2008 SelectSmart.com Presidential Candidate Selector Candidate Positions Former Senator Mike Gravel - A Democrat until March 26, 2008 when he announced that he is a Libertarian candidate for president. (Born May 13, 1930) Real estate developer

War authorization: Was one of the first current or former elected officials to publicly oppose the planned invasion of Iraq in 2002. He appeared on MSNBC prior to the invasion insisting that intelligence showed that there were indeed NO weapons of mass destruction, that Iraq posed no threat to the United States and that invading Iraq was against America’s national interests. Since declaring his candidacy for President, Senator Gravel has called for an immediate and orderly withdrawal of all U.S. troops from Iraq combined with aggressive and skilled diplomacy to end the sectarian violence currently consuming Iraq.

Security/liberties: Believes failures during Hurricane Katrina highlight structural changes that need to be made at the department. Source

Social Security: Gravel wants to put real 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. He also calls on Congress to stop raiding the Social Security Trust Fund.

Stem cell research: Supports embryonic stem-cell research. Source

Same sex issues: Supports same-sex marriage. Source

Trade issues: Believes NAFTA is unfair. Source

Budget issues: Advocates the replacement of income taxes and the IRS with a national sales tax. Source

Business & labor issues:

Abortion issues: Pro-choice. Source

Capital punishment: Favors abolition of the death penalty. Source

Marijuana: Responding to a caller on a CSPAN program asking about marijuana and the drug war, Gravel stated “That one is real simple, I would legalize marijuana. You should be able to buy that at a liquor store.” Source

Gun control: Supports right to bear arms. Source

Minimum wage:

Health care: The solution to the healthcare crisis is a national, universal single-payer not-for-profit U.S. healthcare system.

Prescription drugs:

Environmental issues: Global climate change must be made an issue of national security. We must act swiftly to reduce America's carbon footprint in the world by passing legislation that caps emissions. However, any legislation will have little impact on the global environment if we do not work together with other global polluters. Fighting global warming can only be effective if it is a collective global effort.

Immigration issues: Supports stronger borders. Believes unfair trade laws, including NAFTA, are the root of the problem. Wants changes to protect American and Mexican jobs. Source
Supports amnesty/permanent legalization for illegal aliens and temporary legalization for illegal aiens as guestworkers Source

Education issues: Gravel wrote a book titled Citizen Power, in which he advocated School vouchers. Source
No Child Left Behind has left far too many children behind. We have a dire situation in America; 30% of our kids do not graduate from high school. Nearly a third of our children are condemned to a substandard economic existence. Education in America must be properly funded. However, money will not solve all the problems. Washington D.C. ranks first in dollars spent, yet ranks last in achievement. We need to approach education comprehensively. We must properly fund education while raising the overall standard of living in America and making education a vital part of a healthy, thriving community.

Link to voting records and special interest group ratings. (If available).

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