I heard Van speak at Green Build in Boston last month. He is both funny and poignant, and we all need to pay attention to what he says, from the President on down!

If you would like to read more of Van Jones' book, 'The Green Collar Economy,' just point your browser to this link:

http://browseinside.harpercollins.com/index.aspx?isbn13=9780061650758&wt...

and enjoy!

I think this is a lot of eco-claptrap.

This mixing of jobs and green and the underprivileged has a nice feel to it, but the implementation of such ideas should be cause for concern.

Is Van Jones recommending that we provide more green job training and green jobs to the disadvantaged?

That low income areas should get greater subsidies for weatherizing their homes than middle or upper class areas?

What the lower classes need is money, and they get money by getting jobs. Jobs are created by employers. So we must create an "employer friendly" environment if we want the disadvantaged to have money and jobs.

Van Jones wants to create an ecological divide and then unite it. He learned that by going to wealthy areas, they have better amenities. That will always be the case.

Van Jones does not mention that our "underprivileged" actually have a much higher standard of living than most of the remainder of the world, where $5 per family per day income is the norm.

I often drive by the government housing ("projects") and notice that these people on government handouts drive nicer cars than I do. They seem to have nice color TV's, nice clothing. Sometimes I wonder why I work - or is it just to provide for the "disadvantaged"?

To me, Van Jones' message does not ring true. They lack specifics that, if you knew what they were, would probably leave you sad.

America should continue to be a place for opportunity for all. I path to freedom and independence is by creating employers and jobs. Anyone in this country can take a course, start a company, or go work for somebody. It's hard work and you have to try and work hard. It's called The American Dream.