Mike Gravel Joins Libertarian Party

...and Mike Gravel ain't no Libertarian.

http://groups.yahoo.com/g...

Maybe he sat down and watched 'Money as Debt', 'America: Freedom to Fascism', 'Fiat Empire', etc., etc., and saw the light. Let's hope so. Otherwise, he might as well have joined the Green Party.

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"Basically I'm in the idea business — whether it's a musical idea or a spoken idea ... If you wind up with a political system that wants to put idea men out of business, then you have worry on your hands."

-- Frank Zappa

"there is no right or left, only up or down. Up to freedom or down into tyrany."

compared to this scale is he better or worse then the current options...assuming mccain is nominated.... hmmmm

He is going to be on Thursday March 27th 4:00pm est.

We need to stop with the socialist garbage. I agree with him on more issues than McCain. It is the fighters of our liberty who get my respect. Those issues should not be political, but RIGHTS not to be taken.

Okay, so does this mean that Gravel is, in effect, no longer an eligible candidate in the Democratic race? (Not that many even knew he was still in the running.) I can't imagine one can switch party affiliation and remain in a race run by the party they left...

I like what Mike has done for this country and that he stands for what is right even if he has to stand alone for 5 months in front of congress in a filibuster to end the draft during the Vietnam war. What he did to get the pentagon papers into the public record which showed the lies from BOTH parties that put us in the war. He is a man of action that arises when his country is in trouble.

That said I don't agree with his health care plan, or Fair Tax, or national referendum idea. I do think that the American people should be the last court of appeal to override the supreme court but not to make laws directly. Although, I do believe in state referendums to make state laws.

This should be obvious to anyone who knows anything about him. For others...

Excerpts from http://www.gravel2008.us/...

Healthcare Senator Gravel advocates a universal healthcare system that provides equal medical services to all citizens, paid for by a retail sales tax (a portion of the Progressive Fair tax). Citizens would pay nothing for health benefits. For more information go here and here.

Education Access to public education is a bedrock American value. Why is it then that the United States ranks 49th in literacy and that an estimated 30% of our students don't graduate from high school? Investing in education provides a pathway to a thriving national economy, to individual and family economic opportunity, and to the reduction of poverty. A successful education system requires the commitment of families, the community, and government. It's time to re-order our national budget priorities in order to improve the American education system. Parent education and access to preschool programs such as Head Start need to be expanded so that children from lowincome families are equally ready to benefit from elementary school. Universal pre-kindergarten would also enhance readiness. Encouraging our students to be the best they can be will require flexibility from the federal and state governments, within school systems, and from groups with a stake in educational success. Flexibility may mean extended school days and summer learning opportunities or extended school years. It may mean online and broadcast courses to provide access to highly qualified teachers. It may mean charter schools to address the needs of local communities, smaller classes, enrichment programs for students at risk, and vocational options. One thing we know for sure: No Child Left Behind has left too many children behind. It needs to be reformed and adequately funded. It needs to acknowledge the need for a fuller curriculum that encourages critical thinking—not just math and science test-taking. A high school diploma should be the minimum goal for all students; without it, our children will be condemned to a substandard economic existence.

Progressive Taxes - A fair Tax Senator Gravel's Progressive Fair Tax proposal calls for eliminating the IRS and the income tax and replacing it with a national sales tax on new products and services. To compensate for the tax on necessities, such as food, lodging, transportation and clothing, there would be a "rebate" to reimburse taxpayers. This would be paid in a monthly check from the government to all citizens. The focus on taxing new goods would also help tackle the global climate change problem. For more information go here and here More information on what FairTax is and how it works can be found here, here, and here.

Global Warming/Climate Change Senator Gravel believes that global climate change is a matter of national security and survivability of the planet. As President, he will act swiftly to reduce America's carbon footprint in the world by initiating legislation to tax carbon at the source and cap carbon emissions. He is also committed to leading the fight against global deforestation, which today is second only to the energy sector as a source of greenhouses gases. However, any legislation will have little impact on the global environment if we do not work together with other global polluters. China, India and under-dveloped nations all work together fighting climate change can only be effective if it is a collective global effort. As President, Senator Gravel will see that the U.S. launches and leads a massive global scientific effort, integrating the world's scientific and engineering community, to end energy dependence on oil and integrate the world's scientific community in this task. For more information go here, here, and here.

Green party maybe, libertarian party no. This guy is crazy to thing libertarians would accept him.

This might work out..

I'm very glad that Mike has joined the Libertarian Party. He will have a very difficult time getting the LP (Libertarian Party) nomination However if he talks and walks like a SERIOUS libertarian he may be able to win it.

If he does he will add some media exposure and name recognition to the LP.. hell I would vote for him probably too.

Im personally pulling for Steve Kubby to get the nod. With the exception of abortion he sounds a lot like Dr. Paul.

Please support local music.
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Well this could be either very good or kinda bad IMO. If he joined as a result of having been awoken to the problems within his own belief system. Then I say thats a good thing, accept that it doesn't really show a history of sound principles able to stand up the scrutiny the liberty movement. This doesn't exactly say, "I'm ready to lead, it's my time." If he absorbs himself with libertarian ideals and modify's his own ideals as a result i'm happy for him, but one would think to be a time taking process. If this is all a product of revelation then he's gonna have to write a book and explain himself.

"It is like a finger pointing away to the moon, don't concentrate on the finger or you will miss all the heavinly glory." - Bruce Lee

I'm happy to welcome Mr. Gravel aboard. I've always liked you, Mike!

