If the Gods Had Meant Us to Vote They Would Have Given Us Candidates

The best-seller that not only takes on America's money-soaked, corporate-driven, issue-avoiding, made-for-television, snoozer of a political process, but also articulates the issues and solutions that should be front and center in our nation's political debate.

The author opines on the current political scene with humor and his own style of muckraking and agitating. 

If anything, in this presidential election special, he's madder than ever. In his earlier bestseller, THERE'S NOTHING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD BUT YELLOW STRIPES AND DEAD ARMADILLOS. Hightower only began to tap into the deep yearning that Americans have for a new politics that speaks to them from a real-world, kitchen-table perspective. Now, with the year 2000 being an especially significant marker for contemplating our country's direction, not only for the new year but for the new century and the new millennium, it's time for citizens to reclaim their political, economic, and cultural heritage.

Leading the way with his hilariously irreverent yet profoundly serious book is our name-naming, podium-pounding, point-them-in-the-right-direction populist, Hightower himself. He whacks conventional wisdom right upside the head, showing, with startling facts and compelling personal stories, that despite a so-called period of prosperity, America's middle class is getting mugged, and that far from being ordained by the gods,globalization is globaloney! Hightower rips the mask off of the candidates, the parties, the consultants, and especially the moneyed powers who are supporting all of the leading presidential hopefuls. he's mad about them all-but what he's maddest about, what really gets his goat, is that they are all the same! To paraphrase Jim, American politicians are alike because they don't come cheap. In fact, they're all very expensive. Which is why only the rich can own them and why their allegiance is definitely not to regular, worka-day citizens.

No one is spared in this insightful and engaging blend of horror and success stories, hard-hitting commentary, laugh-out-loud humor, useful facts, and sparkling language. An equal opportunity muckraker and conscientious agitator for "We the people," Hightower inspires us to take charge again, to build a new politics, and, together, to build a better tomorrow. Jim Hightower's IF THE GODS HAD MEANT US TO VOTE THEY WOULD HAVE GIVEN US CANDIDATES proves yet again that his is a uniquely wise and peerlessly singular voice in the maelstrom of political prattle. 

About the Author
National radio commentator, writer, public speaker, and author of If the Gods had Meant us to Vote They Would Have Given us Candidates, Jim Hightower has spent three decades battling the Powers That Be on behalf of the Powers That Ought To Be - consumers, working families, environmentalists, small businesses, and just-plain-folks. Twice elected Texas Agriculture Commissioner, Hightower believes that the true political spectrum is not right to left but top to bottom, and he has become a leading national voice for the 80 percent of the public who no longer find themselves within shouting distance of the Washington and Wall Street powers at the top.

Hightower is a modern-day Johnny Appleseed, spreading the message of progressive populism all across the American grassroots

Hightower was raised in Denison, Texas, in a family of small business people, tenant farmers, and working folks. A graduate of North Texas University, he worked in Washington as legislative aide to Sen. Ralph Yarborough of Texas; he then co-founded the Agribusiness Accountability Project, a public interest project that focused on corporate power in the food economy; and he was national coordinator of the 1976 "Fred Harris for President" campaign. Hightower then returned to his home state, where he became editor of the feisty biweekly, The Texas Observer. He served as director of the Texas Consumer Association before running for statewide office and being elected to two terms as Texas Agriculture Commissioner (1983-1991).

During the 90's, Hightower became known as "America's most popular populist," developing his radio commentaries, hosting two radio talk shows, writing books, launching his newsletter, giving fiery speeches coast to coast, and otherwise speaking out for the American majority that's being locked out economically and politically by the elites. As political columnist Molly Ivins says, "If Will Rogers and Mother Jones had a baby, Jim Hightower would be that rambunctious child -- mad as hell, with a sense of humor."

"If you're the type who always has to hold your nose when you're in the boting booth, Jim Hightower has given you something better to do with those fingers; turning th pages of this hilarious and damning indictment of what we call 'free elections' in this country."
-- Michael Moore, author of Stupid White Men

"Here it is -- a real platform for democracy."
      - Bill Moyers

"Hightower rocks!"
      - Barbara Ehrenreich

"Ka-powie! Hightower's done it again."
      - Molly Ivins

"Jim Hightower is the anti-Limbaugh. "
      - Tom Tomorrow

"Forget all the political insider books about America's elections- here's the outsider book that tells you what's really going on."
      - Bill Greider

"A literary Molotov cocktail hurled at a parched and splintered political system that no longer works."
      - Arianna Huffington

"This is just the book the USA needs... wonderful stories and the last chapter is great."
      - Pete Seeger