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Former Alaska senator touts plan for public to help mold federal law
by Sam Bishop, Daily news Miner
Gravel, who Alaskans elected for two terms starting in 1968, appeared with seven other candidates at a Nevada event broadcast by C-SPAN and sponsored by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.
Gravel, 76, is running for president in part to promote his National Initiative for Democracy. Gravel theorizes that the U.S. Constitution can be changed via an Internet voting site maintained by a foundation he created. The change he proposes would allow federal laws to be created at the polling place instead of in Congress.
“I firmly believe you are as qualified as any member of Congress to vote on issues that affect your lives,” Gravel said Wednesday.
Gravel’s unconventional initiative has been debated in academic circles, with some scholars recommending it but others calling it legally questionable, unwise and unworkable.
Gravel’s comments on Iraq also took an unconventional turn. He challenged the assertions and solutions offered by the other seven candidates at the forum.
“There is an answer, and it’s not a mealy-mouthed, nonbinding resolution,” he said, referring to recent debates in Congress.
Neither can Congress cap war spending, he said. “It’s unconstitutional,” he said. “The president is the commander-in-chief, like it or not.”
In that respect, Gravel’s opinion mirrors that of his long-ago nemesis, Sen. Ted Stevens, R-Alaska. Stevens, in recent debates, has asserted that the president has the authority to take money from wherever necessary in the federal budget to support war spending.
Gravel is no war supporter, though.
“The Congress under the Constitution has the right to declare war and the right to end it,” he said. Congress should pass a law ending the war, he said. Bush would probably veto it, but then Congress could and probably would override the veto, given the public’s discontent, he said.
Congress, following this path, could end the war within six months, he said.
“Otherwise, George Bush is going to keep it going for the next two years. And the oil there is not worth one more American dead, it’s not worth one ounce of blood,” Gravel said, drawing his biggest round of applause.
Gravel also advocated abolishing the income tax in favor of a national sales tax. Both can be structured as progressive taxes, but the rich can’t game the sales tax, he said.
Asked by moderator George Stephanopoulos which other Democratic candidates he likes, Gravel recommended those with gubernatorial experience — Bill Richardson of New Mexico and Tom Vilsack of Iowa.
“Our record of people in legislative positions providing real leadership is very, very dismal,” said Gravel, who has never served as an elected executive.
http://newsminer.com/2007/02/22/5420/
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