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

Rating:
Summary: Hysterically funny but should be taken seriously
Review: Hightower, no stranger to party politics himself, having once been Texas Commissioner of Agriculture, doesn't think much of what either the Democrats or the Republicans have to offer most of us. He shows, rather convincingly, that both parties cater to the wealthy and upper middle class, and in so doing tend to turn off the bulk of our eligible voters. It's in both parties' interest to keep the "unwashed masses" from voting. Otherwise their hand-picked candidates might not get elected, and they'd lose access to the big bucks. As an example of this he talks of the election of Jesse Ventura, an independent, in Minnesota. Minnesota's 60% turnout in that election was the highest in the nation. Ventura was a candidate who wasn't "packaged" by consultants, and who appealed to the kind of voters who usually don't vote when they can see no difference between the candidates of the two major parties. These candidates don't address the issues important to the average guy.

He tells how the media distorts election results by talking about dramatic shifts in one direction or another, when the only true shift is from voter to non-voter.

Example:

In 1994, the year of the Republicans' "Big Sweep," 22% of eligible voters voted Republican and 19% voted for Democrats. In 1998, they reported a "Democratic Party Comeback" when the Republicans dropped to 18% of eligible voters voting for them, and the Democrats got 17%, also a drop. What this tells us is that, by disdaining both parties, the effective "None-of-the-above" vote increased from 58% in 1994 to 64% in 1998. Now that's a sweep.

Need another example? In 1998, George W. Bush was re-elected Governor of Texas by what the Media called a "breathtaking landslide." Unmentioned by the media was the fact that only 26% of the eligible voters in Texas had even bothered to vote, the smallest turnout in the nation. Bush had managed to get only about 16% of the eligible voters to vote for him.

WEhen you compare this 26% turnout to the 60% turnout in the Minnesota election, only one conclusion seems reasonable. Candidates from both major parties have nothing to offer to the average voter. Even more frightening is the fact that the two major parties want it that way. Party candidates are beholden to their big donors, and the issues that are important to these big donors are not of interest to the average voter, so a great part of most campaigns is designed to keep us away from the polls.

Unfortunately for the country, but fortunately for these moneyed supporters of the politicians, this lack of interest on our part generally results in a choice between Tweedle-Dum and Tweedle-Dee.

A lot of people probable don't like this book although there are those who love it. I, for one, think that Hightower says a lot that needs to be said, but I'm afraid that it's not really being heard.

Rating:
Summary: Makes You Laugh So Much You Get Mad
Review: I couldn't put this book down. Hightower is a master at making us laugh and get po'ed at the same time. He shines a big Texan flashlight on the follies of the spoiled rich, the corporate lap-dog politicians, and the insanity of the "Market". This is a must-read for the 2000 electoral cycle. His call to arms echoed my own sentiments--it is time for us to remember Paine, Jefferson, Mother Jones, Debs, King, Chavez, and the rest of our nation's agitators and reclaim our dignity and our democracy. It is time for a top-down (not a left-right) political debate on what's happening in our country and throughout the world. Thanks Jim for an engaging and just plain good book.

Rating:
Summary: Real News You Won't See on TV
Review: If you're tired of the non-news you are fed every night on the evening "news" show, get this book. Did you know that the average worker now makes less than in 1973 in inflation-adjusted wages? Did you know that NAFTA has hurt American farmers and American workers, not helped them? Jim Hightower gives you real news in his book. Why waste money on your local paper when it consists of nothing but corporate press releases? This book shows how publicly financed elections cost less than the favors and giveaways your politicians provide to big campaign contributors. This book is fun to read, too, in spite of the serious content, and would be a great gift for family and friends, both left and right wingers.

Rating:
Summary: If You Vote "none-of-the-above", This Is Your Book!
Review: In his traditional style of Texas wit and straight talk that originated in "There's Nothing In the Middle of the Road but Yellow Stripes and Dead Armadillos" Jim spins a comedic yet deadly serious tale of American politics gone awry.

If you find yourself voting for the lesser of two evils or the "noneoftheabove" category on Election Day (up to 60% of Americans), this book is for you.

