29 October 2008

Van Jones - The USA In Crisis

Van Jones is a very interesting man. In the same way that we can't impose democracy on other parts of the world down the barrel of a gun, environmental change will have to come from within the United States (5% of the world's population, consuming 25% of the world's resources). A green-collar economy in the US will benefit all of us. We have to figure out ways of supporting Jones ... and people like him.

"There is a mass pro-democracy movement in this country that has its origins back in Seattle that stood up to George Bush around the Iraqi invasion and put millions of people on the streets around the world. Not because of the party, but because people all across this country stood up and said they weren't going to take it anymore. The ones that suffered through the shame of Katrina, that propelled Al Gore to global fame and that Barack Obama saw and decided that its existence created a possibility for him. Barack Obama didn't create this movement. This movement created the opportunity for Obama. And we should never forget that."

2 comments:

Rayyan said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Rayyan said...

(sorry, just wanted to re-post with this quote which I think sums up the flaw in his argument)

"I don't care if it is President Obama, President McCain or President Fill-in-the-blank."

That's not American politics. That's not starting with the way the world is. Mr Jones, like much of the left-wing blog movement in America, seems to think that just because Obama didn't kiss their rings they should tear him down or say he doesn't matter.

I wish Jones good luck in getting his green jobs economy off the ground under President Palin. Where has this vaunted "mass democracy" movement been since 1999? It would be nowhere had Obama not stepped up to lead it. I can't imagine Clinton trying to harness their energy.

I wish the left would stop eating the only leaders willing to give them the chance to make a difference. Sirota, Jones, etc - they are right but if being right was all it took to save the world, we wouldn't have just lived through the bloodiest century in our history.