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Karl Burkart

Van Jones: 'I am not going to be any kind of czar'

My blogging terminology causes 'maelstrom' so I'm here to set the record straight.
Tue, Mar 10 2009 at 6:47 PM EST
Read more: ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION, GREEN ECONOMY, OBAMA

Photo: Van Jones
While I have received a few slaps on the back for breaking the news about Van Jones' appointment to the White House, I have also received vitriolic accusations (read the comments) that my now infamous "czar" terminology somehow engendered a "maelstrom of confusion" in the press. 
 
This has resulted in everyone from the New York Times to the Wall Street Journal pushing for clarification from Jones, who just an hour ago sent out a mass email to describe his new role:
I will be at the White House Council on Environmental Quality. My job will be to help shape the administration's energy and climate policy, so that climate solutions produce jobs and justice for all Americans.
 
I am going to be the Special Advisor for Green Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation.
 
If you've had your ear to the blogosphere in the past few days, you may have heard some rumors. The most prevalent call me the new "Green Jobs Czar."
 
But I am not going to be any kind of  "Czar."  If anyone were to be the "Green Jobs Czar" (a position that does not exist), it would and should be Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis. She was an original sponsor of the Green Jobs Act of 2007. Obama appointed her as the first Latina — and first green leader — to head the Department of Labor. Can anyone say "Green Jobs Czarina"?
He also explained that he would not be handing out "big piles of Recovery Act cash." Darn!
 
My accuser also pointed out that being called the "green Perez Hilton" was not something to be proud of (uh ... no kidding!), that I had no journalistic integrity (ouch), and that I owed Van a personal apology for ...???
 
If anything, putting forth the term (which is widely used to describe high level positions in Washington) helped attract media attention to a hugely important appointment while prompting some clarity about Van's role as perceived by the popular press.
 
No, he's not going to restore 19th century czarism. No, he does not wield the green checkbook (the method for granting the $500 million allocated for green jobs training has not yet been announced). No, he will not be overseeing the DOE funding for green energy (see my post on Matt Rogers and the green stimulus checkbook) or the HUD funding for green building.
 
What I'm really fascinated by is why the combination of "green" and "czar," like a mixture of two overheated chemicals, caused such a volatile reaction yesterday. Why is it OK to have a Health Czar or a Car Czar (though that one was dropped) or as of today a Bank Czar, while a single late-night twitter reference to a "Green Czar" triggers a cascade of moral reprehension and angst amongst what should be a tight-knit liberal community?
 
Is it that the mere concept of having (FINALLY) a strong, skilled leader to help guide the development of green economic policy somehow threatens the kumbaya nature of left-wing politics? Or are people feeling like they will now be left out of the endless white board sessions or online forums to which they had grown so accustomed? Are they really worried that Van Jones, one of the most inclusive grass-roots organizers around today, is going to become somehow czar-like?
 
So here is my response (and of course in case it is not ABSOLUTELY crystal clear, I am just a blogger and am not speaking for Van Jones in any way):
 
Yes, this moment is historic and it does represent a big change in the world of community organizing, and yes there will be a LOT less time for holding hands and vegetarian potlucks.
 
Yes, you will be left out of the endless white board sessions and online forums. Be grateful.
 
Hopefully, yes, Van Jones will be stepping into his power in a big, big way. To some that may look like he's being less inclusive (though I'm sure he will still manage it) and maybe a little more czar-like. But just take a deep breath. You need to step aside and let the man do his work.
 
Vulnerable communities across the U.S. need him to succeed. The economy needs him to succeed. The planet needs him to succeed. In case you forgot, that is what we have all been working for.
 
CLOSE link:
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Comments(7)

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Posted By Anonymous - Mon, Aug 24 2009 at 5:44 PM EST

MORON

HE IS NOTHING BUT AN IDIOT.

Posted By Anonymous - Sat, Mar 21 2009 at 7:42 PM EST

re. your "now infamous "czar" terminology"

Let's just dump the term czar for any and all positions of leadership. Seeing lead People as czars implies authoritarian, power-over relationships rather than co-elaboration and a creative exchange of ideas and strategies.

And while we are at it, let's dump some of the other neocon era terminology like "politically correct" and "faith based". I have never been able to figure out what politically correct means. It is too much of an oxymoron and is used mostly as a pejorative to deride.... More

Posted By Anonymous - Thu, Mar 12 2009 at 11:19 PM EST

Green!!!!!

Hey so now we have the radicals not only in the white house and congress but in powerful appointed positions. Van Jones??? Barf me out!!! Green jobs?? If green jobs were so profitable private industry would have taken advantage of this green market/economy don't you think??

This is a sham. There are no greenhouse gasses. We live in an open, not closed system. 95% of the so called "greenhouse" gasses is water vapor. Get over it, any change in earth's climate, which has been cooling.... More

Posted By Anonymous - Fri, Mar 13 2009 at 4:58 PM EST

Agreed!

And the world is flat. And the sun REALLY orbits around the earth. And disease is caused by the devil. And evolution is a SCAM!!

Posted By Anonymous - Thu, Mar 12 2009 at 7:23 AM EST

dont worry kurt- it wasnt you...

Don't worry Kurt, it wasn't you who started anything w/ your blog. The Bay Area, Van Jones stomping grounds have been using the term czar since we found out Jones was up for a advisory position in the white house about 2 weeks ago.
Jones is smart for clarifying and Obamas office was smart for not using a "czar" term w/ Jones, although by definition some would say he is a czar.
Jones, has done some very important work w/ his former org Ella Baker Center,helping to hold rogue police.... More

Posted By Anonymous - Thu, Mar 12 2009 at 9:25 AM EST

Congrats and Van's history

Congrats to you, Kurt for breaking the Van Jones story.

But having watched and worked with Van for a great number of years, the idea that Van has somehow separated from his past isn't how I would frame Van's leaving Ella Baker Center, the group he started with Diana Frappier, to do work on prisons and police accountability.

What could be said is that Van built a strong institution at EBC with the help of an incredible team and left in the hands of a person of color, Jakadi.... More

Posted By Anonymous - Thu, Mar 12 2009 at 11:29 PM EST

Person of Color

Who the hell cares!! Thought we were to judge people by the content of their character and not the color of their skin??? What the hell happened to that??? Time has come today, right???

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