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TechnoratiObama Adviser Resigns Amid Controversy
WASHINGTON - Van Jones, President Barack Obama's adviser on "green jobs," resigned his post overnight, after a series of controversial comments came to light triggering withering attacks from conservatives.
![[Van Jones US President Barack Obama's special adviser for green jobs has resigned under pressure from leading Republican politicians and revelations about his controversial past statements, The Washington Post reported Sunday.
(AFP/Getty Images/File/Stephen Lovekin)]](http://www.commondreams.org/files/article_images/vanjones_resigns-b.jpg "vanjones_resigns-b.jpg")
At midnight, the White House released Mr. Jones' resignation letter from the White House Council on Environmental Quality.
"On the eve of historic fights for health care and clean energy, opponents of reform have mounted a vicious smear campaign against me. They are using lies and distortions to distract and divide," he wrote.
Within minutes, Nancy Sutley, chairwoman of the council, released a second, more curt, statement accepting Mr. Jones' resignation. "Over the last six months he has been a strong voice for creating 21st century jobs that improve energy efficiency and utilize renewable resources. We appreciate his hard work and wish him the best moving forward."
Mr. Jones has been in the center of a maelstrom on conservative radio and television talk shows since a video surfaced last week showing him calling Republicans a vulgar epithet. Since then, other controversies have emerged, such as Mr. Jones saying black students would have never committed a massacre such as the one at Colorado's Columbine High School. His name also appeared on a 2004 petition calling for the government to investigate its own culpability in the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. None of those issues happened after Mr. Jones joined the administration.
Mr. Jones apologized for the epithet aimed at Republicans, but he said the Sept. 11 petition "certainly does not reflect my views, now or ever."
Mr. Jones' resignation, in the dead of night over Labor Day weekend, marks the first time one of the numerous conservative campaigns raging against the Obama administration has drawn decisive blood. Mr. Jones was one of the "czars" conservatives have been attacking as extra-constitutional appointments not subject to Senate confirmation. He was a relatively minor official -- a special adviser for green jobs on the White House Council on Environmental Quality. But his best selling book, telegenic personality and frequent appearances as a motivational speaker made him an outsized figure in that post.
He was only one front in the wars waging in conservative circles. Conservatives are angry about an address Mr. Obama plans to deliver to school children on Tuesday about the need for hard work and perseverance. They say he is indoctrinating children in his "socialist" political beliefs. A suggestion from White House officials that Americans e-mail in suspicious claims about the president's health care plans was condemned as a hunt for political enemies.
"I am not aware of any precedent for a president asking American citizens to report their fellow citizens to the White House for pure political speech that is deemed 'fishy' or otherwise inimical to the White House's political interests," Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn wrote in a letter to the president. He continued, "You should not be surprised that these actions taken by your White House staff raise the specter of a data collection program."
The effort was quickly shelved.
On Friday, when White House press secretary Robert Gibbs was asked whether Mr. Jones had the president's confidence, he said only that Mr. Jones "continues to work in the administration."
"I have been inundated with calls -- from across the political spectrum -- urging me to 'stay and fight,'" Mr. Jones wrote. "But I came here to fight for others, not for myself. I cannot in good conscience ask my colleagues to expend precious time and energy defending or explaining my past. We need all hands on deck, fighting for the future."
120 Comments so far
Show AllThe following is a CNN interview with David Sirota and fiend David Frum on Van Jones' resignation forced by the Obama administration, which caved in to extremist, ... right-wingers and, as explained by David Sirota, not because Van Jones signed a petition about the 9-11 attacks in 2004 questioning the Bush administration about what it knew regarding 9-11 and whether the admin. deliberately allowed the attacks to happen. David Sirota clearly says that Van Jones said signing the petition was a mistake and that he hadn't thoroughly read it, and adds that it's nevertheless not why Van Jones has been forced to resign for the intense targeting against Van Jones seriously began before it was known that he had signed the 9-11 petition.
The interview is a little over six minutes and was posted Sept. 7, 2009.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKoXGwNPonU
Inspiring Van Jones speech that puts so many good ideas together. It's addressed to the young; us oldsters can watch it too. He has a future. Maybe it is a blessing in disguise that he broke out from the smothering mud of governmental service in this day and age.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IVNtoAiOh1k
Joe
How do you like that? Firing someone who tried to bring green jobs to the forefront and perhaps try to help divert people from being suckered into jobs related closer to the MIC and yet this same government doing more war funding ! Call me mad but this now is a DISASTER SIGNAL that more people will find themselves under even more pressure to work in DOD and less in the green jobs market. America, the Green Jobs Project or whatever Obama has promised is now DEAD ! So once again, we the people LOSE yet again no matter how hard we try to pressure Congress and the White House. Not only that but look for more people to find themselves falling into more temptations into signing up just to make a few bucks and try to avoid the severity of the economic crunch. I wish everyone of you the best of luck. All I can do is give the warning signals at this point and I'll try to keep you informed about the general trends but so far, it ain't looking good.
Green jobs in Gringoland is an oxymoron.
Lots of people in gringoland are not gringos, thank you. And others have had the misfortune to have been born and their two parents were white. They apologize for that error.
Joe
Well, I signed a similar, if not the same, statement, as I believe that the Bush administration ignored all of the warning signs. The day before 9/11, I argued on the New York Times Abuzz blog that al Qaeda would hi-jack a jumbo jet and crash it into a populated area, as well as a rogue nation would not launch an ICBM attack against us because we would know the launch address once it cleared the event horizon. I've also used the same epilet to describe the current crop of fraking idiots that have hi-jacked the Republican party.
