• Any abortion decision should remain between woman & doctor. (Apr 2007)
• Stem Cell research should not be limited. (Jun 2006)

Further information: Abortion in the United States He is avowedly pro-choice on the issue of abortion and women's reproductive rights. In response to the April 2007 United States Supreme Court opinion in Gonzales v. Carhart affirming the legality of the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2003, he issued the following statement to that end: "I am opposed to today's ruling or any ruling that places restrictions on reproductive freedom. Today's decision authorizes federal intervention to prohibit a procedure that the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has found at times to be medically necessary. Any decision on abortion should remain between a woman and her doctor. There is no room for interference from politicians and judges."

Stem cell research *

Senator Gravel in principle does not object to the use of embryonic stem cells for medical research purposes.

• Unequivocally Endorses The Common Sense Budget Act. (Dec 2006)
• Make Office of Scientific Assessment to avoid cost overruns. (Jan 1972)

• Same-Sex Couples – Same-Sex marriage should be allowed and treated the same as marriage between a man and a woman. (Dec 2007)
• Alaskan gay supporters in Harvey Milk Club. (Aug 2007)
• Marriage preceded religion; it's not a religious term. (Aug 2007)
• Mainstream politicians play it safe on gay marriage. (Aug 2007)
• First accomplishment: creating AK Human Rights Commission. (Aug 2007)
• Straight older men are dead wrong to oppose gay marriage. (Aug 2007)
• By next election, gay marriage could win a popular vote. (Aug 2007)
• Civil union establish second-class citizenship for gays. (Aug 2007)
• We must assert our rights; nobody will give them to you. (Aug 2007)
• Dems love blacks during elections, but nothing has improved. (Jul 2007)
• Electoral-industrial complex steals African-American votes. (Jul 2007)
• Dems love blacks during elections, but nothing has improved. (Jul 2007)
• Electoral-industrial complex steals African-American votes. (Jul 2007)
• Racism still with us in the 21st century. (Jun 2007)
• Don't ask don't tell should have gone 20 years ago. (Jun 2007)
• Unequivocally supports same-sex marriage. (Feb 2007)
• Politicians use fear to manipulate us all. (Feb 2007)
• Calling critics or doubters un-American is anti-patriotic. (Aug 2006)

LGBT issues*

* Further information: LGBT rights in the United States
In his February 2007 address to the Democratic National Committee Winter Conference, Gravel referred to the prospect of same-sex marriage in the following terms: "Since the Second World War, various political leaders have fostered fear in the American people - fear of communism, fear of terrorism, fear of immigrants, fear of people based on race and religion, fears of gays and lesbians in love who just want to get married. Fear of people who are just different. It is fear that allows our political leaders to manipulate us all and to distort our national priorities."
Gravel's media release of 26 February 2007 explicitly stated his support of the full range of gay civil rights including same-sex marriage recognition, opposition to Don't ask, don't tell policy, extension of the scope and effect of hate crimes legislation to cover hate violence against gays and lesbians, and the removal of all other remaining legal discrimination against LGBT people.

• Leadership fails because US is run by corporate America. (Sep 2007)
• Corporate taxes just get passed on to consumers. (Dec 2006)
• Purpose of economy is to meet people's needs, not business. (Jan 1972)

• If you don't have any money, you don't get any justice. (Jun 2007)
• Eliminate mandatory minimum sentencing laws. (May 2007)
• Citizen Power includes abolition of the death penalty. (Jan 2007)
• More jails don't cut crime--must address poverty instead. (Jan 1972)
• Stop punishment for victimless crimes: drugs, sex & gambling. (Jan 1972)

* His campaign website notes the comparatively sizeable prison population and high rate of incarcerations in the United States. He disparages the appropriateness of prosecuting what has been termed the 'war on drugs' and instead favors the decriminalization of minor drug offenses and increasing the availability and visibility of substance abuse treatment and prevention in prisons and in the free community. He advocates the wider use of specialist drug courts through which addict offenders may be committed to supervised substance abuse treatment rather than punitive incarceration.
He declared himself an opponent of the death penalty in his book Citizen Power, published in 1972.

