Mike Gravel for President?
A close friend of mine is a big Mike Gravel (former Alaskan senator and current Democratic Presidential candidate) supporter, so I had to check him out, and I like what I’m seeing - from his official website…
- Senator Gravel’s position on Iraq remains clear and consistent: to commence an immediate and orderly withdrawal of all U.S. troops that will have them home within 60 days.
- Senator Gravel firmly opposes a military confrontation with Iran and advocates a diplomatic solution to the current situation.
- There is only one entity in the U.S. that pays taxes: the individual. Businesses and corporations do not, they merely collect taxes from consumers of their products and pass on the taxes to the government. The Fair Tax proposal calls for eliminating the IRS and the Income Tax and replacing it with a progressive national Sales Tax on new products and services.
- Senator Gravel believes that global climate change is a matter of national security.
- Senator Gravel advocates a universal health-care voucher program in which the federal government would issue annual health care vouchers to Americans based on their projected needs. Under the Senator’s plan, all Americans would be fully covered and would be free to use their vouchers to choose their own health care professional. No one would ever be denied health insurance because of their health, wealth, or any other reason.
- Senator Gravel supports a woman’s right to choose and a woman’s control over her own body. [...]He unequivocally supports same-sex marriage and adoption.
- He strongly opposes the military’s ‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell’ legislation on the grounds that it is unconstitutional, as it restricts the rights of gay Americans, and he opposes any state or national constitutional amendment that restricts the rights of the LGBT community.
- Senator Mike Gravel wants to put real money, rather than borrowed money, in the Social Security Trust Fund, investing it properly and identifying the interests of individual beneficiaries so they can leave their surplus funds to their heirs.
- We are losing an entire generation of young men and women to our prisons. Our nation’s ineffective and wasteful “war on drugs†plays a major role in this. We must place a greater emphasis on rehabilitation and prevention. We must de-criminalize minor drug offenses and increase the availability and visibility of substance abuse treatment and prevention in our communities as well as in jails and prisons.
- Senator Gravel guarantees a free and open Internet with no restricted access to any site, for any reason. He will do this by supporting legislation and regulation that keeps you in control of your Internet usage.
I’ve been a big Ron Paul supporter and I still am, but honestly I’m getting tired of his “Leave it up to the states” reply for any “difficult” question thrown to him.
“but honestly I’m getting of his “Leave it up to the states†reply for any “difficult†question thrown to him.”
- But that answer is the Constitutional answer. Unless the constitution is amended to include all these other issues then it’s simply illegal since it’s unconstitutional. It’s outside the federal government’s jurisdiction. Healthcare, Education, etc… - all state issues. The constitution does not authorize the federal government to touch them.
Comment by TJ — Wed, Jul 25th, 2007 @ 10:20 pm
I have to agree with TJ. I remember someone else on another blog commenting that he keeps “avoiding” the questions by saying “leave it up to the states,” but that is exactly what the Founders intended. They didn’t want one behemoth federal government making every single rule for 300 million Americans to follow. He’s been very consistent on saying that the Constitution is the only document the feds should be enforcing. Otherwise, leave it up to the 50 states to experiment with society and discover what is the best solution for all these “problems” like drugs, education, etc…
Comment by Hmmm — Wed, Jul 25th, 2007 @ 10:32 pm
But that answer is the Constitutional answer. Unless the constitution is amended to include all these other issues then it’s simply illegal since it’s unconstitutional.
Agreed, but that’s just not realistic in today’s era. In today’s era, people just don’t care about the constitution and state’s rights. And if state’s rights ever became a serious issue (which it won’t), Americans will just vote against them.
Comment by Phil — Wed, Jul 25th, 2007 @ 10:40 pm
but that is exactly what the Founders intended. They didn’t want one behemoth federal government making every single rule for 300 million Americans to follow.
Honestly, who gives a fuck what the founding fathers intended. They’re dead.
