Blog Update!
For those of you not following me on Facebook, as of the Summer of 2019 I've moved to Central WA, to a tiny mountain town of less than 1,000 people.

I will be covering my exploits here in the Cascades, as I try to further reduce my impact on the environment. With the same attitude, just at a higher altitude!

Monday, September 7, 2009

Was Van Jones getting too uppity for Glenn Beck?

Well, I suppose this should come as no shock to those who have been following along in the Glenn Beck smear campaign against Van Jones, the Special Advisor for Green Jobs at the White House Council on Environmental Quality.

Given his very left-wing politics and extreme comments made in the past, it's no surprise that the Obama administration dropped him like the hot potato that he is. No matter what you think of his comments, it is fairly unrealistic for any other outcome than his resignation particularly since the administration hasn't really done much to defend him.

Unfortunately, the right has created this atmosphere of fear-mongering and, if Obama and his team plan on getting anything accomplished, they have to be squeaky clean. Not that Van Jones played a pivotal role in any regard in the administration, but hacks like Beck have to have something to ride and this example was easy pickings, unfortunately.

When Van Jones was given the post, I was pretty excited about it. Given his history, I'm sure he will do just fine, although I find it highly annoying that these sorts of silly games are still played by the media. I mean, really, is having two highly intelligent, articulate, and fine-looking black men in the White House too much for people like Glenn Beck to bear? [Last sarcastic joke removed for propriety's sake.]

What's your opinion on this whole debacle?

16 comments:

Green Bean said...

Insane. Ridiculous. Outrageous.

After having read Jones' book during the Obama campaign, I was beyond delighted when Obama picked Jones as a special advisor for some middle of the road job. It was great to see someone who actually makes change happen - as opposed to just a politician - in the administration. Beck's attack and the Obama administration's handling of it are equally disappointing. Not sure where this leaves our country but I do feel that those of us on the left need to wake up to the right's power and the President's weaknesses.

TDP said...

Change won't happen if no one tries to change and instead fights for the status quo, regardless of the consequences.

Van Jones will be ok, he's a strong guy. But will America be ok or better off?

I read Jones book about building a green economy. Great ideas! Harder to do now that the economy has tanked. Hopefully Jones will still have the ear of the President and the administration. He'll just not be working among them day to day. Probably get more done that way anyway.

CoCargoRider said...

I saw at our local co-op today the Utne had a cover of "Post-Pundit America The end of attack politics" I had to cringe since that is all that has been going on since O took office.

Farmer's Daughter said...

It's funny to me that people listen to Glenn Beck. When I was growing up, he was a goofy local DJ, and I listened intently to hear if we had snow days.

As for Jones, I'm not a fan of what he said about Columbine. But I'm not educated on the rest of his past to comment on his resignation.

Oldnovice said...

I didn't follow Jones, but to even be remotely (which it's beginning to look like more the case) associated with a group that gives credence to 911 being an inside job implies WAY left thinking (as in my son's political thinking). Obama is NO leftist. *I*'m a leftist, and Obama is WAY right of me. He's not even a liberal. Some call him centrist, but I call him right of center.

Anyway, Jones didn't fit in with Obama's administration. Glen Beck, Blen Shmeck; somebody would have revealed something about Jones that didn't fit with Obama's attempts to appeal to both red and blue states (which is ultimately ending up as appealing to no one).

Greenpa said...

The nail which sticks up shall be pounded down.

Old Chinese proverb; really.

Plenty of other examples in the political world; publicly expressing views too far from center will get you whacked.

Besides, the guy is magnetic. That'll tick the weenies off, too.

He'll survive- and I'll make this prediction; Obama will find a different slot for him where he can still be effective, but will be out of reach of the snipers.

Robj98168 said...

I think Glenn Beck is a racist, egotiscal, lying, hate mongering bastard. But that's only my opinion. What's more Obama is becoming a bit of a dissapointment- he won't play hardball. Not on this issue nor on healthcare.

equa yona(Big Bear) said...

Good post Crunch, you shoulda left the last joke in, what propriety?
Fuck Glen Beck and the 20 million morons who listen to his hairball gacking bullshit.
Not that I'm opinionated or anything.
if this is too salty, feel free to delete-it sort of just spewed out.

Anonymous said...

I'm a long time reader and mostly lurker. But honestly I'm glad to see him go. I'm a moving towards self-sufficiency, gardening, canning, doing my best to reduce my impact, trying to live an intentional life, not Glenn Beck watcher, offended by many of the things VJ has said over time, generally disgusted with what Obama is doing, right wing nutcase I guess.

Anonymous said...

The whole thing just makes me very, very sad.

Anonymous said...

When are you people going to wake up. Van Jones was a self avowed communist. He said white environmentalist are poisoning minority neighborhoods. Glenn Beck is the only person giving people all the facts. This is supposed to be AMERICA land of the FREE, not the communist.

Angela said...

Since when are Americans actually FREE? What a sham...

I know nothing of Van Jones, but this post has piqued my interest in him. Thanks!

One of these days, the liberals will actually BE LIBERAL instead of just right of center.

Anonymous said...

The left/right paradigm is simply used by those in power to provide distraction while they continue on with the same agenda...

That aside ;) as a family member who signed the 2004 petition before Van did, signing it does not make him a Truther! And since I have received flack for this, I am posting as anonymous.

I do think that "We're really entering a third wave of environmentalism in the United States. The white polluters and the white environmentalists are essentially steering poison into the people of color communities." was the straw that broke the camel's back for many people regarding Jones' appropriateness for a govt position, regardless of political stripe.

Unknown said...

Glen Beck ... The whole country should just tune out all these right wing hateful, mean , greedy old men they make a living off of saying really stupid things to get people riled up ... They should be ignored .... I agree with the earlier poster the Obama administration is getting to be a bit disappointing with a lack of will to stand up and fight ....

Anonymous said...

I actually like Glen Beck and the other right winged loonies that are getting pounded here.

We all have our opinions.

Anonymous said...

The Van Jones fiasco was a result of Obama's (mis)use of the czars. These people for the most part do not have to go through FBI background checks to look for red flags and are not properly vetted. His nomination was akin to any Republican administration nominating someone with a KKK background (which they never did, though Democrats have Senator Byrd, whom they have never condemmed nor criticized). He was too radical, and a liability to Obama. If he really wanted to promote his agenda, he should have gone through all the hoops to nominate someone the Right can't mount a smear campaign against.