Monday, February 18, 2008

Maurice Robert (Mike) Gravel

Maurice Robert (Mike) Gravel

Current Offices Contending For: Democratic U.S. President,

Political Biography:

Maurice (Mike) Gravel is currently a candidate for U.S. President. In addition, he served in the U.S. Senate from 1969 to 1981. He was also a candidate for the House of Representatives in 1969, and served as a House member for Arkansas in 1963 to 1966.

He is the founder and president of The Democracy Foundation, Direct Democracy, and Philadelphia II. In addition, he has had professional experience in the U.S. army from 1951 to 1954 and also served in the U.S. Army on Wall Street.

In addition, Mr. Gravel has had writing and lecturing experience, and served on the Alaskan Railroad. He also took on a cab driving job in his lifetime. He was educated at Columbia University with a degree in economics.

Mike Gravel’s View on Select Issues:


He has taken the 2008 Political Courage Test provided by Vote Smart.com. According to that test, he has provided his answers to questions related to various political issues.

For instance, he indicated that abortions should always be legal. He also thinks that spending in the areas such as of public health, environment, and education should be greatly increased.

Gravel believes that Homeland Security spending should decrease. He is satisfied with the level of spending in other areas, such as United Nations funding, as well scientific research spending, and space exploration funding.

He also does not recommend increase spending in intelligence (spy) operations. In addition, he believes in decreasing greatly the spending of national defense. In addition, he thinks that the budget on development and research of new weapons should decrease.

On the other hand, he does support citizens’ rights to bear arms with a license. (Gravel believes in educated use of.

Furthermore, he supports job training programs for those who want to better them selves. In addition, he advocates for a federal minimum wage increase and workers’ right to unionize.

In addition, Mike Gravel believes that taxes should be eliminated for those who make $12,000 or less. In addition, he believes that alcohol, cigarette, and similar excise taxes should remain the same.

He supports a universal health care program for all Americans. Mike Gravel also supports the importation of prescription drugs into the country.

As far as immigration is concerned, Mr. Gravel expressed that he supports temporary work programs for them. He is not for the decrease of number of immigrants coming to America.

He supports amnesty for immigrants already living in the United States. However, he believes they should be given a way to be a citizen of the country. Furthermore, he believes in international aid outside of the country when necessary (in extreme cases).

Mike Gravel also supports personal rights, such as same-sex couples’ right to marry. He does not support the definition of the One-Man, One-Woman Marriage Amendment.

He also believes that homosexuality should be included in federal anti-discrimination laws. For instance, he wants to see gays not be discriminated against in the workplace. He does not, however, support affirmative action in college admissions.

Voting Records:

Mike Gravel has not served in politics for quite some time so he does not have any current voting records. Very little information about this record has been publicized.

However, word is out that Mike Gravel was instrumental in the release of The Pentagon Papers. This documented Vietnam War failures. Also, he is documented as being strongly pro-choice, so chances are he has voted pro-choice on any bill or almost every bill related to abortion.

Personal Biographical Information

Mike Gravel has a wife names Whitney. He also has two children called Martin and Lynne. He was born in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Besides the Pentagon Papers, Mike Gravel has written other documents including Jobs and More Jobs in 1968 and Citizen Power, a People’s Platform.


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