Comment by Phil — Wed, Jul 25th, 2007 @ 10:41 pm
Wow, Phil. Wow. I thought you were a little more rational than that. It’s not really what the Founders believed themselves. It has more to do with the idea of freedom. They understood human nature, as well as the nature of government. Go look up the quotes of the Founders and you will find immense knowledge that can easily be applied to present day. Every warning they gave was ignored by the populace and now we’re paying the price. Who gives a fuck what the Founders intended, huh? I guess people like, who still believe in liberty.
Comment by Hmmm — Wed, Jul 25th, 2007 @ 10:54 pm
I agree with TJ and Hmmm. It should indeed be left to the states. Federal government programs in the US have a tendency to grow and grow and grow… And it becomes yet another BIG source of capital to politicize.
Ron Paul is right. It might seem like a cop-out answer, but it’s the right answer. Competition needs to evolve between the states to develop the best program. The motivator is that each state wants to attract the best workforce and investors—just like the countries in Europe.
The only thing standing in America’s way is overtaxation at the Federal level. It reduces the states’ ability to implement their own plans.
Comment by Kristian — Wed, Jul 25th, 2007 @ 11:10 pm
I’d also take a look at Governor Bill Richardson. He’s currently at a statistical dead heat in the polls with Senator John Edwards, which puts him 3rd behind Obama and Clinton. He’s got more experience than any of the other candidates, understands the issues, and has actual solutions for most of them.
Comment by PhoneBoy — Wed, Jul 25th, 2007 @ 11:14 pm
EU model actually works better than the US one. Political power is still mainly in the hands of individual countries i.e. “states” and not concentrated too much into Brussels.
Each country has a lot of political and economical freedom, much more than individual US states. It is better for people to have 30 times 10 million people democratic “units” than one mammoth 300 million with one Big Imperial City along with de facto Emperor with Praetorian guards.
It is also costly to be a representative in that. You need a lot of money. That is why members of US Congress, Senate and the President does not really give a damn about working and middle class, the majority. For most of them, those people are just annoying little shits to be pleased every four year.
Democracy should not be dependent on RICH people’s good graces, the minority. Ron Paul is just another millionaire with fetism for common people. That is totally different than having actually average Joes and Janes up there deciding.
Comment by tim73 — Wed, Jul 25th, 2007 @ 11:37 pm
It’s not really what the Founders believed themselves. It has more to do with the idea of freedom.
Thomas Jefferson used to own slaves and rape the female ones. So much for freedom. I don’t see why fellow libertarians always need to use cite these hypocritical founding fathers when supporting freedom.
Comment by Phil — Thu, Jul 26th, 2007 @ 12:47 am
Ron Paul is right. It might seem like a cop-out answer, but it’s the right answer.
Probably so, but I fear that Americans would really be scared of him if they really knew how he felt about the issue. For instance abortion. He’s pro-life, but would leave it up to the states to decide. It’s a great good-cop, bad-cop strategy.
I’m all for states’ rights but in 2008, it’s a mute issue, no one cares. Well, the 1% that support him (like I) do.
Comment by Phil — Thu, Jul 26th, 2007 @ 12:52 am
Political power is still mainly in the hands of individual countries i.e. “states†and not concentrated too much into Brussels.
The EU seems to have control in silly little details like what kind of drink can be called vodka.
Comment by Anonymous — Thu, Jul 26th, 2007 @ 1:01 am
On the KEY issue: TAXES - and specifically the FairTax movement to REPLACE the income tax - Gravel is the ONLY Dem candidate that is telling the truth to the American public. Consider the following excerpts on the devastation caused by the income tax system:
—————–
Where is the outrage over sky-high taxes, regulatory costs?
by Steve Higgins
7/15/07 - New Haven (CT) Register (Fair Use excerpts)
“Reports last week from two nonprofit groups should serve as a wake-up call to Americans to start agitating for tax reform . . .
“On Monday, the Competitive Enterprise Institute reported that the cost to consumers of complying with federal regulations exceeded $1 trillion in 2006 . . . almost 10 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product. It’s nearly half the amount of government spending.
