Paul Jacob is the president and founder of Citizens in Charge and the Citizens in Charge Foundation, which work to protect and expand the initiative and referendum rights of all Americans. Before participating in a panel on the future of direct democracy in California, he talked about his historical heroes and childhood aspirations.
Q. If you could go back and live in any other time and place, where would you want to live?
A. I think I’d like to go back to the 1600s and meet some of the levelers, like John Lilburne, who first got involved with petitioning government and advanced the idea of equality and rights.
Q. What’s your favorite thing about San Francisco?
A. The sights-seeing the Bay, [and] just the geography is neat, and it’s cooler than hotter parts of California.
Q. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
A. “There are no set prices.” Always ask for a lower price. It was a boss of mine who liked to save money who said it.
Q. Assuming there is such as thing as reincarnation, what profession would you choose to pursue in your next life?
A. Billionaire … Professional baseball player or tennis player.
Q. Who’s your childhood hero?
A. Two baseball players: Al Kaline and Roberto Clemente. They were both right fielders, and I never played right field.
Q. If you could have a beer with anyone in history, living or dead, who would it be?
A. Thomas Jefferson-and if not Thomas Jefferson, then my grandmother, who died when I was three.
Q. If you were on death row, what would your last meal be?
A. There’s a joke where someone says, “What would you like as your last request,” and they said, “Strawberries”-I think it was an Abbot and Costello gig or something -but he said, “Well strawberries won’t be in season for another six months,” and he said, “I’ll wait.”
Q. Describe yourself in five words or less.
A. Pathological optimist and joy bringer.
Q. Ask yourself a question and then answer it.
A. Why is the initiative process important in a representative democracy? Because the people have a right to represent themselves.
*Photo by Gene X. Hwang