I campaigned for Obama, contributed to his campaign, and voted for him. Sadly, I am becoming increasingly disappointed with him. His cap and trade is a bad idea, as is his clean coal initiative. There is no such thing as clean coal.
I, for one, will miss Van Jones. He was not afraid to speak his mind. Unfortunately, conservatives don't like people to speak their mind. Perhaps if conservatives spent more time reading, rather than listening to Glen Beck and the other idiots over at Fox News, they would be able to think for themelves.
Jones resigned? Just call it what it really is Fired. Obama's tomming his way to the top only goes so far. At a certain point it becomes counterproductive. What is the role of a sheepdog anyway?
Is Obama TRYING to recapitulate the Clinton maladministration?
Dawn Johnsen, Obama's "pick" to head the OLC, has been left twisting slowly in the wind. Remember Lani Guinier?
And remember Surgeon-General Joycelyn Elders, who Bill Clinton fired because she revealed herself to be objectively pro-autoeroticism?
Obama is pathetic.
· Yr Obd't Servant
As many have noted, Van Jones didn't resign so much as get resigned -- another Obama sacrifice.
Obama has surrendered every time push has come to shove. It is very clear that he is a politician in the true Clinton mold -- not a person moved by principle, but one moved solely by expedience – whatever it is that will win him the most of whatever it is he seeks to win.
The catch is, now that the singular goal of the presidency is won, the goals are too many, the people needing pleasing to diverse.
From before his inauguration, Obama had thrown progressives and true liberals under the bus.
Health care, Middle East policy, Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, openness, change, the middle-class and poorer Americans.... At what point has he clearly sacrificed conservative votes he never had anyway to fulfill promises he made during his campaign.
Whom won't he throw under the bus? The Israel lobby, Wall Street billionaires and his major campaign contributors, massive health insurers and big Pharma.
Money. That's what Obama won't sacrifice.
Now Obama is letting the repugs silence a man that is doing his job for this country. I am a white man and I believe everything Mr Jones said. He and his boss should have stood up to the no plans loud mouth repugs.
To all the posters who have mentioned the obvious validity of the real truth behind 9/11: THANK YOU. Maybe Van Jones' resignation will re-invigorate those of us who know the official story is the political equivalent of horse manure. "Be not overcome with evil, but overcome evil with good."
Here's a quote by Yale educated Van Jones in his book 'The Green Collar Economy': "[W]e are entering an era during which our very survival will demand invention and innovation on a scale never before seen in the history of human civilization. Only the business community has the requisite skills, experience, and capital to meet that need. On that score, neither government nor the nonprofit and voluntary sectors can compete, not even remotely. So in the end, our success and survival as a species are largely and directly tied to the new eco-entrepreneurs - and the success and survival of their enterprises."
Oh, yeah, thats a 'communist' alright. Think you'd ever have heard that quote from Glen Beck? And yet, out of all the Jones-quotes Beck has published, how many of them said anything, as this quote does, about GREEN JOBS? The only subject about which Jones was being tasked for an opinion is the ONE subject Glen Beck and company had nothing to talk about. I find it disturbing that a person can be driven out of a job over everything he said EXCEPT on the subject for which he was employed. If Beck himself were held to such a standard, he'd be out of a job this afternoon.
Conservatives are those with the most money to conserve who own the MSM whose job is to wage deceitful class warfare to keep the public fighting among themselves instead of with it, the oppressing oligarchy whose money determines which of its pawns gets elected and re-elected regardless of how much the public complains about health care, war profiteering, socialist bailouts for banks and corporations and crimes committed by the oligarchy's praetorian guard and useful idiots about which no politician can do anything about if he or she wants to keep his job in a perverted system of representative government whose greatest enemy is direct democracy. Sheesh...
Bring America Back !!!!........!...I've gotta think that if Prez Barak was backing Van Jones, he would have stuck it out until he was back under the Neocon Radar !!
****But, as to the why, why why ....it was the vulgar epithet, dummies..you just cannot be a Prez Advisor and be
giving out with vulgarities, or blasphemous verbosities.
Once the Rightwing Pundits had him with the epithet, they just threw in the 9/11 petition for good measure !!
****There was absolutely nothing wrong with the 9/11 Petition except that now infamous NY Attorney General
Elliott Spitzer ignored the heck out of it !!
**Therefor, any time ill will, or embarrassment is brought to Prez Barak==such as Van Jones, those folk will be thrown under the proverbial bus---
=====just like Rev Wright was thrown under the bus
=====just like Grandma Obama was thrown under the bus
=====just like General Wesley Clark was thrown under the bus
If we think that Team Obama is Ultra Sensitive to these kinds of associations, then the recent history proves that
He IS !!!! Obama is Soft on embarassments and criticisms, and he WILL cave-in just as He has on each and every campaign Promise he made to America !
All His campaign promises are under the same damn bus!
***This coming Friday, let us NEVER FORGET SEPT 11, 2001 !!!
I wonder what's behind him rescinding his signature on the petition!
No worries. Once you're on a computerized list, you _never_ get taken off.
PROJECTION! Does anyone see the irony here?
Progressives are foaming at the mouth again, demeaning the Democrats, and in particular Obama, for throwing good people "under the bus" and for not standing up to the power elite.
But isn't that exactly what progressives have been doing? I can go back into threads on this site and most other sites and find the most abusive comments about Ralph Nader and those who voted and supported him. Progressives threw this good man "under the bus" - A man who has devoted his entire life to the progressive cause and fighting against entrenched power - for the good of the people and this country. They called him names: egotist, nagging, nasty, spoiler, selfish, moron, Hunter Thompson called him "the village idiot" (just before killing himself) ....
