Mike Gravel on the Libertarian Party, Nuclear War, and Spineless Democrats

David Weigel | May 12, 2008

A week ago, I had a lengthy conversation with Mike Gravel about his run for the LP nomination. To my knowledge, this was before he cut the "Obama Girl" video, but it makes an interesting contrast... if you were told "a former Democratic senator has entered the Libertarian race on a platform of direct democracy and radical civil rights expansions," you'd probably thoughtfully stroke your goatee. When you're told "wacky video guy Mike Gravel said something," you laugh and move on.

I've uploaded the whole 90-minute talk here, and I'm taking my sweet time transcribing it but want to make it available before a coming reason event with Gravel and other Libertarian candidates.

Comments

|5.12.08 @ 4:55PM|#

if you were told "a former Democratic senator has entered the Libertarian race on a platform of direct democracy and radical civil rights expansions,"

... and a massive expansion of government spending via government-run health care

Sorry, Gravel is the only person running for the LP nomination I won't vote for, due to his less than libertarian views on economics and government spending

|5.12.08 @ 5:00PM|#

That raises a question: Which is more likely to be rolled back, a massive expansion of government spending/government-run health care, or systematic civil rights violations?

IOW, if we're going to make a deal with the Devil, should we take the big spending program now as the price of civil rights expansions (hoping to roll the program back later), or put civil rights expansions on hold in order to roll back spending now?

Colin|5.12.08 @ 5:02PM|#

Wow -- it took only minute before Gravel brought up the newsletters . . . talk not likely encourage Paul supporters.

|5.12.08 @ 5:08PM|#

if we're going to make a deal with the Devil, should we take the big spending program now as the price of civil rights expansions (hoping to roll the program back later), or put civil rights expansions on hold in order to roll back spending now?

Spending now, civil rights later. As civil rights abuses continue to increase in both number and severity, they will finally start to raise the ire of Democrats and the two people in the GOP still concerned about such matters.

But once we summon a djinn of government entitlements, it can never be returned to its bottle.

|5.12.08 @ 5:09PM|#

A week ago, I had a lengthy conversation with Mike Gravel...
Gravel, that incontinent Democrat from the YouTube videos? Ha ha ha ha. I'm amazed you could carry on any conversation at all, much less a "lengthy" one. Nothing to see here, move along.

|5.12.08 @ 5:09PM|#

dammit, close tag.

Episiarch|5.12.08 @ 5:14PM|#

I'm sure Dave is covering Gravel mostly for the entertainment value.

Travis|5.12.08 @ 6:52PM|#

"Wow -- it took only minute before Gravel brought up the newsletters . . . talk not likely encourage Paul supporters."

I find interesting how libertarians will forgive Ron Paul for a racist past because he's good on economic issues. But Gravel who is socially libertarian is considered evil incarnate because he's a socialist when it comes to economics.

Nash|5.12.08 @ 6:58PM|#

"I find interesting how libertarians will forgive Ron Paul for a racist past because he's good on economic issues. But Gravel who is socially libertarian is considered evil incarnate because he's a socialist when it comes to economics."

Forget that he didn't even write them. The issue is that he doesn't legislate like a racist. He's not trying to pass the "colored people are sub-human act" when in congress.

Yes I'm aware that his stance on incorporation allows states to be totally fucked up if they want to.

Regardless Gravel has voted as a socialist in the past (distant past) and Paul has never voted as a racist.

Despite all this Gravel was still better than anyone else running R or D not named Ron Paul.

|5.12.08 @ 9:47PM|#

I find interesting how libertarians will forgive Ron Paul for a racist past because he's good on economic issues. But Gravel who is socially libertarian is considered evil incarnate because he's a socialist when it comes to economics.

I find it interesting how you conflate someone with racism in the past -- racism they have denounced in no uncertain terms in the present -- with someone with unrepentent socialist views on economics in the present.

whatever|5.12.08 @ 11:31PM|#

Colin | May 12, 2008, 5:02pm | #

Wow -- it took only minute before Gravel brought up the newsletters . . . talk not likely encourage Paul supporters.

but it would likely encourage reason people, his audience in this interview

|5.13.08 @ 12:59AM|#

This interview shows exactly why Mike Gravel is not an actual libertarian. "Social libertarians" are more popularly known as "liberals." It doesn't mean anything unless it's coupled with embracing free markets and smaller government--the man's fear of the market seeped constantly throughout the interview.

mike|5.13.08 @ 1:42AM|#

FREE WESLEY SNIPES

|5.13.08 @ 1:55PM|#

I'd certainly rather vote for Mike Gravel than for "I-don't-care-if-it-takes-a-hundred-years" McCain, or either of the unimaginative and dangerous Dems still duking it out. That said, one of the smears made here regarding Gravel is unnecessary ad hominem: "I'm amazed you could carry on any conversation at all, much less a 'lengthy' one"?! Shame on you, Warren.

My first choice remains Dr. Mary Ruwart (and I will be in Denver next week).

|5.13.08 @ 3:36PM|#

I find interesting how libertarians will forgive Ron Paul for a racist past because he's good on economic issues. But Gravel who is socially libertarian is considered evil incarnate because he's a socialist when it comes to economics.

It might have something to do with the fact that "Ron Paul" wasn't really calling for state-enforced racism, while Gravel is calling for state-enforced confiscation of wealth.

Libertarians tend to believe you should be free to be a racist, but not free to help yourself to the contents of other people's wallets.

Shawn in Louisville|5.13.08 @ 6:59PM|#

Every pie in the sky Libertarian like to rail at Gravel's healthcare plan, which is actually a competitive voucher system. But I am curious, what is the official Libertarian answer to the hard working middle class family that risks going bankrupt or getting substandard care due to a catastrophic medical event? That they should have been richer? Or they deserve to be in debt over their health, because the free market will work it all out?

Really guys, come down to earth. Gravel is the best civil liberties and tax reform candidate running. And he has a grasp on what we call reality.

Ben|5.14.08 @ 11:55AM|#

My biggest problem with Gravel is that he wants to start a War on Global Warming (my words, not his).

|5.14.08 @ 1:05PM|#

I'd rather have a "War on Global Warming" than continue a stupid war in Iraq for a hundred years. So, Ben, you are not a believer that global warming just might be a REALLY BIG problem? Start reading RealClimate - it might change your mind. You may also want to look into the nearly 40% increase in the atmospheric concentration in carbon dioxide since 1900, and learn a little about the physics of Greenhouse gases.

I may not agree with Mike Gravel's approach to global warming, but I believe the problem is far more serious than most folks have even begun to realize.