Politicians Act as Professional Weather Vanes - It's Up to Us to Blow the Wind in the Right Direction

David Sirota at Cody's bookstore in Berkeley, CA June 12, 2008

This piece we shot of David Sirota back in the summer of 2008 continues to address the problems we see swarming the halls of government that affect our lives. We are pulling it out of the archives as a reminder of the work ahead of citizens to pull the reins of government so that it will perform for the people and not the special interests.

Van Jones Says We Should All Stand Up and be A**holes

Van Jones, Barack Obama's czar of green jobs, handed in his resignation on a quiet Labor Day weekend, on the eve of two of President Obama's speeches, after talk show host Glenn Beck targeted the civil rights activist for attention.

Jones, an eloquent and charismatic spokesperson who, last year alone, won high profile recognition as one of Times magazine 100 most influential people, considered himself "radical" as a young man. Since then, he adopted a pro-capitalist perspective focused on elevating the working-class poor through the employment in green jobs. Then, in 2004, Jones, along with many other Progressives, signed a petition calling for a public investigation of the events of 9/11. The controversy regarding the petition surrounds the 9/11 Truthers, considered broadly to be a conspiracy group who suspect a degree of federal administration culpability in the attacks of that fateful September.

Using these elements of Jone's life, Beck, with McCarthian hysteria, decried Obama for having "invited" a "radical" "Communist" into the White House. To those of us leaning towards progressive values, terms like "radical," "communist," and "socialist" are not scary, but a part of the glossary of words, including "libertarianism" "patriotism" and "capitalism" with which we can evaluate a government's responsiveness to its people.

In this report, The Young Turks, a progressive news/op ed channel, air a "controversial" piece of video which Fox News and Beck has used to hammer Jones' reputation. While at a public forum, a progressive in the audience asked Jones why Republicans were able to see their policies enacted but Democrats were not able to assert their policies despite holding the majority power in the two houses as well as the executive. Jones' asserted that the Republican party gets its policies through by sheer brute force that Progressives have to stand unyeildingly and that a man named Barack Hussein Obama could not do that for them. He called the Republicans a dirty word but also applied the same term to himself and suggested that we all toughen up.

Referring to the wailing Republicans, Young Turk host, Cenk Uygur said "They're not interested in being polite."

Brave New Nation presents this background interview of Carl Pope, Executive Director of the Sierra Club and Van Jones at the Ella Baker Center. Jones describes the fight he pursues as "not left vs. right but right vs. wrong."


references:
Huffington Post: "Thank you Glenn Beck"
Fox News: "Obama 'Green Jobs' Adviser Van Jones Resigns Amid Controversy"

Progressives Don Lite Shades in the Obama Glow

Bill Moyers provides a Progressive critique of the fledgling Obama Administration in this post-inauguration show. David Sirota, author of "The Uprising" and Wall Street Journalist Thomas Frank describe their excitement over the new administration but also their caution. While President Obama has privately indicated progressive values, , both these writers contend that the reaching across the aisle has gone further than necessary.

The second segment features a discussion with Columbia law professor and Nation columnist Patricia Williams and Princeton politics and African American studies professor Melissa Harris-Lacewell. They discuss the ramifications for the nation in electing its first President of color. While the world hangs on to the hope, the pundits variously push and praise Obama's seizure upon this opportunity.

Progressive Politics Needs to Build Beyond Obama's Platform

Democracy Now Interviews David Sirota on Populist Revolt

David Sirota, political journalist and nationally syndicated columnist, is interviewed here with Democracy NOW.

In his second book, "The Uprising"Sirota describes his experiences over the course of a year in which he traveled around the country to explore populist movements nationally and the implications of these widepsread actions.

Sirota is traveling on a national book tour and may be coming to your hood soon.

Mother's Day Progressive Party with McKinney and Nader

Calendar Announcement:

Enjoy a progressive feast of events with third party candidates this Mother's Day. Both Independent Presidential Candidate Ralph Nader and Green Party Candidate Cynthia McKinney will be speaking in the Bay Area, California on Sunday, May 11.


Nader/Gonzalez Events
More Info Call -(510) 914-8355 or events@votenader.org
$10 contribution/ $5 student/low-income (no one turned away)

Sunday May 11th 7pm
Ralph Nader & Matt Gonzalez Rally
Roxie Theater
3117 16th Street San Francisco, CA 94103

Monday May 12th 12pm
Ralph Nader & Matt Gonzalez Rally
Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists
1924 Cedar St. (at Bonita) Berkeley, CA 94709

Monday May 12th 8pm
Ralph Nader & Matt Gonzalez Rally
Rio Theatre
1205 Soquel Ave. Santa Cruz, CA 95062


McKinney Event

Sunday, May 11 2-5 PM
Anna's Jazz Island
2120 Allston Way, Berkeley, Ca 94704
(Just East of Shattuck Ave.)

Presidential Candidate, former congresswoman the Honorable Cynthia McKinney and District 1 School Board Candidate Tennessee Reed. Speakers will include Devorah Major, Cecil Brown Reginald Lockett, Ishmael Reed, Kim McMillon.