Does no one see the irony here?
Don't expect anyone to do what you are not willing to do yourself. Unlike politicians, your career won't suffer as a result.
For starts, stop throwing good people under the bus in favor of political shills.
Good points as well, funny no one has made any disparaging remarks to me for voting McKinney and voicing support for Nader's position, at least not in the last few months.
Hear hear
I ask, as should others, why was this outstanding, bright soul brother sacrificed on the altar of rip off, stick it to the people, crude big power politics, when he represents so much that is good. Even in this racist country this kind of damn garbage get to the point it's damn insane, and when the GOP far right/loony right crowd and blue dog, mad dog Democrats join in the chorus to fire this fine public servant, they surely have as John Pilger, the greatest journalist writing for the British media call a hidden agenda. This brother has been a shining example fighting for us all including my white booty on a variety of issues.
I wish this brother the best. Keep up the good fight! I hate this president's sacrifice of you. It's an outrage.
AD
"Soul brother?"...
OMG.
You're not serious, are you?
Sho You right
It's amazing to see even a smidgen of people agreeing with the McCarthyist red baiting that drove Van Jones out. Looking at other boards reveals that the "fascist minded people" as Paul Robeson noted half a century ago, are alive and kicking and infesting the internet and corporate media. The darkness is spreading, fed on lies and disinformation, old fears and new hatreds, breeding a culture of cruelty in the latter days of the American Empire...
Someone should write a book "Troll Nation", as that is who is really taking over. Glenn Beck should be proclaimed King of the Trolls.
What shall we call those who threw "under the bus" Ralph Nader, Cynthia McKinney and their supporters.
I hold nothing against those who opted for what they considered the lesser of two evils - the strategy has some merit, although I don't support it - it was their vitriol against Nader and those who supported him and his progressive agenda. It was the illegal and anti-democratic actions of people like Sec of State, Democrat Bill Bradbury of Oregon, who used the power of his office to cheat Nader out of his constitutional right to run for election. It was shameful and will go down in history as American progressives' worst moments.
Progressives: Practice what you preach!
Let's see, Democratic Party lackeys?
David Sirota wrote a good piece on this here http://open.salon.com/blog/david_sirota/2009/09/06/taking_the_movement_out_of_the_obama_white_house/
His black nationalism was the strongest strike against him. I found claims of his 'communism' overblown, and I would have signed the 911 petition myself if I'd known about it and, like Van, would have done so without really reading the second half that says they think the gov't was involved in the attacks (the petition at first glance seems to merely ask for further investigation and suggests that the gov't softballed the official investigation: something EVERYBODY knows).
He apologized for earlier remarks of a racial nature. Given the minor post he held, and his STUNNING qualifications for holding it (this was no horse trainer directing the nations emergency response system), I would have kept him on. Bad marks for Obama, but why am I surprised the Dems are always cutting and running from Republican anger? Cowards. They just showed Glenn Beck how far he has to push before Obama etal will tuck tail: valuable information.
Bring America Back !!!!
****Surprising you did not know of the Petition(s) and if you just google
'911Scholarsand Officials or 911Engineers you will be led to them, and
don't be surprised if they are still OPEN for your signature, since the NYC
Attorney General Eliott Spitzer did his best to ignore them.
For a strong update on the petitions current status go to NYC CAN .
This stuff ain't over although Van Jones vulgar epithets probably did him in.
ubrew, agreed on all points *except*:
Now is the political Nexus for Obama. Timing on this was everything. I still believe BHO knows what he's doing and is doing it while holding his nose.
Democrats cowards? I do not share that sentiment. On the contrary, the minority of the party that can be considered on the left usually at least make some noises. The party as a whole is slightly right of center in my book and pretend to resist, yet go right along with the right wing agenda. We have only two parties in our rigged "democratic" system: One is on the far right the other moderate right.
The Democrats and Republicans are largely on the same side, with a few superficial differences. It is like two factions of a country club or golf rivalry. This creates a "good cop bad cop" routine, but at the end of the day both "cops" are on the same side. Which side are you on?
The wacko right wing of the USA just got their pound of flesh for this news cycle. Hopefully, Van Jones will make them regret it for a very long time.
I'd like as well to think that Jones will make the "wacko right wing" regret his fall from grace. But what hope do we really have that one who, on his way out, APOLOGIZES for the "mistake" he made in 2004 is going to be in any position to make any trouble to anyone?
Very hypocritical of the Rethugs to use Van Jones' use of a profanity in describing their party. Have they forgotten their own King, DICK Cheney, and his infamous "F*ck you" remark on the floor of the US Senate to a democratic senator?
Hypocrites, the whole lot of 'em.
"When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag, carrying a cross."
Sinclair Lewis, "It Cant Happen Here", 1935
Whats worse is that his description of Republicans as a**h*les was an oblique complement, referring to their ability to get legislation passed against all odds. And he referred to HIMSELF as an a**h*le in the same capacity.
So a white racist blowhard hatemonger Glen Beck got Van Jones fired? The Obama regime did not stick up for him?
That is even more pathetic and disgusting than a bitter old cynic like me would have expected.
I agree. What's going on here? Some right wing nut jobs (the WSJ calls them "conservatives", which they are not) attack Jones, for what? Obama does absolutely nothing to deflect the spurious attacks, does not defend him at all, and sheepishly lets Jones walk away.
