I don’t know. He’s a hometown boy around here but in my crowd Jon Bon Jovi has always been kind of a joke. It’s not that we have any ill-will towards the guy. He’s a very nice man who does a lot to give back to the community. It’s just his music that sucks. In any case, I do have to laugh when I see that Bon Jovi has been appointed to the president’s White House Council for Community Solutions. Someone over at Michelle Malkin’s place had some good snark.
The “community needs” these days are jobs, so the best thing Bon Jovi could do would be to add several million good-paying percussionist positions to his band.
But, of course, we can’t expect anyone on the right-wing to show any respect for the idea of ‘community,’ let alone ‘need.’ The president knows better:
President Obama said, “These impressive men and women have dedicated their lives and careers to civic engagement and social innovation. I commend them for their outstanding contributions to their communities, and I am confident that they will serve the American people well in their new roles on the White House Council for Community Solutions. I look forward to working with them in the months and years ahead.”
In addition to providing advice to the President on solving specific community needs, the White House Council for Community Solutions has been tasked with three key functions: enlisting leaders in the non-profit, private, and philanthropic sectors to make progress on key policy goals; providing strategic input and recommendations to help the federal government promote greater innovation and cross-sector collaboration; and honoring and highlighting those making a significant impact in their own communities. The Council will be composed of leaders from non-profits, corporations and foundations who are committed to social innovation and civic engagement.
This is a council that will be quickly abandoned by President Palin. Or, perhaps, she’ll fill it with tongue-talking moose-oil salesmen. In the meantime, however, it’s an innovation on the Executive Branch that is worth noting. The council will be chaired by an impressive woman.
Patty Stonesifer currently serves as the Chair of the Board of Regents for the Smithsonian Institution. As the former CEO of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (1997-2008), Ms. Stonesifer continues her involvement with the Foundation as a Senior Advisor. Prior to helping establish the Gates Foundation, Ms. Stonesifer had a two-decade career in technology, with her latest role as Senior Vice President at Microsoft Corp. Ms. Stonesifer serves as a private philanthropic Advisor and sits on the boards of The Broad Institute and the Center for Global Development. She has also served on the boards of the Seattle Foundation, the GAVI Fund, Debt, AIDS, Trade, Africa (DATA), and ONE. Ms. Stonesifer is a member of the Academy of Arts and Sciences, Council on Foreign Relations and was a member of the U.S. delegation to the United Nations General Assembly Special Sessions on AIDS. In July 1996, Time Magazine named her as one of the 25 Most Influential People in America. Ms. Stonesifer holds a B.G.S degree from Indiana University and honorary degrees from both Indiana University and Tufts University.
I might laugh a bit at Bon Jovi, but I hope his star power helps the Council’s recommendations get a little more support. Now, excuse me, I have to invest in hair spray.