This is not a book about political parties or specific candidates, though you'll find snippets about selected familiar figures. Instead, Jim chooses to examine the political process itself. He examines the exorbitant return on investment expected from political campaign donations. Both major parties in the US are hopelessly indebted to various interests no matter who the 20-25% or so "majority" of the population "elects". In exchange for campaign contributions the lucky winners are doling out your tax dollars to those that put them in office. A compelling argument is made for publicly funded campaigns. That way the voters "own" the candidates. Other issues of particular interest discussed in the book include:

Some rather gory provisions of NAFTA are described which have enabled, or may enable a number of hanus corporations to really screw things up in the pursuit of profit. Among these are companies like Sun Belt Water who have plans, and make be able to turn Canada's water supply into a commodity the rest of the world may have to purchase. Should Sun Belt or another company strike a deal for Canada's water, NAFTA has a provision that would require Canada to sell it's water supplies to any other foreign corporation looking to turn the worlds fresh water supply (of which Canada holds 20%) into a traded commodity. Translation: if Sun Belt or another company strikes a deal to export water from Canada, Canada HAS to sell its water to other foreign based companies. If that should come to pass, you may be buying your bathwater buy the bottle. Remember those rolling blackouts in California? Imagine if that was drinking water.

Other NAFTA provisions give foreign companies the right to sue other nations for simply making their own decisions as to what to purchase. For example, in 1997 Canada banned MMT (a environmentally toxic and potential deadly gasoline additive). Ethyl Corporation (the maker) sued Canada to the tune of 251 million for "expropriation" of its investor's profits. This forced Canada to agree to settle for 12 million, apologize, and agree to lift the ban on MMT so that its citizens would once again be exposed to a deadly toxin.

Sweatshops are only found in 3rd world countries where companies tell the locals to Just Do It! - get to work in those apparel factories? Surprise! Surprise! We don't even have to leave the US to get dirt-cheap labor. There is a little US territory called Saipan that serves the sweatshop needs of major US textile companies. Those "made in the USA" clothing labels may have been sewn on by an indentured servant living in squalor earning a wage that makes the mainland minimum wage job look like a windfall. A few shady loopholes make this possible.

Jim doesn't take political sides here. He examines the process, the agreements, and worldwide (World Bank, NAFTA) organizations and agreements that are exerting increasing amounts of influence over world affairs and the state of the US. In addition to the issues mentioned above, there are some very inspirational (publicly funded) political figures and regular citizens taking action. Their accomplishments are impressive, their determination unrelenting, and they are making a difference. If you read only one political book, read this one.

Rating:
Summary: Outspoken Populism from a Disgusted Texan
Review: Jim Hightower is a man with a mission. He is disgusted with the two- party system and he was repulsed by the choices presented by the two major parties in the 2000 elections, Bush and Gore. He is tired of watching politicians at all levels sell themselves out for corporate cash. He wrote this book as a guide to the corruption that exists in politics and what you and I can do to stop it.

Hightower was once an elected official himself, so he is experienced with the world of politics and how it operates. In this book, he explains how different the parties of today are compared to those of the past- particularly Democrats, whom Hightower feels could be counted on in the past to support populist causes but who no longer seem to care about anything but money. He talks about the problem of campaign financing and the need for reform. He shows how groups like the World Trade Organization and NAFTA have damaged the economy of the United States by favoring a few large corporations to the detriment of the common man.

I like Hightower's outspoken style and his demand to return to a government of self- rule for the people. However, there are a few instances in the book where he seems to get a little off- track when he delivers his populist message. For one thing, Hightower seems to have a strong and undeniable envy toward anyone with more money than himself, and he seems to think that all rich people are wicked and deserving of punishment. He seems to think the same of most corporations, even though a large percentage of companies are good corporate citizens. Some of his economic analysis is also a little shady, as he attempts to define how the economy can and should function to better ensure that the underprivileged are properly taken care of.

Hightower uses humor throughout this book to help hold his audience and keep them interested in reading more. He doesn't go over the line, like some other political authors are known to do. Hightower does take stabs at specific individuals, but he manages to keep things on a civil level, without getting too nasty or too personal.

With the types of candidates that the Dems and Repubs have been nominating lately, it's not surprising that so many voters are becoming disillusioned with the American political process. Jim Hightower is one of these people who is fed up, and he makes his views known in this book. "If the Gods had Meant us to Vote" is not a perfect volume of political analysis. But it does contain some useful information and some funny lines from Jim Hightower, America's most popular populist.

