Van Jones and Rebuild the Dream -- sounds interesting.

[JDPriestly]

I missed this event but found the article about it on Raw Story. Sounds interesting. Does anyone know more about it? Have a take on it? Do you like it?

Van Jones, Obama's former green jobs czar, kicked off a new progressive movement at New York City’s Town Hall last night with an ambitious goal -- to build a vocal counterweight to the Tea Party, who he says has monopolized the dialogue on America’s economic woes. “We are trying to hit a big reset on the conversation we are having in America about how to fix our economy,” Jones told Raw Story in a post-event interview. “We are trying to change the conversation from one about war and austerity to a conversation about peace and prosperity.”

The movement, called Rebuild The Dream, hopes to bring traditional liberal factions -- environmentalists, labor groups, gay rights and immigration activists -- under one cohesive umbrella, united by a desire to protect and expand the disappearing middle class. “All of us are suffering economically,” Jones said. “We won’t be able to have equality and equal rights that are meaningful if the whole economy is collapsed.”

. . . .

On stage, Jones used his speech, at times funny, at times tragic, to push back on the idea that America is out of money. “We keep hearing America -- the richest country in the history of the world is broke,” he said. “This is a very dangerous lie, because once you believe this a whole lot of other things start to sound acceptable.”

Using graphics, he gave the audience an educational lesson on where American money is going: Wall Street ($144 billion in compensation this year, a record high), the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, the loss of revenue from the Bush tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans and corporate tax loopholes. “The pie, the country’s GDP, is getting bigger!” he said. “It’s just your slice that is getting smaller. The social contract between corporate America and the rest of America is broken.”

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/06/24/van-jones-on-the-deficit-we-are-not-stupid-we-can-do-the-math/

This sounds like something I and other DUers would like to be part of. What do you think?

[libmom74]

1. I saw the video

if his speech at Net Roots Nation, he's amazing. This is exactly what we need. http://crooksandliars.com/karoli/van-jones-netroots-nation-tea-party-quit-ab

[JDPriestly]

13. I went to the website and your link and found speeches by other

people but it seems that you have to listen a long time before you hear Van Jones. What a shame.

[JDPriestly]

14. Here is Van Jones at Power Shift

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adHxLSdjxbs&feature=related

He speaks for me. In fact, he and I seem to have the same thoughts on these issues.

[msongs]

2. sounds like the kind of things a certain US president will not say nt

[deminks]

3. "We are being lied to"

Lie #1 - We are broke.

Lie #2 - Asking the super rich to pay taxes hurts the economy.

Lie #3 - Hating America’s government and wrecking America’s infrastructure is patriotic.

Lie #4 - We are helpless.

[bigmonkey]

8. Seems to me I hear the last one around here far too much.

It starts with the preface "Let's face it..." or "Let's be realistic...", and continues to say something along the lines of:

-It has to get a lot worse before it gets better.
-You'll see, nothing will happen.
-The media will never let this get any traction.
-The American people are too stupid for any change to happen.

and so forth.

Convincing us, or some portion of us, that they are inevitable is the sharpest arrow in the RW quiver. It pisses me off so much to see that arrow flying around here.

[deminks]

16. Agreed. The last one is my very favorite. We hear it far too often.

[MouseFitzgerald]

4. Everyone should check it out

This is our chance to unify all the various liberal factions at least broadly and temporarily, and this kind of opportunity does not come along often. Also, if this movement fails, the media will view it as a failure for leftist organizations.

[slay]

5. +1 - It was an excellent speech he gave the other night - very inspirational - video link:

http://www.rebuildthedream.com/launch-highlights.php

For anyone who missed it live - there are highlights and the full event - I highly recommend watching the full event.

[John Paul Jones]

6. I thought Obama fired this guy...

[slay]

7. Well you would be WRONG. Also - is there a point you are trying to make? Also - welcome to DU!

i guess. :shrug:

Van Jones resigned. Look it up.

[John Paul Jones]

17. The point is: This guy is an idiot and his resignation was forced....

[lunatica]

10. I think you're a troll

[jillan]

9. I am intrigued!

[HipChick]

11. I've been lucky enough to meet Van Jones a few times..

This is something which I definitely want to be part of..

[lunatica]

12. I'm with Van Jones

[AtomicKitten]

15. He's done a great job representing. Hope to see more of him.