Thoughts on the Van Jones Controversy

The resignation of the White House green jobs czar Van Jones amidst the controversy surrounding his personal politics is a great lesson for the American people.

Following Glenn Beck's witchhunt, and the assumed caving of our POTUS, Jones hit the door. His resignation signals the ignobility that has become American politics. Here is a man who was our premiere expert on green job creation at a time when our days as a healthy planet are numbered. Arguably, our days as a healthy planet ended at the start of the industrial revolution according to many scientists.

Yet, we are satisfied to allow main stream media and our public servants to play the politics of semantics and fear-mongering. We lose each time a qualified person is chased away from giving of their time and talents to make real change.

There are so many issues this scenario exposes. Like whether it is indeed more socially acceptable for Republicans to make negative and incendiary political statements. Keep in mind, our POTUS has been referred to as a Nazi who is making America more accessible to terrorists and whom we "hope will fail". People are showing up at presidential town hall meetings with semi-automatic rifles. They refuse to allow their children to be even spoken to by our president about the importance of education.

There is nothing more unpatriotic than much of the rhetoric and tantrum throwing that conservatives have been engaging in.....and yet.....a man who, like most people, has evolved in his personal politics over the years - who happens to be a genius and a pioneer - has to be vilified for comments he made straight out of grad school? And, so what if he called Republicans assholes....I'm not quite clear on why this is any different than the smearing they do on a daily basis about Dems and the POTUS. Suddenly, saying something silly and perhaps childish cuts you from the team? WTH? Where are our priorities people?

I'm moreso disappointed in Democrats and the White House on this one. Republicans will be who they are and do what they do. But, Van Jones was vetted by the White House which indicates their awareness of his past personal politics and that he was always a vocal advocate for his beliefs. That begs the question....why is this man resigning? Why isn't the White House fighting for his image and, in truth, defending their own decision to hire him in the first place?

It's clear the Republicans will not stop until they have sought out and exploited every possible weak spot in the Obama administration. It's imperative that the Obama administration stops sitting around waiting on the calvary. As Chris Gardner famously says, "the calvary ain't comin'." Time to get out in front and make up your mind about your position and stick to it with courage and conviction.

The tendency of the Democratic party to be led and pulled and mussed with very little effort is frankly embarrassing and unfortunate for the American people. Had the tables been turned....how do you think a Republican White House would have responded to this foolishness? Glenn Beck? Please. His own advertisers don't even want anything to do with him. Be we are allowing him to lead an offensive against the benefit of one of the most brilliant green minds of our time? Seriously?

With each and every foot of polar ice that melts off into the sea, we are looking at serious consequences for our environment and our climate. Rising sea levels is something you cannot TAKE BACK. Calling someone an asshole, though, you can....and it should have been left at that.