My Shelfari page

Mike Gravel Walks Alone http://www.youtube.com/wa...
Interesting shots of Mike Gravel as a young Senator opposing the Vietnam War and the draft. He was fighting his own party much like Ron Paul is today.

More recently, Mike let Hillary have it. He wasn't allowed in any more Democratic debates http://www.youtube.com/wa...

Here is Mike commenting while sitting out the next debate. http://www.youtube.com/wa...

Mike even hung out with some Ron paul supporters. http://www.youtube.com/wa...

Mike's a great man. Thanks, Mike!

Read some of Gravel's books like "Citizen Power", you will see that he is a classic socialist who wants to divide the income of the productive members of society and dole it out to the lazy members.

... that the Republican Party did back in '88. Lee Atwater's "big tent" plan to let everyone in that was willing to put an "R" by their name, was the policy that led to the NeoCon takeover of the party. The Libertarian Party has started doing it now also. That is why I left that party. Mike Gravel is a nice guy, and totally superior to any of the Democrats, but he is NOT a libertarian - not even close. Silentboom, a few posts back, describes some of his very UN-libertarian views.

The seduction to "grow the party" quickly, at the expense of keeping to the party's principles, always seems to win out with these minor (and major) party leaders. It is just too sad to see.

I take my marching orders from the Constitution!

seem to become more sensible......after they LEFT office?

This shows how powerful the two party system really is. Even he realized to get elected, he had to be either a republican or democrat.

on democracy. There was the youtube put out by Mrs. Gravel a while back.....looking 4 it

Here it is:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=k...

Libertarians are seductive. You may start out only agreeing with us on a couple of issues, but we will point out your errors of logic until you admit that we're right about freedom. Freedom is the solution. ;)

Okay, maybe we aren't seductive. But freedom is.

IMissLiberty

This was the guy that was responsible for placing the Pentagon Papers into the Congressional record which helped to end the Vietnam undeclared war. I wonder if it were not for the likes of Mike Gravel, John McCCCP and his globalist ilk would still be fighting for "victory" in Vietnam.

With his apparent conversion to libertarianism I hope that Mike Gravel will begin to understand that many of his socialistic policies, like quote-universal healthcare, are premised on a largely counterfeit and fraudulent monetary system that corrupts capitalism and socialism alike and that an ideology of socialism is ultimately flawed when employed by government because of the intrinsic desire of dishonest politicians to increase the power of the state at the expense of individual liberty and the inevitable usurpation of the Supreme Law of the Land--a Constitutional Republic that is an expressly limited form of government that is intended to prevent the abuse by the state of the people's unalienable rights.

I would also add that he can change his gun-grabbing ways (take it from a recovered "democratic-socialist" gun-grabber). A well-armed populace is one defense against tyranny.

"We don't have to start a brand new revolution...All we have to do is restore the original Constitution." -Ron Paul

These don't match Libertarian views. Universal health care, carbon tax, increased sales tax with monthly checks. Very strange.

Global Warming/Climate Change - Senator Gravel believes that global climate change is a matter of national security and survivability of the planet. As President, he will act swiftly to reduce America's carbon footprint in the world by initiating legislation to tax carbon at the source and cap carbon emissions. He is also committed to leading the fight against global deforestation, which today is second only to the energy sector as a source of greenhouses gases. However, any legislation will have little impact on the global environment if we do not work together with other global polluters. China, India and under-developed nations all work together fighting climate change can only be effective if it is a collective global effort. As President, Senator Gravel will see that the U.S. launches and leads a massive global scientific effort, integrating the world's scientific and engineering community, to end energy dependence on oil and integrate the world's scientific community in this task. For more information go here, here, and here.

Progressive Taxes - A fair Tax Senator Gravel's Progressive Fair Tax proposal calls for eliminating the IRS and the income tax and replacing it with a national sales tax on new products and services. To compensate for the tax on necessities, such as food, lodging, transportation and clothing, there would be a "rebate" to reimburse taxpayers. This would be paid in a monthly check from the government to all citizens. The focus on taxing new goods would also help tackle the global climate change problem. For more information go here and here More information on what FairTax is and how it works can be found here, here, and here.

Healthcare - Senator Gravel advocates a universal healthcare system that provides equal medical services to all citizens, paid for by a retail sales tax (a portion of the Progressive Fair tax). Citizens would pay nothing for health benefits. For more information go here and here.

I like Mike Gravel because he's much more forceful when he confronts the crap that's going on, Ron Paul has a much lighter hand when it comes to things. They both stand for about the same principles but they do it in such different ways. Mike Gravel in his debates basically just called people out all the time forcing them to respond and Ron paul did it twice , The reading list for Rudy and the economics question to Mccain.

I like both of them. I thought Gravel kucinich would have been a good team. Paul/Gravel would be a good team too.

If RP doesn't win the nomination, I'm voting for Mike and his harnessing of the media initiative where the info will come straight from our representatives.

Kind of funny, I posted a criticism of him saying his only problem was he associated himself with Demockracy on YouTube 2 days ago. I said that "Sometimes, the smallest softest voice carries the biggest grandest solutions."

Two days later he changes to Libertarian. Wow, he really is my #2 choice. We've gotta unite behind one of them come November!

"Walls are stronger than the men that defend them."

Khan

i was at first for senator mike gravel, he was the only one who stood ujp to the military industrial complex. then i learned of currency, rfid chip etc from pauls platform.

i would love nothing better than a PAUL GRAVEL 08 ticket. that would be the best unifying ticket ever!!!!

http://www.gravel2008.us/...

I think its great that he is joining but it sounds as though he is joining in order to continue running for Prez ... Hmmm