Van Jones

DAD // @CNN // 3X NYT bestseller // @magiclabsmedia🎙
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[Van Jones @VanJones68]

Young progressives are standing up and fighting for a better future. I support them. They should fight back. Their generation has been left to graduate off a cliff! Millions have landed in a harsh world with too much college debt and too few jobs.

The Democratic Party should get behind all their positive proposals and demands — like affordable housing, Medicare for all, climate solutions, all the good things.

But every wild notion does not merit our support — just because someone says it’s “progressive.” For example: we desperately need criminal justice reform — but it’s nutty to say we want “no police, no prisons, no borders.”

Generationally, it may be time for a “changing of the guard.” But that doesn’t mean we must swear allegiance to unfit candidates with backwards ideas like Darializa Avila Chevalier. This is a person who supports terrorists; opposes interracial marriages; and thinks America shouldn’t deport rapists or murderers. 😳

Progressives: we need change, but we can’t throw “common sense” out the window. The GOP stopped calling BS on all kinds of obvious foolishness — and look at what a clown show that party turned into. I will keep pushing for progressive reform— and opposing regressive nonsense — to help spare our party the same fate.

[Van Jones @VanJones68]

This weekend I shared a post voicing my concerns about the far left. The response has been overwhelming. Leaders in both parties called to tell me the same thing: this stuff has gone too far.

To be clear: I'm a progressive Democrat. My whole life, I've wanted to see a youth movement fight for affordability, for healthcare, for real opportunity. It’s time! The system has utterly failed the next generation. Young people deserve real change — and they are right to fight for a better future.

But the movement is being hijacked by too many people with insane, outlandish and nutty ideas that have nothing to do with affordability, climate solutions or health care.

For example: Mamdani picked a DSA candidate who wants to abolish the police, empty every prison, erase every border and discourage interracial dating. Okayyyy ... So clearly, Chevalier has no problem condemning things! UNLESS it’s a designated terrorist organization. Believe it or not: Chevalier has refused to denounce the terror group Hamas — four times. That’s INSANE — and progressives can’t be afraid to call nonsense like that out.

Supporting Hamas is NOT progressive. The idea of “no police, no prisons, no borders” — which would let pedophiles, human traffickers, terrorists, hate groups and crime syndicates run wild — is NOT progressive for vulnerable communities. Celebrating the murder of Israeli civilians is NOT progressive. These ideas are REGRESSIVE.

If we can't tell right from wrong, good from bad, smart from loony tunes — Team Blue will go down the same road that turned the Republican Party into a shell of itself.

We can’t let that happen to the Democratic Party.

[Van Jones @VanJones68]

What worries me most about A.I. isn’t mass unemployment. It's mass humiliation.

I sit between two worlds. On one side, people who can't pay their bills. On the other, founders who are drowning in capital. That gap between what's being built up and who's falling behind is a threat to all of us.

People don't just suffer financially when they get left behind. They lose purpose and a sense of belonging. And I've seen up close what happens to people when purpose disappears.

I don't have all the answers. But I believe we can build technology that lifts up the people who need it most — not just the ones who are already doing well.

That's what my @TEDTalks is about.
Watch: https://t.co/rDbB4dEd8g

[Van Jones @VanJones68]

I'm tired of being told that, to be a progressive, I now must swear allegiance to crazy ideas.

I'm a strong Democrat, with a winning bipartisan track record. I'm rooted in progressive ideals and policies: criminal justice reform, Green New Deal, Medicare for All, free education, clean air and water. These are ideas I have fought for my entire adult life.

But some people in groups like the DSA are pushing an agenda FAR outside those ideals. Supporting Hamas is not progressive. "No police, no prisons, no borders" is not progressive. Celebrating the murder of Israeli civilians is not progressive. These ideas are REGRESSIVE.

If there were no police or prisons, if anyone in your neighborhood could do whatever they wanted, while politicians cheered on terror groups — would that represent PROGRESS to you? No, that would be a step back. Those are REGRESSIVE ideas.

On the other hand, if everybody could see a doctor when they got sick, get a good, free education and breathe clean air — would that represent progress? Yes. Those are PROGRESSIVE ideas.

They are NOT the same thing. And the difference matters.

Some defend the far left by claiming they only want Nordic-style social democracy. If that were true, I might applaud them. I want those policies, too! But what does universal healthcare have to do with Hamas? With abolishing all law enforcement? With erasing all borders? With treating every wealthy person as a villain? Ideas matter. And these are terrible ideas.

Right now, extremists are trying to sneak backwards proposals into our party, hoping mainstream Democrats are too frustrated with MAGA and the Democratic Party establishment to notice.

