Jim Hightower facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jim Hightower
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| 8th Agriculture Commissioner of Texas | |
| In office January 1983 – January 1991 |
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| Governor | Mark White (1983–1987) Bill Clements (1987–1991) |
| Preceded by | Reagan V. Brown |
| Succeeded by | Rick Perry |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
James Allen Hightower
January 11, 1943 Denison, Texas, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Alma mater | University of North Texas Columbia University |
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James Allen Hightower (born January 11, 1943) is an American writer, speaker, and political activist. He is known for his progressive ideas and for speaking up for regular people. From 1983 to 1991, he was the elected commissioner of the Texas Department of Agriculture. He also writes a popular monthly newsletter called The Hightower Lowdown. This newsletter is famous for its deep and careful reporting.
Contents
Jim Hightower's Life and Work
Jim Hightower was born in Denison, Texas on January 11, 1943. He grew up in a working-class family in north Texas. He worked hard to pay for college. He even worked as an assistant manager for the Denton Chamber of Commerce. Later, he joined a training program with the U.S. State Department.
Education and Early Career
Hightower earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in government from the University of North Texas. While there, he was elected president of the student body. He then studied international affairs at Columbia University in New York City.
In the late 1960s, he worked in Washington, D.C. He was a helper for U.S. Senator Ralph Yarborough. In 1970, Hightower helped start a group called the Agribusiness Accountability Project. This project looked into how big farming businesses worked. He wrote two early books based on this work.
After helping with a presidential campaign in 1976, he moved back to Texas. He became the editor of a magazine called The Texas Observer. He first tried to run for public office for the Railroad Commission of Texas. This group actually oversees the oil and natural gas industries in Texas, not railroads. He did not win that election.
Serving as Agriculture Commissioner
In 1982, Jim Hightower was elected as the Texas Agriculture Commissioner. He won against the person who held the job before him, Reagan V. Brown. Hightower served in this role until 1990. During his time, he worked to support organic farming and new types of crops. He also helped small farmers sell their products directly to people.
He became a well-known voice for Democrats across the country. In 1988, he supported Jesse Jackson for president. Some issues with his team during his time as commissioner contributed to him losing his re-election bid in 1990. He was defeated by Rick Perry, who later became the governor of Texas.
Political Activism and Views
During the 1992 presidential election, Hightower supported Senator Tom Harkin. After Harkin left the race, Hightower supported Jerry Brown. He eventually voted for Bill Clinton at the Democratic convention.
After Clinton became president, Hightower became a critic. He felt that Clinton was too close to big companies. He also disagreed with Clinton's support for NAFTA. Hightower believed the government should do more to fight unemployment and poverty.
In 2000, he helped with the presidential campaign of Ralph Nader. He spoke at many events for Nader. After the close 2000 election, Hightower said that Al Gore lost because he didn't win his home state. He did not blame Ralph Nader for Gore's defeat.
In 2004, Hightower supported Dennis Kucinich in the Democratic primaries. He called Kucinich a "clear populist." This means Kucinich believed in helping regular people. When John Kerry won the nomination, Hightower supported him. He urged other progressives to help Kerry win.
Since 1993, Hightower has created Hightower Radio. This is a short daily commentary heard on over 130 radio stations. He also hosted other radio talk shows. In recent years, Hightower has spoken about industrial hemp. He believes it is a good crop for farming.
In 2016, Hightower supported Bernie Sanders for president. He actively campaigned for Sanders. After Hillary Clinton won the nomination, Hightower joined the board of a new progressive group called Our Revolution. He continues to work with this group in Texas. He is hopeful about the future of progressive ideas.
Jim Hightower's Syndicated Column
Jim Hightower writes a column that is published across the country. It appears in about seventy-five independent weekly newspapers. He also writes for a publication called The Progressive Populist.
The Hightower Lowdown Newsletter
Hightower writes a monthly newsletter called The Hightower Lowdown. More than 135,000 people subscribe to it. The newsletter is known for its deep investigative reporting. It often criticizes how big companies and some politicians operate.
In January 2022, Hightower showed his support for the Rights of Nature movement. This movement believes that nature itself should have legal rights. He said that Florida is a key place for this movement in the United States.
Understanding the Doug Jones Average
Jim Hightower created a concept called the "Doug Jones Average." He suggests that to truly understand the American economy, we shouldn't just look at the Dow Jones Industrial Average. Instead, we should check how the average person, like "Doug Jones," is doing.
If Doug Jones is struggling to pay bills or feed his family, the "Doug Jones Average" is "down." If Doug just got a raise and can afford a nice home, then the "Doug Jones Average" is "up." It's a way to see if the economy is working for everyone, not just big businesses.
Awards and Recognitions
- Eugene V. Debs Award (1995)
- Puffin/Nation Prize for Creative Citizenship (2009)
Books by Jim Hightower
- Hard Tomatoes, Hard Times (1972)
- Eat Your Heart Out: Food Profiteering in America (1975)
- There's Nothing in the Middle of the Road but Yellow Stripes and Dead Armadillos (1997)
- If the Gods Had Meant Us to Vote, They'd Have Given Us Candidates (2001)
- Thieves in High Places: They've Stolen Our Country—And It's Time to Take It Back (2003)
- Let's Stop Beating Around the Bush (2004)
- Swim against the Current: Even a Dead Fish Can Go With the Flow (2008)
Jim Hightower's Archives
The official collection of Jim Hightower's papers is at the Wittliff collections of Southwestern Writers. This is located at Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas.
See also
- 21st Century Democrats