The message is clear, anyone with even one iota of progressive thinking is on very, very, thin ice within centers of power in the US Empire.
I wonder if Jones' resignation was a sign of weakness or a sign of integrity on his part? Did he see his principles compromised by staying? Or did the likes of Rahm have him ousted?
I imagine Van Jones was pushed out but to save what's left of Obama's reputation, he resigned. He should have stood his ground and forced Obama to fire him.
Perhaps Jones will confirm what we suspect at a later time. I would be willing to bet that he was forced to apologize and resign. Funny, during the Bush II regime, there were some real serious nutcases and even criminals in high places and the regime refused to fire them. Now that a so-called Democrat is in power, one inkling of controversy (not illegality or wrongdoing) from a far right-wing racist TV personality and he is fired/resigns. Glen Beck and his cronies should be fired and charged with slander and inciting racist hatred.
Regarding Bush II, when I heard this attack driving and listening on talk radio this morning, I first thought of John Negroponte. And then, how a smear campaign seemed to be underway. And then, I thought that they were accusing Jones of thought crime.
Hey, hey, Obam-A; how many progressives did you kill today?
I suppose the Van Jones situation may be the "last straw" for some of those who have stuck by the President to give him a "chance" to show his "true" progressive colors. How many will have their last bit of faith in him exterminated? And does it matter, since Obama and Democrats have long since thrown progressives under the bus of their political calculations? They really don't need us, so we can go take a flying you-know-what.
Never trust someone with a degree from YALE!
-30-
On first seeing the tape it sounded to me like the question was why the Democrats, with a majority, can't push through the legislation, and the anwers wa 'they are a**holes' -- meaning the Democrats -- which makes more sense than saying that about Republicans, who everyone already knows are, and expects them to be.
The truth seems to be that virtually all politicians are 'A's (and Jones included himself under the category). Don't we all know that? But speaking the truth these days is too radical...
Obama bowed to political reality. Something he seldom does, let alone acknowledge.
The suggestion that this has anything to do with racism is a joke. Worse than a joke. Its callow.
Henry8 September 6th, 2009 11:54 am............"Obama bowed to political reality"
Something he seldom does? He's hasn't stopped since he's been in office. The only thing he has not bowed to is the people who elected him.
It's not bowing, really. Actually, he's got a good grip on his ankles.
LOL!
Me, too!
Exactly.
Obama not only bows and serves, but he is also in a situation of self-incurred tutelage.
van Jones was involved with the struggle for human rights when he took the side of black communism-but just couldn't cut it due to his yuppie sensibilities.
He was part of the agonizingly weak and toned down "progressive' elements of Obama's administration.
His signing of this petition shows that he at least has some conscience and back-bone-not like his boss.
maybe he will now be free to really face the issues and take action.
I agree. When Van Jones was brought in to the Obama administration, I did not see it as placement into a powerful position as a reward for years of organizing, but rather that an important organizer was going to co-opted by the Democrats yet again. I hope Jones severs his ties to the Democratic Party.
OMG I can't believe he's caving to these Republican cockroaches! I can't believe O is letting him!
Or is O the big coward here? If Jones is still working for him, but behind a screen, that doesn't say much for O, really, does it? When is O going to stand up for someone he believes in?
My guess is never - what a craven store window dummy O turned out to be!
Redballoon:
I'm sorry, but just what did you expect? He was never more than a cult figure with absolutely NO substance at all. He didn't have supporters; he had groupies and they're still turning themselves into pretzels trying to be what he wants them to be: placid, cud-chewing cows who all face the same direction, nod and MOO agreeably. (I'm currently listening to Randi Rhodes doing just that on the economy. Pathetic how much passion she can get into MOO!)
Redballoon:
I'm sorry, but just what did you expect? He was never more than a cult figure with absolutely NO substance at all. He didn't have supporters; he had groupies and they're still turning themselves into pretzels trying to be what he wants them to be: placid, cud-chewing cows who all face the same direction, nod and MOO agreeably. (I'm currently listening to Randi Rhodes doing just that on the economy. Pathetic how much passion she can get into MOO!)
When is "O" going to stand up for someone he believes in?"
I may be missing something but ... isn't that exactly what he's been doing for over 8 months?
He believes in himself.
Joe
Actually, no - he's buckled under every challenge, too busy trying to do the bipartisan dance, letting the Republicans choose the music. Even before he was elected, didn't the throw Jeremiah Wright under the bus?
O's speeches are very nice, very soothing, kind of rhetorical prozac.
rvrwalker September 6th, 2009 2:00 pm............What exactly has he taken a stand for? He's capitulated to everything. Rendition continues. Drone bombing continues. The Patriot Act continues. The Military Commission Act continues. Habeas corpus is in the crapper. The wars continue. No one has been held accountable for past crimes. The will be no single payer healthcare and we will be lucky to get a public option. The latest figure on the bailout is $27T. Foreclosures continue. Real unemployment is at a 60 year high. The one member of his staff that was accomplishing something progressive was just "resigned". When does the good part come??
nevergiveup
You asked "When is Obama going to stand up for someone he believes in."
How could anyone say Obama doesn't stand up for people he believes in. He seeks no prosecution of the people who ran the most corrupt administration our country has known. He stands up for corrupt CEOs - in banking, health care, weapons manufacturing .... you get my drift.
I didn't say he hasn't capitulated on some things - you gotta lie to get elected, don't cha know? But many of the things he is doing now are simply a continuation of his entire career as a politician. You mention the Patriot Act. As a senator, he voted to renew it. And he said during the campaign that he would escalate the war in Afghanistan. He voted against putting a 30% cap on what lenders can charge borrowers (read: the poor) ... it was clear for anyone to see, unless they were intoxicated by the "glow-job" he was performing on them.
