Mike Gravel Kicked Some Serious Donkey tonight!

[BuddyRey]

I don't know if anybody watched it, but there was a Democratic debate tonight from Howard University, aired on PBS. Mike Gravel OWNED!!! The first thing he said is that we should immediately end the drug war, then he encouraged the people to empower themselves and stop trusting government. He even demanded the end of the Income tax! This guy is seriously testing the Democratic orthodoxy. Please, oh please Dr. Paul, consider forming a Unity ticket with this guy!

[Man from La Mancha]

Any YouTube on this guy?

[BuddyRey]

Any YouTube on this guy?

TONS! The Internet loves him, but the MSM doesn't (in that respect, he's got a lot in common with Dr. Paul).

Gravel's highlights in the 1st debate:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gMlHv2lDqA

Gravel's highlights in the 2nd debate:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oe_yPDTWGgs

[Shellshock1918]

I don't know if anybody watched it, but there was a Democratic debate tonight from Howard University, aired on PBS. !

Ah, no wonder I didn't watch it.

[Man from La Mancha]

This is the 1st I have had to watch Mike Gravel speak, he is such a firery orator. I loved hearing him. I'm so glad there is 2 guys making the puppets look like fools. Do you know that only 2 states have a gun policy where you don't need a permit to carry a concealed gun and one is Alaska. Now I know why, it's got to be Mike's help. He is 77. So what. An active mind lasts. I want Paul but this guy is very much needed. Have fun watch those videos. A life caring for our rights.

Maurice Robert "Mike" Gravel (born May 13, 1930), is a former Democratic United States Senator from Alaska for two terms, from 1969 to 1981. He is primarily known for his efforts in ending the draft following the Vietnam War and for having put into the public record the Pentagon Papers in 1971. He is currently a candidate for the 2008 Democratic nomination for President of the United States

I would love to have him aboard to help but still I would like a younger man as VP. But It wouldn't me bother at all to have him as VP. I would still vote for that ticket. Knowing what I know now. Old guys with guns kick butt. Look at Harley bikers.

Watch the videos and see Hillary and Obama react to him. So much fun!

,

[Chibioz]

I like Mike Gravel. However, I like Ron Paul more. :) The Mike Gravel highlight videos from the Democratic debates are definitely worth watching!

[james1906]

TONS! The Internet loves him, but the MSM doesn't (in that respect, he's got a lot in common with Dr. Paul).

Gravel's highlights in the 1st debate:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gMlHv2lDqA

Gravel's highlights in the 2nd debate:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oe_yPDTWGgs

those were amazing. i love how he gave it to joe biden. it looked like obama was learning from him.

[james1906]

oh, and look who gets pushed off to the sides on both debates?

[angrydragon]

Glad to have a guy like Gravel telling the corrupt dems that they are in fact, warmongers. I got a feeling Obama will change his tune (not bombing), if he is elected into office.

[Broadlighter]

He's got balls!

[BillyBeer]

Ah, no wonder I didn't watch it.

PBS has some good programming on, like Nova and the McLaughlin Group.

[nayjevin]

PBS has some good programming on, like Nova and the McLaughlin Group.
Reply With Quote

PBS is one of the last bastions of freedom -- so far less controlled than MSM -- like NPR for TV, but way better. Look up PBS documentaries on a bit torrent search engine and you have about a year's worth of straight knowledge. better than public schools, right there. Also, BBC. try http://www.digitaldistractions.org for great documentaries.

Also on PBS: Bill Moyers interviews are great, too

[Terribliz]

TONS! The Internet loves him, but the MSM doesn't (in that respect, he's got a lot in common with Dr. Paul).

Gravel's highlights in the 1st debate:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gMlHv2lDqA

Gravel's highlights in the 2nd debate:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oe_yPDTWGgs


Wow, haven't really heard him. Maybe there is 1 democrat that I would vote for.

[LizF]

I like seeing Gravel up there--he keeps (or tries to keep) the others honest, and reminding the Senators who voted yes on the authorization for Bush of their complicity in this war.

I also liked what he had to say about getting rid of the income tax, though I'm not sure if his proposal for a national sales tax to replace it would be better.

He'd probably be a bit too much of a hot head to be president, but I believe he's a truly ethical person, and one who has the best interests of the country at heart, rather than a wish for self-aggrandizement.

On a side note, I found it irritating that the moderator and folks running this 90 min. debate took at least 13 minutes to get it started (introducing the President of the university...who talked a bit; then Gov. Patrick of MA to introduce someone else...); then it ended 5 min early. Such a waste of time considering they had 8 candidates to cover. All things considered, I found Tavis Smiley less irritating as a moderator than the constantly interrupting Wolf Blitzer.

