By JOHN NORTH

Progressive pundit and author Jim Hightower fielded questions and allowed audience members to make statements during a 20-minute question-and-answer session that followed his address last Thursday night at First Congregational Church of Christ in downtown Asheville. (A full story on his address begins on Page 1 of this edition of the Daily Planet.)

A man opened the Q&A by noting that he “doesn’t like the idea” of the citizenry having to pay for campaigns, particularly for the cost of repetitive sound-byte ads on television and radio. “Why can’t we reform” this system?

“I totally agree with you on the need for the reforms,” Hightower replied. He said public financing of campaigns, which he advocates, “actually lowers the costs” for everyone.

He added, “This is a more honest system. It gets the lobbyists out of the system ... Look at what other cities and states have done ... It already has been accomplished” in some other cities and states.
Cecil Bothwell, who bills himself as a progressive candidate for a seat on the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners, then stood up and asked for $10 donations from any supporters in the crowd.

Bothwell, who had no questions for Hightower, added that he is seeking to clean up political campaigns.

Another questioner asked how one could find out which of the candidates for judge on the state Supreme Court is Clean Election-certified.

Hightower said that, among other sources, Common Cause has a database that would provide that information.

Someone asked, “Can we get the lobbyists out of government?”

“No,” Hightower answered, “I don’t think we will because there is a First Amendment right to lobby, but there isn’t a right to buy voters and elections.”

To the groans of some in the partisan audience, he then noted that “we have the phenomenon of Democrats supporting Bush on domestic spying.”

“Shame! Shame!” a woman said aloud.

Hightower said much improvement could be made in the U.S. political system “if you take the corporate special-interest money out.”

In a riff on the Democrats’ current proclivity to support Bush on nearly everything, Hightower said he received a recent e-mail in which a friend joked, “I hope Bush gets caught smoking pot, so the Democrats will legalize it.”

A questioner asked, “If Bush and (Vice President Dick) Cheney are not called to account for their misdeeds, then what should prevent another president or vice president from doing the same things?”

“The answer is ‘nothing,’” Hightower replied. “I think they should be pursued” while still in office and, if necessary, after they leave office.

Further, he said, “Actually, the Founders established Congress as the superior branch — they were against (the tyrrany of) King George III.” Moreover, Congress has the “inherent impeachment policy,” which is rarely used.

“So,” Hightower said, “the failure here is in the Bush-Cheney regime, but it’s also Congress’ failure.”

A man said, “I agree with you, Jim. Until there is a mass of anger and informed outrage in this country, there won’t be any reform.”

“Thanks!” Hightower said, to the audience member’s succinct summary of his stance.

A woman said her group filed for articles of impeachment and was rebuffed.

With a grin, Hightower said in the history of the progressive movement, almost never do initial efforts succeed. He said gains are experienced usually through repeated and determined efforts.

He then quoted “my friend” Willie Nelson, the country singer, “who once told me, ‘The early bird might get the worm, but it’s the second mouse that gets the cheese.’”

The Nelson quote triggered the loudest laughter and applause of the night.

In thanking Hightower for his presentation and closing the program, N.C. Rep. Susan Fisher, D-Asheville, noted that it has been said that “if Will Rogers and Mother Jones had a baby, it’d be Jim Hightower!”