Obama is "dancing with those who brung him." The puzzle is: How could anyone not have seen it coming?
rvrwalker September 6th, 2009 3:16 pm............MSM hypnotism/Kool-Aid.
Why would so called smart progressives drink Kool-Aid? Can we talk about the problem of obsequious, obedient natures, a particular problem here in the US (not exclusively). Isn't this what is behind the the Kool-Aid drinkers problem?
rvrwalker September 6th, 2009 3:48 pm..............Absolutely. Isn't that what the American de-education system is all about? Removing the ability to think and total obedience.
Progressives did not elect Obama. They were part of it, but no where near the majority. But, many DID drink the Kool-aid. They were swept up in the BS like so many others. The opiate of hope.
redballoon September 6th, 2009 11:35 am......By "O", do you mean Backout Hussein Obama?
Indeed.
I think the O is a good image for him - inflated on the outside, empty in the middle.
SHIT!
Next, and probably in this order: John Holdren, Mark Lloyd, Cass Sunstein, Carol Browner, and Harold Koh.
All have been extremely demonized by the right-wing attack machine, some several months ago, some more recently and still ongoing. And I doubt Obama will lift a finger to defend any one of them.
jclientelle September 6th, 2009 11:18 am..........Oh, he'll lift a finger OK....to point to the door.
If Obama had any balls, he wouldn't let Van Jones resign. He would be behind him 100%. Van Jones has done nothing but tell the truth. Obama gives much to much credence and legitimacy to those who were voted out of power. That's his mistake, but it is to be expected from a Democrat.
Oh sure, it's Obama's fault. frigging idiot.
Actually it is O's fault.
If O is president, everything is his fault.
That's what being a boss means.
O has so far shown himself to be pathetically weak. An empty shell. A paper tiger. Pretty in a suit, wet spaghetti for a spine.
And there's no need to be verbally abusive. Coming from someone who has not yet mastered the Shift key, the invective fails to impress.
Well said!
tanguero September 6th, 2009 11:26 am.......Do you think he resigned on his own?
Let's omit the name calling, shall we?
Why is everything always so f*cking predictable?
In my opinion, we're the ones who have to start doing unpredictable things. I'd sure hate to be reading the "progressive" part in the plutocratic script.
Because he is what the majority of Americans voted for. He was always conservative and, I suspect, his only reason for running was to be the first African-American president. He never had any progressive positions on anything. His fan club read what they wanted to on what was a pretty blank slate; those of us who saw what was coming only voted for him because he was not McCain-Palin--the only viable alternative. Frankly, other than not getting us into any more wars, the Obama presidency is pretty well what the presidency of the old warmonger McCain would have been.
The only entertaining thing going is the hatred and loathing of the right-wingnuts for a president who is a Democrat in name only. But that, of course, is basically racism on their part; they don't fool anybody.
Because we've seen this before, many, many times. It's always the same - money rules - no exceptions. Soon there will be no turning back. maybe we've crossed that line already.
Isn't it a pity.
"I have been inundated with calls -- from across the political spectrum -- urging me to 'stay and fight....I cannot in good conscience ask my colleagues to expend precious time and energy defending or explaining my past. We need all hands on deck, fighting for the future."
So the way you fight is never to fight about anything concrete, only in the rarified realm of the hopesphere. I completely disagree. You have to fight for real things as they come up.
Any excuse to get rid of an advocate for JOBS and CLEAN ENERGY. I am furious at the venality of our representatives. Republicans first, Democrats not far behind.
Joe
wtf?
"[the strategy is] never to fight about anything concrete, only in the rarified realm of the hopesphere"
Translation: Obama does not fight for any progressive component of his own policies and appointees. In this case, Obama could have said "This is a good man and I stand behind him". He did not. He could have said "we need single payer. It is the option that makes sense". He did not. He could have said "I was mistaken to propose escalation in Afghanistan", but didn't. And so on and on. Obama needs to get down to earth with struggles.
The HOPESPHERE is a faroff place where dreams go to languish and die.
Granted, O has powerful, greedy, ruthless and irrational enemies. But he knew that. It's one thing to fight and lose. It's another to wimp out without really trying. We are seeing much too much of the latter.
Joe
OK - Here's the deal. If you are a black political appointee, you had better not express even one opinion that reflects original or critical thinking. Or else a Democratic President will throw you out. Cases in point:
Lani Guinier - talked about the benefits of proportional representation, the system used in most of Europe.
Jocelyn Elders - suggested masturbation as a safe sexual outlet for teenagers, a way to prevent pregnancy and disease.
Van Jones - signed a petition asking for more investigation of 911. Criticised a Republican using vulgar words of language. Oooooh, that is not allowed because we are such a delicate and sensitive nation.
I suppose Obama has been hazed into this culture because he is smart and opportunistic enough to adjust to the realities.
Joe
Well caught - it doesn't take much to have Democrats turn on ya. One unguarded moment and its toast time.
(Am I really the only one who picked up on that Woody Guthrie reference?)
My post to Joe (jclientelle) appears to have gotten lost in transmission, 2nd try:
VJ describing anybody as a__holes is not an example of critical thinking or even good judgment, especially at this political climax for Obama.
I wish like the rest of us that we could just barrel on down with single payer and force it down their throats (remember what happened to Bush when he force-fed his agenda? the country almost unraveled). I'm sure if there were *any* chance in h-e-double- hockey-sticks that it would pass that Obama would go for it. Instead, let's be focused on being glad for his political skill and ability to see reality in the real world of disgusting politics.