[glts]

Before you think he would be a good running mate for Ron Paul you might want to take a look at this article.

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/06/19/gravel-we-dont-need-no-stinkin-constitution/

[mdh]

Before you think he would be a good running mate for Ron Paul you might want to take a look at this article.

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2007/06/19/gravel-we-dont-need-no-stinkin-constitution/

Taken out of context, that's pretty inflamatory. However, when you actually read up on Gravel's "National Initiative", you realize that he's actually on board with a fairly neat idea. Whether it's an idea I'd support or not is another question - there're a lot of missing pieces in the puzzle - but it's a neat idea nonetheless. Basically what the goal of it is, is to take a lot of the existing government out of the equation and replace it with direct democracy, from what I understand. The main problem I see being normal folks not having the funding that super globalist corps do to push their agendas. But it's an idea certainly not without merit, and I don't feel that being on board with it causes Gravel to lose any credibility.


Furthermore, it goes on to criticize Gravel for wanting to declare Bush and Cheney felons.

In theory. But not the way Gravel wants to do it. He laid out a legislative strategy of passing a war-ending bill, calling up Senate cloture votes ever single day “until you override the opposition.” Once you get cloture, you get a veto - and then, “You have an override vote on Monday, on Tuesday, on Wednesday, on Thursday, on Friday - no weekends off.”

Fine. There’s a great argument to be made for the strategy. But here’s something else he proposed: introducing legislation to make the President and Vice President felons for what they have done in Iraq.
I don't see how that's worthy of criticism except by neocon Bush/Cheney supporters.

[Gee]

I like the idea of the legislative branch being shifted closer to the people, but it would have to be done really, really carefully....

Gravel and Paul are in agreement on a lot of things. I like how Gravel is against managed trade agreements which benefit outsourcing, and hates the war on drugs.

[beermotor]

PBS has some good programming on, like Nova and the McLaughlin Group.

Yeah I grew up watching Nova and Nature... every now and then the wife lets me watch it, it puts her to sleep like instantly. Heh.

[LizF]

For an analysis/ review of the debate:

http://www.nyobserver.com/2007/instant-debate-analysis
http://www.nyobserver.com/2007/some-bark-few-soundbites-howard
(Critical of Gravel, however, especially in 2nd link)

Kucinich and Gravel get the RP treatment here:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20070628/democrats-debate/
Mention of them limited to this line at the end of the story: "Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich and former Alaska Sen. Mike Gravel also debated."

[Shellshock1918]

Is there any video up of Gravel's statements at the PBS debate?

[Revolution9]

PBS is one of the last bastions of freedom -- so far less controlled than MSM -- like NPR for TV, but way better. Look up PBS documentaries on a bit torrent search engine and you have about a year's worth of straight knowledge. better than public schools, right there. Also, BBC. try http://www.digitaldistractions.org for great documentaries.

Also on PBS: Bill Moyers interviews are great, too

It was the last channel I turned on before the TV hit the dumpster. However, I was getting fed up with the holocaust, the second world war as it related to the holocaust, the continuoius feminist barking, the bizzarroland kiddie shows and the slant of the news and asking for my money to do more of the same. The last shows I liked were the Antique Road Show, and Nova sometimes. I don't buy into all the theoretical hedging around the dark matter issue and Einstein was wrong. Basing shows on these premises was just upholding fallacies of 20th century science.

YouTube is much better, has better documentaries and I get better reception..heh

Best Regards
Randy

[angelatc]

I can't believe I missed it!

[austinphish]

wow i am pissed I missed it. I watched the first Debate, and it was immediately clear that Gravel is my #1 Democrat.

please post youtube of 3rd debate here.

[maggiebott]

Good chance c-span will have the whole debate on soon. They played the others so I would keep watching their scheduling.

[cujothekitten]

Are they having a republican debate? I missed this one but I watched some of it on youtube.

[angrydragon]

http://www.pbs.org/kcet/tavissmiley/special/forums/

September 27, 2007 9pm ET for the Republican forum.

I think all of them are pushing socialism. Gravel can't be a good running mate. Although he is agreement with Ron in regards to foreign policy, Iraq, and Iran, he's pushing for national gun registration, taxing co2 output, getting universal health care, and not abolishing, but, reforming NAFTA.

[propanes]

Good to hear the topic entering the debates.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pQWE3GD-uc

[RJB]

He's got more fire than men a third his age.

[austinphish]

http://www.pbs.org/kcet/tavissmiley/special/forums/video.html

[drinkbleach]

Kucinich is better than Gravel.