“Even more worrisome, the cost of complying with these multitudinous regulations exceeds the amount of individual income tax paid in 2006, about $998 billion, as well as corporate incomes taxes of $277 billion.
“According to the Washington, DC-based advocacy group [ Americans for Tax Reform ], the average American had to work through July 11 this year just to pay all federal, state and local taxes, as well as regulatory costs including workers’ compensation and unemployment benefits.
“Congress should take one of two paths: Either cut tax rates and government spending drastically, or adopt the FairTax, an innovative proposal that would involve abolishing the Internal Revenue Service and its income tax and replacing it with a simple national sales tax.”
Full article here: http://snipr.com/wherestheoutrage
—————–
. . . The U.S. income tax system and the U.S. economy are inter-related, and are in DIRE trouble. If we, the citizens of these United States, do not act aggressively to spread the FairTax plan with family, friends and associates - our “nest eggs” stand to be devastated through a coming economic meltdown (see Kotlikoff interview, below).
Politicians are putting demogoguery and pandering above responsible governing - and they’re able to do it because Americans do NOT understand - at the “get go” - politicians’ / bankers’ hunger for ever-increasing shares of the working person’s bi-weekly paycheck; Americans do NOT understand the totality of taxes they pay. The FairTax shines the “light of day” on this, putting citizens back in charge to forcefully demand spending reductons.
YOU AND I MUST ACT to mobilize public opinion, and get the FairTax enacted, because the signs point to a probable devaluation of the dollar (for reissuance of an “Amero” ? - under a U.S.-sovereignty-busting North American Union? http://youtube.com/watch?v=6hiPrsc9g98 )
[ NOTE: Does this help clarify your understanding of what's going on globally? a) Bush's persistence on rewarding illegal immigration? b) the North American Highway now under construction in Texas (to stream cheap labor into the covertly-planned North American Union marketplace designed to compete with 21st-century China market? c) the gradual increase in value of the Chinese yuan by China corresponding to China's economic growth? (This will result in the dumping of dollar-denominated debt as its manufacturing economy grows stronger - which guarantees devaluing and ushering-in of the Amero.) ]
Keep in mind, this NAU strategy - supported by the “super-rich” (member-owners of the Fed) - together with their politician buddies who want NOTHING to do with FairTax - runs contrary to simply making the U.S. a “tax free zone” for business under the FairTax. Politicians and bankers lose power when the U.S. is returned to a “savings-driven economy” from a “debt/interest-driven” economy).
————-
Read the summary, “Laurence J. Kotlikoff (*) on Long-Term Fiscal Problems in the U.S.,” and download the podcast here: http://taxfoundation.org/news/show/1859.html
(*) Prof. Laurence Kotlikoff (expert economist, and advocate, of the FairTax plan)
————-
Powerful “elites,” members of political and monied-interest “clubs” reaching into the halls of power in Washington, depend on keeping you and me uninformed of their plans. It is up to YOU and ME to ACT - and not live in a state of denial - based on what we now know is clearly happening to our financial futures.
After you consult the Kotlikoff interview (above):
• (If you’re a member of your State FairTax organization) Contact your state or local FairTax Director to learn what you can do. Find yours here: http://snipr.com/localftleaders
• (If you’re just learning about the FairTax bill) Join FairTax.org here: http://snipurl.com/scrapthecode
Comment by Ian — Thu, Jul 26th, 2007 @ 1:51 am
You like this guy? Does he say what he will do after he cuts and runs from Iraq and 1 Million die because of his action?
I changed my numbers on Ron Paul, counting his wife and Phil, he gets a total of 2 votes.
Comment by winter “Yea, Proton Power, now in remission†— Thu, Jul 26th, 2007 @ 1:55 am
I thought that “state’s rights” was settled back in the Civil War. The last time it was a major issue was back in the civil rights era.