But we see you.

Yes, we want our Democratic Party to be a big tent. But we don’t need "party poopers. So STOP pooping in the punch bowl — and telling us the turds are ice cubes.

They aren't. And we are smart enough to know the difference. 💩

[Van Jones @VanJones68]

Historically, unpopular wars have always roiled the Democratic Party — and shaken up the party leadership.

The Vietnam War gave the Democratic Party an anti-war nominee named George McGovern— and pulled into politics two anti-war activists named Bill and Hillary Clinton. Opponents of the Iraq War elevated Barack Obama over Hillary Clinton in 2008. And the same pattern is playing out right now with Gaza War and other conflicts in the Middle East; that carnage has opened the door for socialist candidates to win in New York and Colorado.

Younger voters in particular are watching their phones, drawing a moral line and voting for the candidates who agree with them.

Understanding that history doesn't tell you how to feel about the DSA or its candidates. It does show us that aspects of their rise are not unprecedented.

[Van Jones @VanJones68]

The Democratic Socialists of America are winning elections — and sending waves of joy and terror through the Democratic Party. A little historical context might be useful.

Before you celebrate or panic, there’s a lot to learn here. The Party’s past tells a story that’s getting lost in all the noise. It's both more hopeful, and more cautionary, than either side probably wants to admit.

First, in some ways, there are elements of history repeating itself in the aftermath of an unpopular war. The Vietnam War gave Democrats Bill and Hillary Clinton. The Iraq War gave Democrats Barack Obama. The Gaza War is giving Democrats a new wave of candidates.

Second, the physics of politics made it inevitable that some kind of “far left” reaction was coming in reaction to the “far right” movement of Donald Trump and MAGA. This kind of development also has a history. For example: Occupy Wall Street was the left’s reaction to the financial crisis — but also to the right-wing Tea Party.

Third, different global conflicts tend to put in harm’s way different ethnic groups domestically.

- After the Vietnam War and during the 1980s trade tensions with Japan, Asian Americans were under suspicion and threat.

- After 9/11, American Muslims were in acute danger. (And Islamophobia continues to be a serious problem— from Trump’s Muslim ban through the recent murderous attacks on Palestinian Americans.)

- Today, statistically speaking, it’s the American Jews who are on the hot seat. Bias crimes against them have skyrocketed at a rate that surpasses that of all other groups — by a lot.

This sad, dangerous pattern of an ethnic group being scapegoated and targeted during a global conflict is all-too-familiar. And as always: it must be vigorously denounced and opposed.

One important thing to note: even if you reject their ideology, there is room to admire the energy and idealism of the young people who are challenging the Democratic Party. At least they are participating in the system, not burning things down.

That said, there are elements and ideas in the DSA movement that are repulsive, outrageous and dangerous. In my next video, I will spell them out.

Let me know what you think about this video in the comments below.

[Van Jones @VanJones68]

The “Age of A.I.” could be an age of miracles and wonders — for a few. But it will not uplift the majority of humans by accident. It will require a real commitment to a “new deal” between technology companies and humanity.

Right now, there’s a gap between the abundance of exponential tech and humanity’s ability to keep up. We need to address that gap before we leave people behind.

In Silicon Valley, that will require a new wave of tech aimed at providing food, clothing, shelter, energy and broadband to dislocated workers at scale. We need a new category of ventures — call them dignity tech or stability tech.

This is the frontier of the frontier — and it’s wide open. The Age of A.I. is coming either way. The only question that matters is who builds it, and who they build it for.

I laid out my full case in my TED Talk — live now at https://t.co/Q8oYJW8rAT

[TED Talks @TEDTalks]

Having an abundance of AI and robots won't solve all our problems, says social entrepreneur @VanJones68. Here’s how he’s reframing the AI debate to propose a new forward for big tech and humanity: https://t.co/XnVMur2rQ1

[Van Jones @VanJones68]

There are two kinds of A.I. -- not just one.

We keep hearing about the A.I. known as "Artificial Intelligence." But there is an older A.I. that almost nobody talks about anyone. Call it "Ancient Intelligence." Or "Ancestral Intelligence." These are the wisdom traditions, the community bonds and the moral frameworks that have always kept us human.

One A.I. is growing exponentially. The other is being left behind. We are in danger of having a society that is characterized by "all data and no wisdom."  Right now, exponential technology is creating a gap that leaves people behind. The question is whether we close it before it closes on us. Closing that gap requires a new deal between big tech and the rest of humanity.

