correctly." -Woody Allen, My Speech to the Graduates

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by: Emocrat @ Sun Sep 06, 2009 at 19:25:47 PM UTC

Well, He Looked Funny When He Signed It! (0.00 / 0)

Scrunched up his face, so it looked like an image of the devil on a pancake slopped with Aunt Jemima syrup.

"You know what they say -- those of us who fail history... doomed to repeat it in summer school." -- Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Season 6, Episode 3

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by: Paul Rosenberg @ Sun Sep 06, 2009 at 20:10:24 PM UTC

[ Parent ]

On the contrary, Aunt Augusta (0.00 / 0)

Rather than try to display signs of bipartisanship, Obama must now realize, for the first time in his life, the importance of being an asshole.

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by: Scroop Moth @ Sun Sep 06, 2009 at 22:20:49 PM UTC