My original thought this morning was to rant about Peachcare, payday lending and private cities. Just for the record, I agree with cutting the Peachcare threshold (although Jon, Amy and others are changing my mind), agree with repealing the outlaw of payday lenders and agree with the creation of "private cities".
But instead I am sidetracked by a man named Mike Jacobs. Mr. Jacobs represents the 80th district of the Georgia House of Representatives. A district that stretches from the northern arc of I-285 to near Little Five Points (correction: Decaturguy's link to a map in the comments shows the district only extends as far south as Lavista Rd).
He first entered my radar at the beginning of this year's session by voting the walking foot in mouth Republican known as Glenn Richardson for Speaker of the House. It was a move that raised a few eyebrows in Democratic circles. As a non-partisan I shrugged it off as a not-unusual political maneuver to curry favor with the powers that be.
Then came the odd rumor that Jacobs planned to switch parties in '08. True, Jacobs bucked the party line on the vote for Richardson and he had called out people who praised the heinous John Eaves ad in the Fulton County Commission Chair race, but these two relatively minor blips lead to indications of party switch? We're not talking about a rural Democrat trying to survive in a district changed to predominantly Republican. Jacobs represents an inside the perimeter district that although not a Democratic stronghold certainly is not Cobb or Gwinnett County. A party switch would arguably hurt his re-election chances. Also, given his stance on social issues such as abortion and gay rights under what scenario would the Republicans welcome him into their loving arms. Talk about things that don't add up.
Now, Jacobs had apparently sinned in ways most vile as one of few Democrats who crossed lines to support both the Peachcare cut and the Payday lending bill. It should be somewhat understandable how this would cause pain among local activists as Jacobs has been active in the Young Democrats of Georgia and the group made its views on these issues quite clear.
Since, I agree with Rep. Jacobs on these issues, it's quite easy for me to be his defender. But if as Decaturguy says that the 80th is "generally fiscally conservative with a libertarian bent on social issues", can someone please explain to me how he is not representing his district? Instead, his votes are seen as opprotunistic to satisfy the crossover and moderate voters. And in an insidious corrollary, his votes on choice and LGBT issues are now viewed as craven tactics to gather cash.
Quite simply Jacobs is damned if he does, damned if he doesn't. The left's blood lust is so high he is viewed as a treasonous line jumper. The right is quiet but anyone with sense would see his social views would leave him shunned. And now, not unlike Joe Lieberman and the Iraq War, he has planted his flag on issues which will echo all the way into next year's Democractic primary.
Hell, the whole thing causes me to consider moving to the 80th just so I can vote for him. If he does jump to the Republicans? He will find no blame here, but there will be sympathy. For if it does occur, from my point of view he will be a man without a party.
P.S. I will be at my usual spot tonight around 7:00 if any Democrats would like to stop by and thump me in the head.
But instead I am sidetracked by a man named Mike Jacobs. Mr. Jacobs represents the 80th district of the Georgia House of Representatives. A district that stretches from the northern arc of I-285 to near Little Five Points (correction: Decaturguy's link to a map in the comments shows the district only extends as far south as Lavista Rd).
He first entered my radar at the beginning of this year's session by voting the walking foot in mouth Republican known as Glenn Richardson for Speaker of the House. It was a move that raised a few eyebrows in Democratic circles. As a non-partisan I shrugged it off as a not-unusual political maneuver to curry favor with the powers that be.
Then came the odd rumor that Jacobs planned to switch parties in '08. True, Jacobs bucked the party line on the vote for Richardson and he had called out people who praised the heinous John Eaves ad in the Fulton County Commission Chair race, but these two relatively minor blips lead to indications of party switch? We're not talking about a rural Democrat trying to survive in a district changed to predominantly Republican. Jacobs represents an inside the perimeter district that although not a Democratic stronghold certainly is not Cobb or Gwinnett County. A party switch would arguably hurt his re-election chances. Also, given his stance on social issues such as abortion and gay rights under what scenario would the Republicans welcome him into their loving arms. Talk about things that don't add up.
Now, Jacobs had apparently sinned in ways most vile as one of few Democrats who crossed lines to support both the Peachcare cut and the Payday lending bill. It should be somewhat understandable how this would cause pain among local activists as Jacobs has been active in the Young Democrats of Georgia and the group made its views on these issues quite clear.
Since, I agree with Rep. Jacobs on these issues, it's quite easy for me to be his defender. But if as Decaturguy says that the 80th is "generally fiscally conservative with a libertarian bent on social issues", can someone please explain to me how he is not representing his district? Instead, his votes are seen as opprotunistic to satisfy the crossover and moderate voters. And in an insidious corrollary, his votes on choice and LGBT issues are now viewed as craven tactics to gather cash.
Quite simply Jacobs is damned if he does, damned if he doesn't. The left's blood lust is so high he is viewed as a treasonous line jumper. The right is quiet but anyone with sense would see his social views would leave him shunned. And now, not unlike Joe Lieberman and the Iraq War, he has planted his flag on issues which will echo all the way into next year's Democractic primary.
