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Greetings, Lowdowners! When I was down visiting with Hightower in May, I asked him a question that I’ve always wanted to know the answer to, but never put directly to him: Why did he decide to run for office? Before he became Agriculture Commissioner, he had been a legislative aide to Sen. Ralph Yarborough in Washington, the founder and co-director of the Agribusiness Accountability Project (which produced Hard Tomatoes, Hard Times), then a journalist and editor at the Texas Observer. What brought on the desire to become an elected official? And why this office?His answer took us through an adventure [...]
Jim Hightower has been called America’s most popular progressive. A two-term Texas Agriculture Commissioner, bestselling author, and radio host reaching millions weekly — he’s been fighting for the working stiff since before it was fashionable.
“The only thing in the middle of the road are yellow stripes and dead armadillos.”
—Jim Hightower
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