Rating:
Summary: A "must read"! Buy this book now!
Review: Jim Hightower makes a compelling argument for the need in America for the return of an activist Populist movement. To support this thesis he provides numerous examples of the failures of the current status quo. In the book Hightower builds up the reader to the final climax by not disclosing his thesis until the end of the book, instead he tortures us with discussions of the seemingly insurmountable problems on numerous national issues. Finally, in the last section of the book he discloses his thesis and pulls the reader back from the abyss with his thoughtful plan of action. His thesis is forcefully supported as well by the ongoing accounting scandals in the corporate world.
The strong points to Hightower's text are his ability to provide convincing arguments about the problems inherent to our current state of affairs. Hightower provides a strong argument of the failure of our current system due to the influence of our campaign finance structure. He gives examples that indicate that the candidates of both major political parties are heavily influenced by the entities that provide the very largest donations. Once in office the candidates push the agendas of these financers. Much of this money is coming from large corporations in their effort to seek influence to feed their greed. Here Hightower maintains his case for Populism based on his demonstration that the interests of the common man don't even register on the radar screens of our "leaders". Campaign finance reform with the intent to reduce corporate influence would be a way to facilitate the rise of Populism.
Hightower's discussion on the excesses of multi-national corporate greed at the top with examples of obscenely high CEO compensation, corporate mergers (including corresponding layoffs), and reliance on low wage labor is maddening. His discussions on the desirability of a living wage are encouraging. Both topics speak volumes to the immorality of corporate greed and how it has spun way out of control. Again, the headlines in daily newspapers support his position.
Hightower's next strong argument against the status quo comes with his assault on the North American Free Trade Agreement (N.A.F.T.A.) and the World Trade Organization (W.T.O.) and their overwhelming favoring of corporate interests. I found the information he provides on N.A.F.T.A. to be highly disturbing particularly that related to its Chapter Eleven. Not only does this material strongly endorse his thesis but also it is important information in its own right that needs to be revealed. Here again, he shows the insidious influence of corporate greed.
The major weak point of this book is the lack of supporting references for the facts and figures that he uses in support of his arguments. This book cannot be considered a scholarly work by any stretch of the imagination. The reader is left to accept these facts without the ability to readily find source material. Although I do find Hightower to be believable, and do not doubt his information, the inclusion of more supporting references would be of significant value.
This book is of great value to student of the politics of policy development. Hightower carefully exposes how the twisted state of today's politics of money has a corrupting influence on policy formation. This policy has largely been directed towards the support of large corporations and to the corresponding harm of the working and middle classes. Beyond the political science student, this book is a "must read" for the everyday citizen who needs to understand that their desires are not being met or even considered by our current crop of politicians in government. This book provides an excellent look at many issues, which include the need for campaign finance reform, the problems of the N.A.F.T.A. and W.T.O. agreements, and the overall corrupting influence of corporate greed. His proposed solution of a groundswell of a Populist movement is highly persuasive and the book validates his thesis. While this book did not provide joyful information, it did provide needed information and it's a book that I will actively recommend to family and friends.

Rating:
Summary: Hightower tells it like it is
Review: Jim Hightower pulls no punches in this revealing expose of how dirty our two-party system is. He provides example after example of how corporations have seized complete control of the government, taking power away from the citizenry. Sure, the rich have always enjoyed certain privelges that the rest of us don't. But in the last twenty years, there has been a growing, unbridled greed that is destroying the lives of millions for the benefit of a handful of modern-day robber barons. The vast majority of Democrats and Republicans have been bought and paid for by these insulated tycoons -- ever wonder about rich guys and corporations who give the maximum contribution to the Democrat and the Republican in the same race? You can bet that it ain't civic pride. If you are tired of working two jobs, and never getting ahead, this book will explain the truth about what is happening.

Rating:
Summary: Corporations Undermine Democracy
Review: Why is a 90-year old woman walking across America? Find out in the chapter on "Granny D", America's heroic campaign-finance reform activist. By rights, she should receive the public homage of John McCain when she arrives in Washington, D.C. in the coming weeks.

And why is Tom DeLay - the "bug man", as Hightower calls him - one of the most despicable politicians in the country? Find out in the chapter on Saipan, an island in the Mariannas where, in what is nominally US territory, thousands of Asian workers are being held as quasi-slaves in garment factories run by crooked foreign businessmen for the benefit of US apparel companies, with the unwavering support of the Majority Whip of the House of Representatives.

In this explosive book by the well-known Texan agitator, both heroes and villains are grist for his contention that what is at stake in America today is nothing less than democracy, under constant attack from corporate interests and their clients in the political world. But far from merely bemoaning this wretched state of affairs, Hightower shows the citizens of America how they should resist the creeping abrogation of their political, social, and economic rights.

The French (whose help, after all, was critical in winning the war of independence) have their own way of putting this in their national anthem, which dates back to the French Revolution: "Aux armes, citoyens!" - "Citizens, take up arms!"

As the Republic enters its third century looking increasingly like the thirteen States before they rebelled against their unelected masters overseas, Jim Hightower writes like its colorful, twangy, latter-day Tom Paine. This is a call to arms for American democracy - we may ignore it, but only at our own peril.