I'm glad for someone with a good heart and a wisdom born of experience willing to get in the sh__storm that is government and politics and fight the good fight. We know where his heart is; the evidence that he can't get much done shows how powerful the forces are against him. This is no Harry Potter movie, unfortunately. No magic wand. He's just a real guy trying to do almost unreal things. Didn't stop him from trying. Good for him!
Unfortunately, Obama has shown that he doesn't have the balls to stand up for single payer, or apparently anything else.
Congress has created so many health programs since 1965 -- Medicare, Medicaid, EMTALA, Native American Health Plan, Federal Employee Health Plan, TRICARE, sCHIP, etc. They cost us nearly a trillion dollars a year, while leaving 47 million uninsured and another 55 million under insured.
What Congress needs to do is repeal all of them and create one single program -- a single payer, universal health care program that covers EVERY citizen from conception to death. That would save about $400 billion a year in bureaucratic overhead, as each program has its own bureaucracy.
Mary Russo offered us the "Universal Health Care Act of 1991" in 1991, which would have done just this. It would have been paid for by a 15% surcharge on each individual's federal income tax. In 1991, it would have saved me about $5,000 a year in premiums, so it wasn't a bad deal, despite being an added tax.
Hey boss, if you're listening. We want a single-payer option.
crescentrose September 6th, 2009 1:16 pm..........Lawd, are you serious? A good heart???? The man is continuing rendition and refusing to prosecute the last administration for lies, deceit, a false flag, the debacle of Katrina, the stripping of our right and the end of habeas corpus et al. Wisdom? Heart? Put down that Kool-Aid and wake up!
And increasing the drone attacks in Afghanistan and Pakistan...killing innocent men, women and children. HEART!...Oh yeah!
And you think *he* is doing these things? You have a thing or two to learn about politics and the way things work in the real US of A, my friend. Just spend some time at a state legislature or Congress and you will get it.
The President is not as powerful as you may think. Again, yes he can go hard left but it will *destroy* the country because the backlash will be greater than the benefit. He sees this. I see this. I want hard left. But just like doing a hard left in a windstorm on a boat will sink it, he *cannot* change all of those things without taking it all down. He can't even speak of his desire to take it down. That will have the same effect. Capiche?
Most of the people want a public option in healthcare. Almost a majority oppose the escalation in Viet... I mean Afghanistan. Most would like to see some accounting and payback from the banksters. Taking those positions would not be a "hard left" if he appealed to and listened to the people who worked for and voted for him. I have no way of knowing what is in his heart, but in actions he has dismissed the opinions and power of the people as insignificant.
Sorry to hear about your family's experience with Katrina.
Joe
crescentrose September 6th, 2009 1:44 pm............Sorry, he's a shill and shows no leadership ability or courage. You can call it politics, I call it cowardice...
Capisce?
ok let's agree to disagree. But I hope I'm right. Otherwise we're f*c*ed.
We are f*c*ed.
Believe it.
...and by the way I am very familiar with the debacle of Katrina because it took everything my family had and ripped us from our roots.
crescentrose September 6th, 2009 1:52 pm..........Very sorry to hear that.
Thx. You pick up and move on.
At the risk of veering off topic, I want to throw out into the ether what should be said more often: Katrina should have served as a lesson for the world on disaster preparedness, not just in hurricane-land.
And also on smart rebuilding of virtually an entire historic city (80% destroyed).
Nyet in both cases.
IMO, based on what I see in my new digs (a supposedly progressive and advanced place), NOLA was the most prepared city in the nation. Only 1400 out of more than a few million dead. Each of the 1400 one too many, but a great disaster statistic nevertheless. Try getting that statistic in any other regional disaster. Ain't gonna happen. (I am not in disaster preparedness, just a citizen).
Testament to 10 years of planning of the state, local and fed officials. That never gets airtime but it should. They screwed up some of it for sure, but they were 95% ahead of the game compared to everybody else under similar levels of disaster threat. Saving 99% of the population thru years of planning is amazing.
It's a shockeroo to me there hasn't been a critical mass of folks who sat up and took notice for their *own* selves. Apparently thinking "well, we don't live below sea level in hurricane alley, so we're ok". This is dangerous denial. Take a look at the "big one" disasters threatening several areas of the US and it *should* knock anybody out of their complacency.
As best as I can tell the planning to have every citizen taken care of is virtually nil. I'm talking reverse statistics, like 95% of people homeless or lacking food and water, and only 5% making it out ok. You can't flee in advance of an earthquake or a levee breach that comes without warning (no hurricane to announce it).
But, we are creatures of habit and we need to see and feel things before we will get off our cushy butts.
crescentrose September 6th, 2009 2:30 pm.............I would assume you are aware that Bush was told the levees were giving way and "neglected" to pass on the information which at the time would have saved 1500 or so lives.
Yeah. And I'm also aware the the US Army Corps of Engineers, which built the levees over many years under both parties, knew that the levees only would hold a Cat 3 storm surge but they weren't emphasizing that before the storm after Katrina turned to Cat 5 a few days before it hit. They make the engineering fit the budget and often fudge the numbers to make it fit.
I am also aware that the levees were built with safety factors designated for farmland and cows, not humans. A comparable engineering negligence in the private sector, on a bridge or highrise for example, would have put the designers behind bars. But you'd have to dig to find that out, the MSM does not report it.
