"5 Reasons Why Van Jones and Progressives are Better Off With Jones Out of the White House"

[onestepforward]

Good food for thought:


By Don Hazen, AlterNet. Posted September 7, 2009.

"The truth is, progressives need Van Jones working on the outside providing vision and leadership, not on the inside with his mouth buttoned."

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"Seeing what happens next in the trajectory of Jones will be very interesting. But the betting on this end is that Jones will return to his role as visionary leader of progressive forces, and he will be in a stronger position to promote change, provide inspiration and rally the troops."

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Link: http://www.alternet.org/story/142460/5_reasons_why_van_jones_and_progressives_are_better_off_with_jones_out_of_the_white_house/?page=1

[nightrain]

1. sad too if he couldn't work within, if he was obstructed...

[onestepforward]

2. Definitely.

I was mad as hell when I first heard about this. This article was meaningful to me because it reminded me that this story isn't over yet and perhaps something positive can come from this truly negative event. I don't know, but I might be a little worried if I were Beck right now. :)

[AieinAristuein]

3. nonsense

Reread this and replace Jones with Obama. Would it still be true?


It is just tossing a bone to progressives so they take it lying down and the media can move on to the next one.

[Strong Atheist]

8. Welcome to DU!

:toast:

[onestepforward]

4. Arianna Huffington's opinion on Van Jones' resignation

Huffington Post:

snip-

"Contrary to the media caricature, the real Van Jones is a thoughtful leader who knows how to use words to move people to action. To stick him behind a desk, working out the details of tax credits for green jobs -- incredibly important though the job is -- was never the best use of his unique and abundant skills.

This is not an attempt to put a positive spin on an ugly episode. I've actually been feeling this way ever since Van told me he was taking this job.

I remember going to the White House this spring for a briefing of journalists by David Axelrod. Before the meeting, Van and I met for a quick coffee and I was hit with the same overwhelming thought: how much we were going to miss his voice on the outside.

Now, thanks to Glenn Beck, we've got that voice back. No longer tied to his desk with a sock in his mouth, Van is now freed to do what he does best: inspire and energize groups around the country. Student groups and labor groups and small business groups and middle class Americans everywhere who are losing jobs and losing homes and losing hope. He's free to push with all his might and insight for the vision tens of millions of Americans tirelessly worked for during the presidential campaign -- the vision they voted for in November -- but which is now in danger of being drowned in the fetid political swamps of Washington.

If Glenn Beck had any sense at all, he would have done everything in his power to keep Van Jones right where he was.

But he didn't. And for this we should all be grateful."

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Link: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arianna-huffington/thank-you-glenn-beck_b_278839.html

[applegrove]

5. I hope she is correct.

[onestepforward]

6. Me too.

I really believe that something positive can come from this. The more I learn about Van Jones, the more I'm so impressed with him.

[yurbud]

7. or he could run for Congress in a very progressive district