But I must be getting a brain tumor, because I actually agree with Phil. The Founding Fathers died 200 years ago. We should be looking forwards not backwards, which I believe is what the Founding Fathers intended. Personally, I always thought that one of the strengths of our system was that it can be changed to adapt to new situations.
Comment by dhen — Thu, Jul 26th, 2007 @ 2:25 am
EU model actually works better than the US one. Political power is still mainly in the hands of individual countries i.e. “states†and not concentrated too much into Brussels.
Each country has a lot of political and economical freedom, much more than individual US states.
The problem with this comparison is that the EU is a loose confederation of sovereign republics. The US isn’t, it’s a federal republic. 50 states governed by a single entity. (other examples are India and Mexico) Most states were territories, but only a few were ever sovereign republics (i.e. Texas, Hawaii, California). “State” in this context means two things, sovereign nation and territory.
Comment by gopha — Thu, Jul 26th, 2007 @ 2:29 am
By the way, Phil, you should change your poll to include “anyone with a snowball’s chance in Hell of defeating the Republicans,” which is what I would have checked.
Comment by dhen — Thu, Jul 26th, 2007 @ 2:30 am
Who is he and why should I care?
Really. US is a two-party state and it only matters who of the two there is, its a questioen of either-or. Atleast in Finland even they claim its a democracy you get a choice of three… as in realistically…
Comment by Hank W. — Thu, Jul 26th, 2007 @ 3:24 am
This thread does bring out one issue, the Federal Government gets blamed for everything, including things the States are responsible.
Funds for Education. State issue (80-90% comes from local taxes)
Same for law enforcement, unemployment, even minimum wages. Yes there is the Federal minimum wage, but states can have higher ones if they want. Even Katrina should have started as a State issue, with the Federal Government following up 2-3 days later.
But let’s keep hammering the wrong people.
Comment by Fred Fry — Thu, Jul 26th, 2007 @ 6:42 am
How about foreign policy, can we blame the states for that? Bush and co. made their bed. Now they can sleep in it.
Comment by dhen — Thu, Jul 26th, 2007 @ 8:04 am
#8 - tm73: I have to disagree, even though I like the EU and dislike both Paul and Gravel.
One could argue that millionaires (or billionaires like Bloomberg) are not subject to undue influence from special interests. Unless they are batshit greedy, nobody can buy them. As for the poor people, they do not vote in America. The soccer moms and the christian fundamentalists do.
#9 - Phil: I agree. As far as I am concerned, they are dead white men. They did not like taxes so they roused the population and overthrew the Brits. Just because they then wrote a (pretty good) constitution, does not make them always right.
#12 - Ian: Your post was long and amusing. It led me to believe that Gravel may have his fiscal and monetary policies confused. Also, societies are not built in the most efficient way, they are built in the perceived fairness of their policies. Hence, I believe that a sales tax instead of an income tax makes absolutely no sense. It overwhelmingly overtaxes the poor. $40 in gas is a lot more to pay for a poor person than a rich person, as is $4 in gas tax.
Furthermore, I would rather see roads, schools and hospitals built rather than walls, armies and cemeteries.
Comment by Herkku — Thu, Jul 26th, 2007 @ 11:57 am
A federal healthcare program isn’t illegal in the US. The federal government already spends money on healthcare and the US Supreme Court isn’t about to stop the practice. You may disagree with the Supreme Court, but that doesn’t make your opinion the law of the land.
Comment by a lamb with no guiding light — Thu, Jul 26th, 2007 @ 1:55 pm
As for the poor people, they do not vote in America. The soccer moms and the christian fundamentalists do.
I thing it was Scott Turow who wrote that soccer moms are the best thing the humankind has ever come up with. You know, it has to do with decency and caring.
Christian fundamentalists are lead by wannabe Nazis, those poor bastards.
Comment by A noon — Thu, Jul 26th, 2007 @ 1:56 pm
“If you’re a member of your State FairTax organization”
no such thing exists. They are just “How can I tax my neighbor organizations, and move my taxes to him organizations”.
