Van Jones Resigns

in Politics by tigger500 — September 6, 2009 at 9:44 am | 3 comments

Van Jones

I have a bunch of feelings about this, but the first thing I thought was that “maybe now we can get the green jobs movement moving again.”

Honestly, I don’t think the Republicans attack on Jones is about Jones at all. He was a mid-level appointee. But he was an easy target, since he is an actual liberal (of which there are so few in the Obama administration). And, signing a Truther petition is basically a big bullseye smack dab over the heart, folks.

This was about the Right gaining traction around the notion that Obama’s a closet Communist/lefty out to destroy the nation. Dude isn’t even progressive, but the nutsos will never believe that. Especially not now.

And the Right will continue to bring this up well after Jones is gone. Obama will have to explain why he hired him, how come he didn’t know about the petition, etc. Obama will answer, but the crazies don’t care about the why and his answer will just be part of the political theater that occurs with stuff like this. The crazies just wanted something on which to hang the “Obama = communist” tag. And they got it. And it will probably haunt the rest of this term and his re-election campaign.

For Jones himself, I doubt this will significantly affect his ability to do what he does really really well – organize. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if he becomes more effective outside the administration. And we need it, since the energy bill still has to get through the Senate.

I guess we’ll see.

On Politics and the Sorry State of Affairs (or, you know, the Democrats)

Tags: communist environment environmental issues green economy green jobs left Obama obama administration progressive resignation Senate truther petition van jones

Author: Tyler

I am treacherous, imperial, impermanent, impetuous. I rock like an archeologist, draw a picture like a forensic artist, perform like a dramatist. I'm fabulously wicked, miraculous, rustic, majestic, ridiculous.

3 Comments

griffn
2009-09-09
01:29:21
Half of me thinks the Obama administration backs down way too quickly on this kind of stuff. Conservatives are gonna complain no matter who the green jobs czar is. And their complaint is that Van Jones is some kind of Communist government-hating radical. If he isn't, then laugh in their faces and stand behind him. Don't just say no he's not, then have him resign.

I also think that signing a Truther petition shouldn't automatically disqualify you for government service, especially not for a position like green jobs czar. I'm not a Truther. I think the 9/11 Commission Report was pretty comprehensive and persuasive. But at the same time, I don't think our government-- with its history of conspiracies and cover-ups-- is above being questioned.
griffn
2009-09-09
01:40:19
Also, I think Van Jones dropped the ball by pretending not to know what it is he signed. He should have just said something like, "Like most Americans in 2004, I had questions about 9/11. I didn't think those questions were being properly addressed, so I signed a petition that called for an inquiry into the matter. Those questions have since been answered and I do not believe our government was in any way involved in the attack. Moving on..."
tigger500
2009-09-16
23:06:31
I completely agree. But I actually think they let him hang himself. If there is anything the Obama administration knows, it's media. They could have told him to do just that, instead I bet all the pennies I have to my name that they freezed him out.

The reality is that Obama can barely play hardball on his top domestic priority (health care), has done almost nothing he said he'd do on foreign policy, and sprints the other way any time someone mentions that he got melanin. Given all that, yea, Van Jones isn't going to be the thing they go to bat for.

He's an enormous disappointment. Enormous.