When I saw that key backers of Van Jones' led 'Rebuild the American Dream' were MoveOn and the AFL-CIO, I was immediately skeptical. MoveOn, after all, is a key member of the Veal Pen, and their abandonment of their anti-war efforts after the Democrats took power was disgusting. The AFL-CIO's limp fealty to the Democrats is beyond dispute, even if they pout, every so often.
My skepticism of Van Jones' dream organization now seems borne out, after having read Van Jones' laughable 'Jobs, not cuts: Battlecry for 'American Dream' movement
This summer, a minority of extremists somehow grabbed what should have been a routine legislative act and used it to highjack our democracy, undermine our nation’s standing in the world, jeopardize our shaky economic recovery and impose massive, job-killing cutbacks — all while blocking any tax increases on the rich.
Many Democrats fought hard to limit the damage. (Special thanks are owed to House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, the Progressive Congressional Caucus and the Congressional Black Caucus. Also, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Sen. Bernie Sanders played key and complementary roles.) As a result, the debt-ceiling agreement offers some protection for needed social programs — but they are thin protections.
Here's reading for con man (or dupe) Van Jones:
Debt Ceiling Post Mortem: Obama Between a Rock and a Hard Place by Jane Hamsher
Glen Greenwald;s Email re: debt ceiling
The myth of Obama's "blunders" and "weakness" by Glen Greenwald
The Jesus Christ of Political Game Theory on the Stupidity of Lesser Evilist Voting
Bernie Sanders to Primary Obama? Don’t Make Me Laugh by Jane Hamsher.
Conyers spills the beans on Obama & SS & jobs bill; call for WH protests
Indispensable Enemies by John Emerson
I will compliment - with no sarcasm - Van Jones' point that Americans have been too passive. Unfortunately, that doesn't make his deflection of blame from the Democrats, forgiveable.
I don't know whether Van Jones is a naive fool, or a cynical user who merely wants to help waste activists' time and energy by encouraging them to chase dreams in a manner that will never deliver those dreams. Based on this laughable drivel, though, it's pretty clear that he's either one, the other, or both.
Props to blackagendareport.com, who made an early call on Van Jones and his dreamy dream dream scheme, which seems on target. See Is It Movement-Building or Is It Marketing? Rebuilding the Dream, Rebranding Van Jones by Bruce A. Dixon.
Perhaps Mr. Jones will evolve into a dynamic challenger of corrupt Democrats, and not just Republicans. I'm not holding my breath, though. And, in any event, he's just one man. My most optimistic scenario is that Rebuilding the Dream members get educated, learn that their enemies lurk in both parties, evolve, and then act accordingly.
10:01 AM PT: Some comments are making what I believe are false and/or distorted allegations against Jane Hamsher. I wrote a detailed comment speaking to one such misstatement, but it's been hidden by the community. IMO, this speaks to a defective process in the blog mechanics. Please see my diary Improving Blog Mechanics, to Cut Down on Trolling and Irrationality