You have to remember, taxes are the most evil thing a Gov imposes on the poor, it stops economic growth, and puts the poor out of jobs.
Comment by winter “Yea, Proton Power, now in remission†— Thu, Jul 26th, 2007 @ 2:04 pm
“Thomas Jefferson used to own slaves and rape the female ones.”
Well, that doesn’t necessarily make him a bad person
Comment by Kristian — Thu, Jul 26th, 2007 @ 2:50 pm
“I thing it was Scott Turow who wrote that soccer moms are the best thing the humankind has ever come up with. You know, it has to do with decency and caring.”
- Your kidding right? Soccer moms are selfish, self-important people who probably have 3x the average American’s carbon footprint. And on top of that, half of them can’t handle the huge monsters that they are driving. Not for anything, but they are the stereotype that gets bashed on this website all the time.
I hate soccer moms.
Comment by Fred Fry — Thu, Jul 26th, 2007 @ 3:29 pm
but honestly I’m getting of his “Leave it up to the states†reply for any “difficult†question thrown to him.â€Â
Yes, Phil, too bad that’s the libertarian answer to all the questions asked to him. Do you see anything in the constitution that says the federal government ought to control health care? That it should provide vouchers? What the hell? Or that it should be responsible for our retirement? That whole bit about putting real money into the social security trust fund sounds great, until you realize there are only IOUs in there. He’d have to raise social security taxes first, high enough to 1) pay current retirees and 2) actually invest some of it. That would equal extremely high taxation.
Comment by Rochelle — Thu, Jul 26th, 2007 @ 4:21 pm
Soccer moms. Good for the econemy, soon to all be driving a Hummer. Yea, they know what they want, and go get it, the Government and do-gooders be dammed.
By the way Rochelle, if you ask folks to come off the government retirement, putting their future money into their own self controlled retirement, then you have all the money you took from them in the first place, with no obligation in the future to pay out. The current path leads to super high taxes no matter which way you figure it.
Fixing a ponzi scheme, Social Welfare, that we call retirement, will not be easy.
Comment by winter, "Yea, Proton Power, now in remission" — Thu, Jul 26th, 2007 @ 5:21 pm
[quote]- Senator Gravel’s position on Iraq remains clear and consistent: to commence an immediate and orderly withdrawal of all U.S. troops that will have them home within 60 days.[/quote]
What a great idea! I’m sure the violence will end. Also, it’s good thinking to tell the enemy exactly when you’re going to do what.
[quote]- Senator Gravel firmly opposes a military confrontation with Iran and advocates a diplomatic solution to the current situation.[/quote]
Hey, maybe this guy isn’t such a genius, after all… I mean, why would the Iranian government agree to do anything the sane world wants them to, if there’s no threat of force? “Please, class, be quiet now, and study the text - although, there will be no consequences whatsoever, if you don’t…”
Comment by Someone from Espoo — Thu, Jul 26th, 2007 @ 5:37 pm
What a great idea! I’m sure the violence will end. Also, it’s good thinking to tell the enemy exactly when you’re going to do what.
Bush fucked us now someone’s gonna have to clean up his mess. Whether the U.S. stays or leaves, it’s not going to be pretty. The U.S. should try using diplomacy instead of bombs.
Comment by Phil — Thu, Jul 26th, 2007 @ 6:24 pm
winter:”The current path leads to super high taxes no matter which way you figure it.”
Maybe spending 40 percent of tax dollars to military (all direct and indirect costs) has something to do with that. US economy is basically on “hidden” war footing.
Comment by tim73 — Thu, Jul 26th, 2007 @ 6:25 pm
“What a great idea! I’m sure the violence will end. Also, it’s good thinking to tell the enemy exactly when you’re going to do what.”
Could you please clarify which one is the enemy?
Comment by Kristian — Thu, Jul 26th, 2007 @ 6:59 pm
“Bush fucked us now someone’s gonna have to clean up his mess. ”
Huh
Did you even know that every Dem said to invade. Did you know that Bill Clinton said he would have done the same thing? Invade?
