--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Politics isn't about left versus right…" description: "\"Politics isn't about left versus right; it's about top versus bottom.\" — Jim Hightower" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84e/jim-hightower-10047_bottom_politics-isn-t-about-left-versus-right-i_2680522.jpg" --- # Politics isn't about left versus right; it's about top… ![“Politics isn't about left versus right; it's about top versus bottom.” quote by Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84e/jim-hightower-10047_bottom_politics-isn-t-about-left-versus-right-i_2680522.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84e/jim-hightower-10047_bottom_politics-isn-t-about-left-versus-right-i_2680522.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84e/jim-hightower-10047_bottom_politics-isn-t-about-left-versus-right-i_2680522.jpg) > “Politics isn't about left versus right; it's about top versus bottom.” [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Politics should be seen as a hierarchy of power structures, not a simple left‑right spectrum. **In simple terms:** Power hierarchy over left‑right. Key Takeaway Focus on power dynamics, not labels. Themes politics power hierarchy ideology Mood critical inquisitive Type political analytical When to use this quote - policy analysis - activism - organizational strategy Key Concepts political theory sociology Questions to Reflect On - How do power structures affect policy outcomes? - What alternatives exist to the left‑right model? A Different Perspective Simplifying politics to left‑right can ignore deeper power issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bottom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bottom/) [Left](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/left/) [Left Versus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/left-versus-1179080/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Politics Isn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics-isn-355616/) [Versus Right](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/versus-right-2577285/) ## Related quotes > [Well, any time you do anything good, it's man versus himself, right? That's the art, the challenge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cusack/well-any-time-you-do-anything-good-it-s-man-versus-himself-right-that/) [John Cusack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cusack/) > [The really tough choices...don't center upon right versus wrong. They involve right versus right. They are genuine dilemmas precisely because each side is firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rushworth-kidder/the-really-tough-choices-don-t-center-upon-right-versus-wrong-they/) [Rushworth Kidder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rushworth-kidder/) > [Most people assume the fights are going to be the left versus the right, but it always is the reasonable versus the jerks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-wales/most-people-assume-the-fights-are-going-to-be-the-left-versus-the/) [Jimmy Wales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-wales/) > [The old division of Left versus Right is dead. In the Internet age, it's about citizens versus parliamentary relics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beppe-grillo/the-old-division-of-left-versus-right-is-dead-in-the-internet-age-it/) [Beppe Grillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beppe-grillo/) > [ I don't think that what I'm doing \[political cartooning\] is necessarily left versus right. What I'm addressing is top versus bottom. If I'm not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-tomorrow/i-don-t-think-that-what-i-m-doing-political-cartooning-is-necessarily/) [Tom Tomorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-tomorrow/) > [The classic one for me is one of my favorite images - left-versus-right political-spectrum image. I was trying to visualize the concepts on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccandless/the-classic-one-for-me-is-one-of-my-favorite-images-left-versus-right/) [David Mccandless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccandless/) > [Politics isn't something that really interested me; I, of course, care about what's going on in the world, but so much of political discourse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-o-malley/politics-isn-t-something-that-really-interested-me-i-of-course-care/) [Mike O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-o-malley/) > [I'm no longer interested in making political films. There's something old-fashioned about them. Young people now don't care for politics. It isn't present in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernardo-bertolucci/i-m-no-longer-interested-in-making-political-films-there-s-something/) [Bernardo Bertolucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernardo-bertolucci/) > [On the show, we are not trying to get people to eat their vegetables; we are not trying to get people to become Democrats.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-sheen/on-the-show-we-are-not-trying-to-get-people-to-eat-their-vegetables/) [Martin Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-sheen/) > [Sitting out of politics isn't really an option if you don't want things to slide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-pill/sitting-out-of-politics-isn-t-really-an-option-if-you-don-t-want/) [Alison Pill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-pill/) > [Either you're a political comedian or you're a stand-up. Just talking about politics isn't enough. People who talk about airplane food, you don't call…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-seder/either-you-re-a-political-comedian-or-you-re-a-stand-up-just-talking/) [Sam Seder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-seder/) > [You would be naive to suggest that politics isn't complicated or isn't a game, but you don't create change through cynicism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-gregoire-trudeau/you-would-be-naive-to-suggest-that-politics-isn-t-complicated-or-isn/) [Sophie Gregoire Trudeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-gregoire-trudeau/) > [Politics isn't just about doing the right thing. It's also about winning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-estrich/politics-isn-t-just-about-doing-the-right-thing-it-s-also-about/) [Susan Estrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-estrich/) > [The choice in politics isn't usually between black and white. It's between two horrible shades of gray.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-thorneycroft/the-choice-in-politics-isn-t-usually-between-black-and-white-it-s/) [Lord Thorneycroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-thorneycroft/) > [Politics isn't fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-burr/politics-isn-t-fun/) [Richard Burr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-burr/) ## More by Jim Hightower > [The original Greek word "idiotes" referred to people who might have had a high IQ, but were so self-involved that they focused exclusively on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/the-original-greek-word-idiotes-referred-to-people-who-might-have-had/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [It's hard to believe President George Bush gave a speech in New Orleans about disaster recovery and failed to mention the word 'farm' or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/it-s-hard-to-believe-president-george-bush-gave-a-speech-in-new/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [Do something. If it doesn't work, do something else. No idea is too crazy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/do-something-if-it-doesn-t-work-do-something-else-no-idea-is-too-crazy/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [The opposite for courage is not cowardice, it is conformity. Even a dead fish can go with the flow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/the-opposite-for-courage-is-not-cowardice-it-is-conformity-even-a/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [Some people say we need a third party. I wish we had a second one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/some-people-say-we-need-a-third-party-i-wish-we-had-a-second-one/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [Populism is not a style, it's a people's rebellion against the iron grip that big corporations have on our country - including our economy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/populism-is-not-a-style-it-s-a-people-s-rebellion-against-the-iron/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [Even