Hell, the whole thing causes me to consider moving to the 80th just so I can vote for him. If he does jump to the Republicans? He will find no blame here, but there will be sympathy. For if it does occur, from my point of view he will be a man without a party.
P.S. I will be at my usual spot tonight around 7:00 if any Democrats would like to stop by and thump me in the head.
17 comments:
Interesting post. Certainly the first person who has stood up and said, "He's voting his district."
I can't get worked up about payday lending. Yeah, it's usury and it's shitty, but people are going to borrow money somewhere. Outlawing it just drives people further underground to bookies who do much worse than make harassing phone calls if loans aren't paid.
Payday lenders are shit heads that prey on the desperate and the stupid. But Rusty you absolutely crystallized why I am against outlawing them. Law of unitended consequences.
Okay, I'm disappointed. I'm not pissed at all. ;-p
If Jacobs has positions that are counter to usual party orthodoxy, but are necessary because they "fit the district", that is fine. Hell, I'm a pretty big supporter of the 2nd amendment. Many Democrats are pro-choice...
The party needs a big tent to be successful.
But as Amy mentioned the other day, what is the constituency that punishes Jacobs for protecting childrens health insurance? Who are the voters rushing out to the polls to vote him out for keeping payday lenders illegal?
A bed rock principle of the party is supporting collective action to protect and lift up the less fortunate. It's a pretty non-negotiable principle.
When a Democrat moves against that, with no clear political - ideological reason to do so, he/she is going to piss me the hell off. Jacobs did that with PeachCare.
...and I'm gone.
I don't disagree with you except for one thing...voting for the opposition party's candidate for speaker is just total crap politics. Maybe I'm thinking too much on a national scale here, but supporting Glenn Richardson didn't get Jacobs anything did it? And abandoning your party on major organizational votes like this just smacks of disloyalty. You can cross party lines on issues all you want and I will defend you (hell, I didn't like how the hardcores went after Joe Lieberman) but if you cross party lines on speaker then you might as well take the D off your name. If Lieberman had caucused with Republicans or voted for an R for Senate Majority Leader then I would say the same thing about him.
Just have Tony Soprano send his goons after those who:
a.) don't pay back money on time
b.) politicians who cause chaos and confusion by switching parties mid-stream as they claim to be voting their district
c.) those who drink only crappy beer
Oh man, I've gone and done it. And I saw what they did to poor A. Think I'd know what lines not to cross by now.
Shit, f*ck, shit...
Payday lenders are shit heads that prey on the desperate and the stupid. But Rusty you absolutely crystallized why I am against outlawing them. Law of unitended consequences.
Agreed. But, also, there should be an option available that doesn't suck. This kind of thing is why I don't buy for a second the whole "the free market will solve everything!!1!1" line.
Now the crappy beer shot is over the line!
Good post, Grift, except that Jacobs district is nowhere near Little Five Points. The southernmost point of his district is about Lavista Road and North Druid Hills. Here's a good map:
http://www.meetmikejacobs.com/more/index.cfm?Fuseaction=District_Map§ion=more_2915
But, also, there should be an option available that doesn't suck.
What would you propose? Something like microfinance?
What would you propose? Something like microfinance?
Actually, yes.
Payday lending is bad business and runs against all of the tenets of good lending practices. It is either Fidelity or Bank of North Ga, I don't remember which, that will "lend" you the funds when you overdraw your account for only the overdraft fee. I forget exactly how they work it but it's certainly the beginning of micro finance, which would, oh, I don't know, NOT fuck people. Microfinance is good for customers and good for lenders. Payday lending is only good for the damned nasty sharks that run that business.
And no, no one's changing my mind on this. I know what good lending is, and good lending is not payday lending. The word for payday lending is "predatory."
Doesn't every dollar spent on PeachCare save five dollars down the line? When working families, especailly single mon households, don't have any healthcare and fill emergency rooms as a last resort, the whole system suffers, especially financially. Just from a pure taxpayer point of view, investment in PeachCare saves tens if not hundreds of millions of tax money. Keeping kids healthy isn't too bad of a side benefit, either. Even dental care is extremely important for a kid's overall health.
I'm a big fan of microloans.
Good info. on PeachCare. Alan Essig and the Georgia Budget and Policy Institute might lean a little left, but they really are moderate most of the time. They do their research and are an impressive bunch.
http://www.gbpi.org/pubs/healthcare/20070320.pdf
DG, my bad. The map I saw didn't have streets on it and it looked like the district went half way down the Fulton-Dekalb line.
I still like the idea of a city of Toco Hills south of I-85.
And you need to come to the next podcast. Imagine what fun we could have. ;)
A concept that is taking off here is the microfinance co-op. Initially seeded with private equity funding, they offer lower rates than the payday lenders with the tradeoff of smaller lending limits, no rollovers and installment payment plans. An important factor has been to keep the co-ops local to allow community input to its operation as well as fostering a sense of community reinvestment.
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