Thomas Friedman appeared on The Daily Show last night to hawk his new book Hot, Flat and Crowded. In trying to be ingratiating to Stewart, Friedman eagerly agreed with Stewart’s synopsis of the book that what the economy needs now, after the tech bubbles and housing bubbles have burst and inflicted their damage, is a green bubble. I wanted to throw a brick through the TV when he put on his sh*t-eating grin and eagerly bobbed his head in agreement.

I realize Stewart was just being flip, but I really don’t think Friedman understands the harm that is done to our society every time a bubble bursts. He was happy to join in on the joke, which Stewart may well have lobbed to Friedman in the hope that Friedman would point out that a green economy would, by its very nature, be sustainable.

Friedman would do well to study Van Jones:

Jones has been at the leading edge of both understanding and implementing the change that is needed for us to realize a green economy. I found him to be perhaps the most compelling speaker at Netroots Nation 2008, but because his slot was on the final day, he spoke to far too small a crowd.

Let us hope that Jones’s book The Green Collar Economy is playing a large role in the discussions that are underway at the Office of the President Elect. As Jones so eloquently points out, every dollar invested in a petroleum economy only makes things more expensive because of the limited amount of petroleum available while every dollar invested in green energy makes green energy, and the things produced with it, more affordable.

A cosmetic approach to green energy, dominated by the major corporations, could indeed lead to Friedman’s green bubble bursting when greed and incompetence override sustainable development. By way of contrast, the website for Jones’ book points out:

Instead, Van Jones illustrates how we can invent and invest our way out of the pollution-based grey economy and into the healthy new green economy. Built by a broad coalition deeply rooted in the lives and struggles of ordinary people, this path has the practical benefit of both cutting energy prices and generating enough work to pull the U.S. economy out of its present death spiral.

Jones is a dynamic leader whose voice needs to be heard in the Obama administration.