Payday or payback for Republicans?

by David Safier

Weird battle lines are being drawn in the payday loan wars these days. You expect the Ds and Rs to be on opposite sides here, with the Ds for ending payday loans and the Rs trying to figure out a way to keep payday loans without actually coming out in favor of usury.

The lawsuit filed by the A.G. against payday lender Quik Cash, led by local Assistant Attorney General Vince Rabago, has made the Accidental Guv's untenable position even dicier. If you remember (meaning you have a better memory than she does), Brewer said she can't recall how she voted on the pro-payday loan ballot measure that went down to defeat (Great YouTube video showing Brewer attesting to her memory lapse, then squirming under further questioning). Maybe her good buddies Grant Woods (co-chair of her election campaign) and Chuck Coughlin (key political advisor), both working to kill the sunset on payday loans, can joggle her memory.

With the Guv trying to stay appear neutral, it doesn't help her much that Quik Cash was caught using illegal tactics to go after people who defaulted on their loans. And it helps even less when Terry Goddard can wave the lawsuit in Brewer's face as she wiggles and waffles on the issue.

But now the Rs are tearing into Brewer as well. Candidates for Gov John Munger and Vernon Parker have become born again populists and regulators on the issue, advocating for the payday sunset. Joe Arpaio is piling on as well.

While you're looking out for the little guy, John, Vernon and Joe, you might think about other places where people are getting squeezed, like, say, health care, social services and education. Good populist issues all.