Van Jones...Again

On the topic of Van Jones, Treeblogger is not the only outfit writing about him. There is a seven page article about him and the green jobs movement in the Jan. 12, 2009 New Yorker, and it's certainly worth a look. It provides interesting insights into both the power and limitations of a single person with a dream. Additionally, it depicts how quickly an untested and somewhat vague idea can gain steam and turn into a full-fledged public policy movement - a testament to the power of image and the prospect, whether realistic or not, of killing two birds with one stone. It remains to be seen whether a green economy is truly a holy grail for the chronically un- and underemployed or just another mirage. However, with Obama seemingly on the green economy bandwagon and willing to push supportive federal policies and programs, we should see some more definitive results in the years to come.