Jim Hightower

Born in Sherman, Texas, Hightower came from a working-class background. He worked his way through college working as assistant general manager of the Denton Chamber of Commerce, and later landed a spot as a management trainee for the United States Department of Commerce. He received a B.A. in government from North Texas State University[?] and later did graduate work at Columbia University in international affairs.

In the late 1960s he worked in Washington, D.C. as legislative aide to Senator Ralph Yarbrough[?]. He returned to Texas in 1976 to become the editor of the Texas Observer[?], and was elected Agricultural Commissoner in 1983, serving in that capacity to 1991.

Since 1993, he has hosted a talk radio program, "Hightower Radio," carried by over 100 affiliates. Recently, Hightower has been involved in a project called the "Rolling Thunder Down-Home Democracy Tour," a series of festivals in various communities thoughout the United States with the goal of organizing grassroots activism.

Quotes

• "The corporations don't have to lobby the government anymore. They are the government." (Palast p.141)

See also: Ann Venamin[?]

Books by Jim Hightower

• There's Nothing in the Middle of the Road but Yellow Stripes and Dead Armadillos (1997; ISBN 0060929499)
• If the Gods Had Meant Us to Vote, They'd Have Given Us Candidates (2001; ISBN 0060932090)

References

• Greg Palast -- The Best Democracy Money Can Buy (2002)

External link

• Jim Hightower website (http://www.jimhightower.com/)