[BuddyRey]

Kucinich is better than Gravel.

I have a great deal of respect for Kucinich, but he comes off as believing more in the authority of government than in the power of the people. Also, he wants to ban handguns, which is simply INSANE.

[maggiebott]

Both Kucinich and Gravel stood out last night. Guess they didn't want Hillary to get booed off the stage since there was no topic on Iraq or Iran.

[angrydragon]

Interesting how Clinton got bigger applauses than Obama. Kucinich is falling back into the party line with the top-tier candidates, the only good thing is that he's anti-war.

Gravel spoke about the money being wasted in foriegn policy and US militarism. He also made a few other good points about government that I can't remember right now.

[Tsoman]

Wow, I like him.

[BuddyRey]

This Just In! Gravel's highlights in the 3rd debate...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PU9Lm6V1rc

[Man from La Mancha]

Wow I love it, to see wise men kick butt. I have never seen this in 40 years and here are two guys saying the way it is. Paul and Gravel. I had to watch this for a partial fix. Hopefully it's only a moral problem I have.

[LibertyEagle]

Glad to have a guy like Gravel telling the corrupt dems that they are in fact, warmongers. I got a feeling Obama will change his tune (not bombing), if he is elected into office.

Obama is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations just like Hillary, Edwards, Giuliani, Romney, McCain, etc.

[kimosabi]

He is excellent.

It would be funny if the Presidency was fought out between Mike and Ron.

I still think Ron Paul has a better grasp of the monetary system, and has a better wipe ranging appeal etc.

[BuddyRey]

http://www.pbs.org/kcet/tavissmiley/special/forums/

September 27, 2007 9pm ET for the Republican forum.

I think all of them are pushing socialism. Gravel can't be a good running mate. Although he is agreement with Ron in regards to foreign policy, Iraq, and Iran, he's pushing for national gun registration, taxing co2 output, getting universal health care, and not abolishing, but, reforming NAFTA.

I don't think advocating universal healthcare is necessarily tantamount to socialism. It seems to me that being healthy falls under the right to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" and is a basic human right. The key is where the money will come from. Most Democrats would probably tax the Hell out of the middle class to get this system, whereas, in my opinion, an honest politician could easily procure UH by ending corporate welfare and tax breaks for huge corporations.

[Man from La Mancha]

Fantasy back up thought. Neither side allows Ron or Mike to be picked but amount a 200 million dollar war chest to force the states with supporters to help to have a write in on paper ballots allowing independent parties to vote as the Jeffersonian Republicans.

[Gee]

I don't think advocating universal healthcare is necessarily tantamount to socialism. It seems to me that being healthy falls under the right to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" and is a basic human right. The key is where the money will come from. Most Democrats would probably tax the Hell out of the middle class to get this system, whereas, in my opinion, an honest politician could easily procure UH by ending corporate welfare and tax breaks for huge corporations.
Universal health care is a privilege, not a right. Rights cannot be provided, only protected or taken away.

No way could UH be paid for with ending corporate welfare alone (not that any Dem would ever do that anyways). The problem is that UH would cement our current system of regulation and subsidization even more, and probably mean the truely needed health care reform would never happen.

[Shellshock1918]

The only thing I like about Mike Gravel is his distaste with the IRS and the fact that he makes the Hildabeast and that hype jar Obama pull their hair out.

[BuddyRey]

Universal health care is a privilege, not a right. Rights cannot be provided, only protected or taken away.

No way could UH be paid for with ending corporate welfare alone (not that any Dem would ever do that anyways). The problem is that UH would cement our current system of regulation and subsidization even more, and probably mean the truely needed health care reform would never happen.

With what we're currently spending on an illegal, undeclared war in Iraq alone, we could provide universal healthcare (for those who can't afford private healthcare) to every American who is struggling (more than 40,000,000 of us can't afford healthcare now!). This shouldn't be about corporate gains or political selfishness. This should be about the basic goodness in mankind to help people who are in need.

[netmasta10bt]

You want affordable healthcare? Get rid of the FDA and the Patent system. Seriously!

It costs millions and millions and years and years to get drugs through the FDA certification process. A lot of these drugs are found by researchers looking at plants all over the world and patenting them to protect their right to them? Crazy?

It's needless regulation from the FDA, corporate protectionism provided by the US Patent system and unfair Government provided tax relief to companies (not individuals) that offer health insurance that causes high health care prices. Along with the bottom feeding lawyers that exploit these systems.

Ron Paul's plan to do away with income tax will do a lot to bring sanity back to health care. But there is a lot more to go.