I'm also aware that Sacramento, CA is a disaster just waiting to happen, as are other areas in the US. Ditto for the media.
crescentrose September 6th, 2009 5:04 pm.....UNTIL we re-claim some part of the MSM, there can never be any change. Americans do not have the stomach for true revolt.
Best of luck. I believe you will eventually see that Obama was a huge mistake. If I am wrong, he has one hell of a rabbit up his sleeve.
The petition which Van Jones signed suggested, without a shred of evidence, that the Bush administration deliberately allowed 9/11 to happen in order to start a war. If Mr. Van Jones knew what was in that petition he was stupid. If he did not know what he signed he was stupid. The criticism directed at him has nothing to do with race. The group that started the petition is just as crazy as the current "birthers".
Yeah Crowsnest, I believe what Fox/CNN tells me. The Neocons would never allow a "new Pearl Harbor" to happen would they? PNAC plans never existed, that is just a conspiracy theory right?. We must always believe what our media tells us, they would never lie and have no ulterior motive or conflict of interest right?
Agree that he should not have signed something "he doesn't agree with" and claim different later (probably Obama made him do it).
I see name calling is alive and well here for people who believe differently than you do. Your response sounds more "crazy" than many I've seen on here.
Crowsnest September 6th, 2009 10:52 am, please take some time before scribbling hastily on matters about which you know nearly nothing and take cognizance of what thoughtful folks have had to say about what happened on September 11, 2001:
1) Begin by watching the lecture by architect Richard Gage "9/11 Blueprint for Truth" (2008) at the Web site of “Architects and Engineers for 9-11 Truth,” www.ae911truth.org (you will find the video on the left, near the top of the site’s home page).
2) Read the peer-reviewed paper "Active Thermitic Material Discovered in Dust from the 9/11 World Trade Center Catastrophe," by [the international team of scientists and engineers composed of] Niels H. Harrit, Jeffrey Farrer, Steven E. Jones, Kevin R. Ryan, Frank M. Legge, Daniel Farnsworth, Gregg Roberts, James R. Gourley and Bradley R. Larsen, published on April 4, 2009 in "The Open Chemical Physics Journal," 2, pages 7-31.
3) Go to www.patriotsquestion911.com in order to take stock of what dozens and dozens of professionals and academics (all identified by name and photograph, along with their credentials and academic affiliations), in many fields (scientific and other) have to say about what happened on 9/11.
4) Read David Ray Griffin’s detailed response to Popular Mechanics’ attack against alternative accounts of what happened on 9/11, in his book “Debunking 9/11 Debunking: An Answer to Popular Mechanics and Other Defenders of the Official Conspiracy Theory,” (Arris Books, 2007); and his books “9/11 Contradictions An Open Letter to Congress and the Press” (Interlink Publishing, 2008), and "Mysterious Collapse of World Trade Center 7: Why the Final Official Report about 9/11 is Unscientific and False" (Interlink Publishing, 2009).
5) Peruse the pages of the free online “Journal of 911 Studies,” and read the first paper by physicist Steven Jones “Why Indeed Did the World Trade Center Buildings Completely Collapse?” in volume 3 (2006); to which you might add the reading of “Some Physical Chemistry Aspects of Thermite, Thermate, Iron-Aluminum-Rich Microspheres, the Eutectic, and the Iron-Sulfur System as Applied to the Demise of Three World Trade Center Buildings on 9/11/2001″ by Jerry Lobdill in volume 12 (2007); and “Extremely high temperatures during the World Trade Center destruction” by Dr. Steven E. Jones, Dr. Jeffrey Farrer, Dr. Gregory S. Jenkins, Dr. Frank Legge, James Gourley, Kevin Ryan, Daniel Farnsworth, and Dr. Crockett Grabbe in volume 19 (January 2008).
Bring America Back !!!!
****Thanks for these reminders Abendland, does my heart good !!
****Your erudite summations make me believe you are aware of the current
petition efforts ongoing at NYC CAN .. They are stubborn with these efforts,
and they strongly believe if they can get it on the voters ballots, the NYC
citizens will overwhelmingly vote FOR an investigation.
****And, this coming Friday , let the faithful proclaim "We will Never Forget !"
Abendland
Intelligently and persuasively well stated. I would also like to add to the impressive tomes that you have recommended these two books: 9/11 and American Empire: Intellectuals Speak Out which is edited by David Ray Griffin and Peter Dale Scott and Towers of Deception by Barrie Zwicker. The latter book also comes with a DVD inserted in the book entitled The Great Conspiracy.
Yes, I know those works. Thanks for adding them to the list.
In the meantime Mr. Van Jones has pulled the rug from under you by stating that he never believed in what he signed. Try another rug.
Crowsnest (9/6, 2009 12:23 pm): I suppose that makes you a threefold ignoramus:
first, for not knowing the fact of Van Jones's aboutface;
second, for ranting ignorantly about 9/11; and
third, for wallowing in your ignorance (as if Van Jones's retraction exonerated your own thickheadedness, or one wrong justified another one).
From a recent press conference:
QUESTION: Van Jones. His name appears on a 2004 petition, demanding to know the truth about 9/11, whether or not the Bush Administration played a role in 9/11 so as to justify a war for oil. He said in his statement yesterday that he doesn't agree with that, and an administration source said he didn't fully read it before he signed it, he agreed to have his name signed to it. Now it comes out today that in 2002 he was on an organizing committee for a 9/11 Truther march. Your administration has been very active in knocking down the so-called Birthers, the people who allege without any evidence, and despite all evidence to the contrary, that the president was not born in the United States. How can the administration tolerate somebody who subscribes to a different insane conspiracy theory, as a senior adviser?
