Some people call Jones’ group a liberal version of the Tea Party. His inspiration, he tells weekends on All Things Considered host Guy Raz, is the silent majority of Americans that oppose Tea Party platforms.

“Sixty to 70 percent of Americans agree that jobs are more important than this debt ceiling debacle,” Jones says. “Sixty-seven percent of Americans agree that we should raise taxes on the wealthiest in a crisis like this. We aren’t being represented.”

Jones finds it ironic that those who see government as the problem refer to themselves as patriots.

“Everything the Tea Party says about America’s government is how terrible it is,” Jones tells Raz. “You can’t take a wrecking ball, paint it red, white and blue, call yourself a patriot, and then smash down every institution that made America great.”