I shared what we can do about all of this at @TEDTalks. My talk is live today - watch here: https://t.co/Q8oYJW7TLl

[Van Jones @VanJones68]

Break out the summer popcorn, folks 🍿!! Superman’s cousin Kara proves that COURAGE is the real superpower in that family— in any situation and under any color sun. ☀️

Gotta be honest; I’m a born and bred Marvel guy. But even someone like ME has to admit that DC’s franchise reboot is off to a fantastic start. Last summer’s SUPERMAN debut set the table perfectly. And SUPERGIRL follows up this summer with a fun, intergalactic romp that reveals more of the fascinating universe that DC’s heroes now inhabit.

The hero is played by Milly Alcock, who is in almost every scene. She carries the entire movie with strength, humor, grit and authenticity.

And there’s just enough “girl power” in here to make the point — minus any overt preachiness. The director just lets the main characters’ overall “bad-ass-ness” speak for itself. It works.

An unexpected bonus! Some of the space aliens in the film call back to an early Star Wars sensibility— a real treat for people who remember the towering heights of that franchise.

The movie lands the point that true heroism is a matter of the spirit, not the superpowers. And that’s a point worth remembering as we battle existential threats and dangers on THIS planet.

Go see this film!

PS — At the world premiere, I got to meet my comic world idol, the legendary @JimLee!!

[Van Jones @VanJones68]

Black entrepreneurs changed the world with two turntables and a microphone. Hip-hop is now a global economy, a fashion industry and a language spoken by billions. What comes next will be bigger.

Private space exploration. Biotech. Quantum computing. AI. These are young industries, and the ground floor is still open.

If we show up for this moment, the next decade could generate more Black wealth than any period in American history.

What are you building?

[Van Jones @VanJones68]

Reasonable Democrats are going to have to get off their couches, roll up their sleeves and start organizing real voters on the ground.

We can no longer rely only on TV ads, digital spend and endorsements. Just donating from afar and complaining about the DSA won’t cut it.

The DSA (Democratic Socialists of America) can beat moderates in a growing number of blue strongholds. Why? Because the DSA has patiently built an army of on-the-ground organizers — who go to meetings, help each other, study together and THEN work to turn out voters on Election Day. That army grows every day — election or no election. Their investment in real people grows (and compounds) with each election cycle. The DSA has a bigger army, every time, win or lose.

But at the end of any election, all moderate Dems have for their efforts is a bunch of ads that nobody will ever see again. That’s not going to work anymore.

If you are a Democrat who believes in opportunity, dignity and democracy for all — but you don’t hate rich people, cops, free enterprise, the West, Israel and the United States of America — I’m talking to you!

[Van Jones @VanJones68]

Trump should send an invoice to the DNC. He is doing more for the Democratic Party than Democrats could pay him to do.

Republicans actually passed a housing bill. One good thing for the millions of young people who cannot buy a home. Housing is the single biggest issue for voters under 40. It had bipartisan support.

And Trump just shelved it. He decided to hold it up for an extreme voter ID bill so burdensome that his own Republicans don’t want it.

He traded something everybody wants for something nobody asked for.

Democrats couldn't write a better script. Send us the invoice, Donald.

[Van Jones @VanJones68]

My father grew up in a shotgun shack in the the segregated South. He served his country in the military and spent his career as a middle school principal, pouring everything he had into other people's children while raising his own. I do everything I can to extend what he built. I miss you, Dad.

[Van Jones @VanJones68]

Trump promised the War in Iran would end in unconditional surrender. It did - from us.

Asymmetric warfare has changed the math. Ukraine is proving it against Russia. Iran just proved it against the United States. You don't need nuclear weapons or a massive military to be a strategic power anymore. You need drones, geography and the willingness to make the cost high enough.

This defeat proves that military power alone has real limits — especially when used recklessly and in isolation from allies.

The United States has to reckon with what that means - and fast. If a small country with cheap drones can back down the United States, what does that mean for every U.S. ally who counts on our word?

[Van Jones @VanJones68]

Man, do I miss Obama… And I miss her husband, too!! 😆

Just kidding! I miss them both — and even their daughters. So do millions of people. Yesterday’s opening of the Obama Presidential Center was both nostalgic and galvanizing. It was like a revival for those of us who still believe in an America that promises dignity and opportunity for all.

If you missed @MichelleObama’s speech there yesterday, go watch it.

There's an America most of us were taught to believe in. It’s one where everybody counts, everybody matters and everybody has a shot — if they work hard.

Michelle Obama may be the best spokesperson for the America most of us still hope for. She raised a family under one of the most intense spotlights in the world. She has been an incredible mother and an incredible partner. She's a leader in her own right.

Barack Obama is the best communicator of his generation. But even HE has said he doesn't love following Michelle on the mic. Her speeches are that good!

When you watch her yesterday, you understand why!