GIBBS: Again, it is not something that the president agrees with, and again I would point you to the statement from CEQ.
Ergo: either the White House or Van Jones are lying. Do you know who?
Crowsnest September 6th, 2009 12:23 pm........Jones' lack of support will not make or break the 9/11 truth movement. The momentum is gaining. Why not look at THE FACTS?
FACTS, allright.
If this was a "criminal" case as the Truthers claim, then in court it must be proven beyond any reasonable doubt:
1. That the Bush administration invited Bin Laden to send his men for training as pilots to the USA.
2. That the Bush administration assured Bin Laden that these men would not be arrested or hampered in any other way while in training.
3. That the Bush administration assured Bin Laden that it would ignore any warnings that 9/11 was afoot.
I have not read anywhere that this has been proven.
Crowsnest September 6th, 2009 7:00 pm...............My friend, you do not have a clue as to anything about truthers, 9/11 or OBL. Do you read? Research? Think? Reason? Observe? THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO EVIDENCE THAT OBL WAS INVOLVED WITH 9/11. THE FBI DOES NOT EVEN HAVE HIM ON THEIR WANTED LIST FOR THIS CRIME.
GAWD, WAKE UP!
Good point nevergiveup, show me the EVIDENCE. No evidence? Then I call BS.
Remember "Remember the Maine"? As with the Maine is a textbook false flag, too bad some are too emotionally fragile to admit it.
BTW: we now know tha FDR knew that Pearl Harbor would be bombed days before it happened. The Japaneses codes were cracked first by the British, then Americans. Churchill knew about it in advance as well.
Some people just don't want to consider the facts and the arguments. It's called denial, a widespread and common condition associated with the human species. Denial is also often accompanied by prejudice, anger, hatred, and resentment.
Has it ever occurred to you that Mr. Van Jones joined an administration which is reluctant to investigate and if necessary prosecute possible torturers low on the totem pole and, according to Truther hypotheses, apparently refuses to investigate and prosecute former President Bush for the alleged crime of consciously having allowed 9/11 to occur, an alleged crime which Mr. Van Jones once supported by signing that statement?
In that case Mr. Van Jones is not a hero but is complicit in the continued covering up an alleged crime by the Bush administration. Should Mr. Van Jones be investigated and prosecuted too for aiding and abetting the cover up of a crime?
The only rational explanation is that Mr. Van Jones no longer subscribed to the Truther nonsense when he joined the Obama administration.
President Obama should have vigorously defended him.
Abendland September 6th, 2009 1:41 pm............"You cannot awaken a person pretending to be asleep"...............Chinese Proverb.
I get irritated at the people who constantly raise 911 because it is a distraction from working on things with no factual ambiguity involved.
But it is absolutely legitimate to question whether the Bush administration allowed 911 to happen either deliberately or through gross incompetence. They certainly hit the ground running to exploit 911 to the hilt to start wars and get rid of liberties.
Joe
jclientelle September 6th, 2009 11:01 am................I have never seen the seeking of truth as a distraction.
But, I would love to know what "things" have no "factual ambiguity" involved. Once politics become involved, ANY FACT is in question.
I do not want to get drawn into a long debate about 911 at this time. I think we agree that Mr. Jones had a right to sign the petition.
Joe
jclientelle September 6th, 2009 11:18 am..............Indeed!
Thank the Universe we ALL STILL have a right to sign petitions. For how much longer is the real question.
Crowsnest September 6th, 2009 10:52 am.................You think they are "crazy". Back up that assertion with FACTS!
The so-called 'birthers' who believe in the most childish and asinine attempts to smear Obama because of his non-American father can triumph over a 'truther', who is backed by hundreds of experts and engineers who have spent thousands of man hours examining the evidence, and deliberate disappearance of same.
An obvious and badly executed forgery (the 'Kenyan' birth certificate) triumphs over carefully documented evidence (NORDAD stand-down, steel framed buildings collapsing from fire, lack of any 767 wreckage at the pentagon, WTC Building 7... the list goes on.)
Yeah. The US is doomed.
If you want to have a glimpse of where you are headed, check out Margaret Atwood's work "The Handmaid's Tale".
Walk in peace.
Whether or not anybody agrees with Mr. Jones comments or the petition that he signed really should be irrelevant. He has a constitutional right to both.
It's funny how the right wing is concerned with upholding the constitution only when it suits them, otherwise they act like the document doesn't exist.
DICK Cheney told Pat Leahy on the Senate floor to go "F@&k" off and I am quite sure the thought of resigning never even crossed DICKs mind. Van Jones should have the same right to foul language as DICK did. Calling Republicans or Democrats A-holes may not be civil but it is protected speech. The left really needs to grow a spine.
The only thing Van Jones did wrong, as far as I can see, is that he didn't stand his ground. I wish he hadn't resigned and I'm sorry that he thinks that taking away from the Health Care debate was a good reason to resign. These questions need to be answered or this country of ours will likely die for lack of accountability and transparency.
Many hundreds of expert professionals, including military officers, architects, engineers, physicists, pilots and others question the government's account of 911. They've put their own professional careers on the line and their own honor to offer reasons why the official account can't be trusted...
Patriots question 911
http://www.patriotsquestion911.com/
The 9/11 Commission Report: A 571-Page Lie ?
http://www.911truth.org/article.php?story=20050523112738404
There will be a re- (read, NEW) investigation of 9/11. There can be NO OTHER PATH to set this country free of the disease of deception that is now ruling every aspect.