Keeping up with the Joneses
Cissy Jackson catches up with her former boss, Senator Doug Jones.
By Cissy Jackson Photo by jordan wald
Cissy Jackson: You left the Senate four years ago—what have you been up to?
Doug Jones: Until recently, I’ve been affiliated with a law firm in D.C. called ArentFox Schiff, where I was doing some government relations advising and strategy, helping clients navigate the ins and outs of Washington, D.C. politics. I’ve also done fellowships at Georgetown University, the University of Chicago and was a visiting professor at Boston College School of Law.
I’m still regularly called on by both national and local media for commentary on legal and political issues. I’ve done a number of podcasts, and I’ve been invited by groups across the country to give my perspective on the state of the nation. I think these folks see me as a pretty moderate Southern Democrat—not a bomb thrower.
My life has been incredibly busy but really good. It’s been a little bit like going through a buffet line—there are lots of great opportunities, and my wife Louise would say I sometimes overload my plate.
What did you love most about serving as a U.S. Senator?
I was so proud to represent the state of Alabama and the folks who live here, whether they voted for me or not. Louise and I did a lot of traveling around the state until COVID hit, and I really enjoyed getting to talk with people and listen to people. I learned so much about what’s important to our state. I enjoyed working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle, engaging with Members in the House, and working with various people in the Administration to find common ground and to balance the needs of businesses, farmers, labor, military, young people, senior citizens, everybody, as best we could.
What are the good things about not having to keep that schedule every week?
While my schedule is still really busy these days, it’s a lot more flexible. That means I can carve out time just to sit out back in the evening with Louise, a glass of bourbon, and our dogs, Scout and Dakota. I have a little bit more personal time for things like Alabama football, fishing in the Gulf, deer hunting and turkey hunting, my granddaughters’ sports and dance activities, making sure to see my buddy Jason Isbell’s concerts and taking advantage of the amazing Birmingham restaurant scene.
You opened your own law firm, with offices in Park Place Tower. So, are you back from D.C. for good?
I never left. Birmingham is home and always will be. It’s nice to have my office address in Birmingham again, though I hope to set up a small office in D.C. also in the next few months. I’ll still be up there a good bit.
What’s your new firm going to do?
I’m kind of going back to my early days as a solo practitioner but working with other firms here and around the country on major class action and antitrust cases, primarily from a plaintiffs’ perspective.
Why is it important that the Democratic Party find its way out of the wilderness?
It’s important that we have competitive elections. I want to see candidates competing for votes with positions on the issues that affect the people they want to represent. Alabama is still one of poorest states in the country, we have a lot of illiteracy and 300,000 or more folks without healthcare. It’s important that people have a choice, but we’ve become so damn gerrymandered that people don’t really have choices. I think that is the root of most of the political divisions we see in this country. Candidates just pander to their base to win the primary, and then they’re set. They don’t have to listen to people who think differently either before or after the election. That makes people become cynical and stay away from the polls because they don’t think their votes count. And by the way, Alabama’s straight ticket voting is the worst thing in the history of democracy. It’s not only important that people have a choice, but that they think about what’s important to them, they inform themselves, and then make an informed choice.
Is civics education important to that?
Absolutely. One of the things I’m working on is the American Identity Project, led by Larry Summers and David Brooks, to provide advice and recommendations about how schools and colleges can restore a sense of American pride and social cohesion in the next generation. We want to help schools do a better job of teaching what it means to be an American.
Are there current issues facing our community/country that cause you concern?
Yes. First and foremost, I am very concerned about how polarized this country, state and even our local communities are. It always seems to be us versus them, good versus evil. That’s not healthy for any community, much less a country or a democracy. People tune you out, no matter what you’re saying, if you’re not part of their team. I’m also very concerned about what I see in D.C.—it’s more than polarization.
Do you see signs of hope?
My hope is with the American people—I hope they’ll see that what’s going on is not what all they bargained for. I hope they’ll start to engage in more dialogues, not monologues. People pay attention to the issues that affect them, and more people seem to be getting engaged on the issues. But I am concerned that people are getting information in a siloed way, and so much of the time it is just plain false. I’m hoping that as people become more engaged on the things that matter to them, they’ll want to hear different perspectives. I think that’s incredibly important. I think it’s the future. At least I hope it’s the future.