a dead fish can go with the flow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/even-a-dead-fish-can-go-with-the-flow/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [There's enormous progressive activism and, more often than not, success at the grassroots level - everything from living wage campaigns to efforts to finance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/there-s-enormous-progressive-activism-and-more-often-than-not-success/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [If it's dangerous to talk to yourself, it's probably even dicier to listen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/if-it-s-dangerous-to-talk-to-yourself-it-s-probably-even-dicier-to/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [You have to learn to read between the lies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/you-have-to-learn-to-read-between-the-lies/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [Liberals want to manage the damage with government programs to take care of those who have fallen between the cracks. Populists want to fix…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/liberals-want-to-manage-the-damage-with-government-programs-to-take/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [Populists have always been out to challenge the orthodoxy of the corporate order and to empower workaday Americans so they can control their own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/populists-have-always-been-out-to-challenge-the-orthodoxy-of-the/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [The middle of the road is for yellow lines and dead armadillos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/the-middle-of-the-road-is-for-yellow-lines-and-dead-armadillos/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [Part of the failure of the corporate media is that they don't dig out stories anymore. They are looking down from the top floors.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/part-of-the-failure-of-the-corporate-media-is-that-they-don-t-dig-out/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) > [Politics ought to be fun. It shouldn't be just boring meetings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/politics-ought-to-be-fun-it-shouldn-t-be-just-boring-meetings/) [Jim Hightower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) [Explore all 68 Jim Hightower quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/) ## More Bottom quotes > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Filmmaking, like sex, isn't a polite enterprise. It involves a lot of mess and the bottom line is, if somebody ain't screaming, you're not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-woods/filmmaking-like-sex-isn-t-a-polite-enterprise-it-involves-a-lot-of/) [James Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-woods/) > [I was terrible student. I was capable, but I never like being told what to do, so I was always in the bottom class…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-lilley/i-was-terrible-student-i-was-capable-but-i-never-like-being-told-what/) [Chris Lilley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-lilley/) > [The contempt for law and the contempt for the human consequences of lawbreaking go from the bottom to the top of American society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-contempt-for-law-and-the-contempt-for-the-human-consequences-of/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [I plead with my Moonlight fans to give this show a chance if they let me give it a chance. I can’t do Moonlight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-o-loughlin/i-plead-with-my-moonlight-fans-to-give-this-show-a-chance-if-they-let/) [Alex O'Loughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-o-loughlin/) > [Well, the bottom line is that I'm extremely pleased with 'The Stupids.' I'm pleased that it's coming out, and it should look good. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-landis/well-the-bottom-line-is-that-i-m-extremely-pleased-with-the-stupids-i/) [John Landis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-landis/) > [Search for the seed of good in every adversity. Master that principle and you will own a precious shield that will guard you well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/search-for-the-seed-of-good-in-every-adversity-master-that-principle/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [I would have had a clause in my contract; I would've definitely put some fine print in my contract that said, "If the president…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-budden/i-would-have-had-a-clause-in-my-contract-i-would-ve-definitely-put/) [Joe Budden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-budden/) > [Of course the Dharma-body of the Buddha was the hedge at the bottom of the garden. At the same time, and no less obviously,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/of-course-the-dharma-body-of-the-buddha-was-the-hedge-at-the-bottom/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [When I hit bottom, I can attack the problem and get to where I want to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-rodman/when-i-hit-bottom-i-can-attack-the-problem-and-get-to-where-i-want-to/) [Dennis Rodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-rodman/) > [If I had lost the popular vote but won the electoral college and in my first day as president the intelligence community came to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/if-i-had-lost-the-popular-vote-but-won-the-electoral-college-and-in/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [The bottom line, in the professional level, no matter where you go, there's going to be competition. That's what it is. At the end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-tolzien/the-bottom-line-in-the-professional-level-no-matter-where-you-go/) [Scott Tolzien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-tolzien/) > [Life is a climb and it's a struggle getting to the top but the drop to the bottom can be quick and so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/life-is-a-climb-and-it-s-a-struggle-getting-to-the-top-but-the-drop/) [Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/) > [One thing you learned as a Cubs fan: when you bought you ticket, you could bank on seeing the bottom of the ninth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-garagiola/one-thing-you-learned-as-a-cubs-fan-when-you-bought-you-ticket-you/) [Joe Garagiola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-garagiola/) > [The political satirist usually votes against their own interests, but the bottom line is that it doesn't really matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lizz-winstead/the-political-satirist-usually-votes-against-their-own-interests-but/) [Lizz Winstead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lizz-winstead/) [Browse all 2,558 Bottom quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bottom/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Politics isn't about left versus right; it's about top versus bottom.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jim Hightower" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/politics-isn-t-about-left-versus-right-it-s-about-top-versus-bottom/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bottom" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/politics-isn-t-about-left-versus-right-it-s-about-top-versus-bottom/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84e/jim-hightower-10047_bottom_politics-isn-t-about-left-versus-right-i_2680522.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84e/jim-hightower-10047_bottom_politics-isn-t-about-left-versus-right-i_2680522.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/84e/jim-hightower-10047_bottom_politics-isn-t-about-left-versus-right-i_2680522.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Politics isn't about left versus right; it's about top versus bottom.” — Jim Hightower", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jim Hightower", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hightower/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Politics isn't about left versus right;...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/politics-isn-t-about-left-versus-right-it-s-about-top-versus-bottom/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hightower/politics-isn-t-about-left-versus-right-it-s-about-top-versus-bottom/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```