Or does the BBC hide these facts?
Both parties said to go in, only one wants the USA to win.
Comment by winter “Yea, Proton Power, now in remission†— Thu, Jul 26th, 2007 @ 7:45 pm
“Bush fucked us now someone’s gonna have to clean up his mess. ”
Huh
Did you even know that every Dem said to invade. Did you know that Bill Clinton said he would have done the same thing? Invade?
Or does the BBC hide these facts?
Both parties said to go in, only one wants the USA to win.
No Bush has the vision just like Reagan had when the Dems were saying “Don’t you dare tear down that wall”.
Comment by winter “Yea, Proton Power, now in remission†— Thu, Jul 26th, 2007 @ 7:48 pm
By the way, war is a mess. Thats the definition of war for morons who think it is a nice walk in the park. Now eat some meat and become a man. Cave man that is.
Comment by winter “Yea, Proton Power, now in remission†— Thu, Jul 26th, 2007 @ 7:53 pm
“Bush fucked us now someone’s gonna have to clean up his mess. Whether the U.S. stays or leaves, it’s not going to be pretty. The U.S. should try using diplomacy instead of bombs.”
- this of course requires good faith on the other side. We have not done anything to North Korea except not give them free stuff fast enough. Look how pissed of that gets them. Then again diplomacy’s tools do include isolation.
Comment by Fred Fry — Fri, Jul 27th, 2007 @ 3:38 pm
Yeah you see stuff about Ron Paul everywhere on internets, but i wouldn’t like to see that guy as president since he’s pretty creepy populist. And saw that Mike Gravel guy on debate and he doesn’t feel so stable. I’m fine with mainstream democrats Barack and Clinton but if Giuliani (whatta creepy fucker) wins we’re doomed.
Comment by tony — Fri, Jul 27th, 2007 @ 9:12 pm
And the only reason you’re giving them free stuff Fred is cause “they got da bomb” right? As for your diplomatic isolation, I take it by that you mean Cuba as your shinning example?
Comment by Punter — Fri, Jul 27th, 2007 @ 10:22 pm
“I’m fine with mainstream democrats Barack and Clinton but if Giuliani (whatta creepy fucker) wins we’re doomed.”
I agree about Giuliani. But you don’t think Clinton is creepy? Uhhhg.
Comment by Kristian — Sat, Jul 28th, 2007 @ 2:30 pm
Well yeah kind of. She has some policies which i don’t really like but she is still better of most other candidates. I saw Ron Paul in Colbert Report and the guy was as campy as Vayrynen.
Comment by tony — Sat, Jul 28th, 2007 @ 9:50 pm
Look, Clinton will win. The next 4 years will be nothing but a joke until we throw her out. Another Carter comming.
In the mean time, book the White House for your friends and family, all it will take is money to her.
Comment by winter “Yea, Proton Power, now in remission†— Sun, Jul 29th, 2007 @ 5:24 am
Yes, we all know that the Bush administration has been a model of transparency.
Comment by dhen — Sun, Jul 29th, 2007 @ 9:30 am
“Bush administration has been a model of transparency.”
a least the sleeze factor is lower. 8 years ago we all thought summer interns were Presidential favorites. Then again Cigars are no longer to be smoked.
Comment by winter “Yea, Proton Power, now in remission†— Mon, Jul 30th, 2007 @ 4:29 am
Hmm, let’s see. Consensual sex with interns or stealing my tax money to give it to cronies like the Haliburton and friends. Which is more likely to negatively influence my life…
Shit, if I were married to Hillary I’d be messing around, too.
Comment by dhen — Tue, Jul 31st, 2007 @ 1:35 am
Haliburton… Hummm
Did they get their contract from whO?????? Clinton?????
Comment by winter “Yea, Proton Power, now in remission†— Tue, Jul 31st, 2007 @ 2:44 pm