In advance of Campus Progress’ National Conference (CPNC) in DC later this month, influential liberal activist Van Jones, who has distinguished himself by being especially hostile to the American Right, stars in a video rallying young progressives to strategize, move off the couch, get a job, and make something of their lives by registering for the liberal conference and, presumably, voting Democratic.
But this advice flies in the face of actual policies and high unemployment under President Obama, which would presumably make this reality quite difficult for young liberals.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4YcCx-V7oE?rel=0]
“Your generation deserves to be able to go to college affordably and get out here and create some jobs for some people,” Jones says in the video. “You shouldn’t be sunk under a mountain of student debt.” That must be why President Obama has cut federal Pell Grants for students while at the same time advocating policies that colleges use as an excuse to drive up tuition, creating the great college bubble.
“Your generation should be able to buy a house or a condo or something. You shouldn’t be living on your mama’s couch next year or the year after,” stresses Jones. Certainly then young people should support favorite liberal policies like rent control, which drives out affordable housing. They should also support easily available government loans and refinancing so the government can take risks with taxpayers’ money that private enterprises wouldn’t dare touch with their own.
When Jones says “your generation should be able to get something called a job, not an internship, a job,” he must mean young voters should support the current president, for whom June marked the 41st consecutive month of an unemployment rate above 8 percent.
Never fear young liberals; Jones says you can strategize and come together and do something about America’s woes “if you come to the conference.” Join CPNC and stand against conservatives who “are working to undermine progress in Washington and around the country.”
Never mind that Obama had a veto-proof Democratic Congress for his first two years in office. Jones knows something about being a successful patriot, and being a patriot means sticking with the bastion of the American Left—come failed policies or fiscal cliff.