• Allow buying marijuana at liquor stores. (Aug 2007)
• Decriminalize hard drugs so we can treat addicts. (Aug 2007)
• Drug War failing now, like Prohibition failed in 1920s. (Aug 2007)
• Drugs are public health issue, not criminal issue. (Jun 2007)
• FactCheck: Only 40% of inmates are black; not 70% as claimed. (Jun 2007)
• War on drugs loses an entire generation to our prisons. (May 2007)
• Legalize the use and possession of marijuana. (Feb 2007)

* Senator Gravel has stated that drug abuse should be treated as a medical problem rather than a criminal matter.
In an interview with the Iowa Independent, Gravel was asked what his policy would be on cocaine and methamphetamine. He responded, "We need to legalize the regulation of drugs. The drug problem is a public health problem. It’s not a criminal problem. We make it a criminal problem because we treat people like criminals. You take a drug addict, you throw him in jail, you leave him there, and he learns the criminal trade so that when he gets out you have recidivism." He disparages the appropriateness of prosecuting what has been termed the 'war on drugs' and instead favors the decriminalization of minor drug offenses and increasing the availability and visibility of substance abuse treatment and prevention in prisons and in the free community.
He advocates legalizing marijuana so that it can be sold in stores next to alcohol. He also advocates eliminating mandatory minimum sentencing laws, particularly as they may apply to nonviolent drug offenders.

• Extend school day and extend school year. (Sep 2007)
• Our school stats fail because we're stuck in triumphalism. (Sep 2007)
• Supports merit pay for teachers; make education top priority. (Aug 2007)
• Sent kids to some private school; likes a little competition. (Jul 2007)
• US schools fail because we're yoked by military. (Feb 2007)
• Citizen Power includes school vouchers. (Jan 2007)
• Vouchers are innovative & imaginative--let's experiment. (Jan 1972)
• 25% bonus for teachers in hardship areas. (Jan 1972)

Among his proposals and/or remarks to the New Hampshire Institute of Politics were:

• "30% of American children do not finish high school".
• "In education, the United States ranks 49 in literacy, and 28 out of 40 developed countries in mathematical literacy. Europe has surpassed the US as the largest producer of scientific literature."
• "Foreign applications to American graduate schools have declined by 28% since 2004"
• Proposing to restore funding of the National Science Foundation to pre-2004 levels

• I started the nuclear critique in this country. (Apr 2007)
• Make Global Warming a matter of national security. (Dec 2006)
• Immediately sign the Kyoto protocol. (Nov 2006)
• Nuclear energy is unwise because of nuclear waste. (Jan 1972)

* Senator Gravel has advocated that carbon energy should be taxed to provide the funding for a global effort to bring together the world's scientific and engineering communities to develop energy alternatives to significantly reduce the world’s energy dependence on carbon.

• Global Warming – Believes there should be a tax on fuels based on the amount of carbon emissions they produce, also known as a carbon tax. (Dec 2007)
• To get Americans to conserve, change the tax structure. (Jul 2007)
• Iraq funds could build 4 million homes for Katrina victims. (Jun 2007)
• Support a carbon tax and stop fighting wars for oil. (Jun 2007)

• US ranks low worldwide in child literacy and child health. (Nov 2006)

• Recognize Cuba; open up to Chavez in Venezuela. (Sep 2007)
• No US troops in Darfur; Africans don't trust US. (Jul 2007)
• Need president with moral judgment; most don't have it. (Jun 2007)
• US has no important enemies, so treat world as equals. (Apr 2007)
• Bi-lateral plus multi-lateral talks with North Korea. (Aug 2006)
• Replace intervention with participation, not isolation. (Jan 1972)
• US should empower UN with stand-by peace force. (Jan 1972)

International Relations *

The Senator's October 2006 speech to the New Hampshire Institute of Politics entitled Stepping Back From Imperialism: Redirecting American Foreign Policy, revealed his analysis of pressing domestic and foreign policy issues and the policies he would address if elected President. Prominent within that was his categorical expression of the desire to effect the immediate termination of United States military involvement in Iraq and the withdrawal of all remaining US military personnel from that country.
His remarks could otherwise be encapsulated as follows:


• "The reality is, the United States is No. 1 only in weaponry, consumer spending, government and personal debt, in the number of people we have in prison and... in delusion."


• "The preeminent threat in the affairs of nations is nuclear proliferation. Sanctions (against nuclear states) do not work... [and are] in most cases,... immoral."


• "Take our troops out of Iraq immediately, and move aggressively toward a diplomatic solution bringing the United Nations, the European and Asian communities, and regional players... into a process to help end the civil war in Iraq and establish stability in the region."


• "The US (with allies, regional powers and the UN)... must sponsor direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, including Hamas... with the goal of a two-state solution.. which would involve guarantee[ing] the demilitarized borders of both parties, guarantee[ing] Israel's right to survive... and making a commitment to the Palestinians to raise their economic standards to that of Israel."

* His specific foreign policy related proposals and initiatives are:


• The US sponsoring direct negotiations between Israel and all Palestinian factions, including Hamas
• Support for a Palestinian state to exist alongside Israel
• The US acting as a guarantor for the demilitarization of Israel's border with a future Palestinian state
• The US committing to help raise the economic standards in a future Palestinian State to compare with those in Israel
• Disavowing a nuclear first-strike policy
• Cutting the number of nuclear devices in US hands from more than 10,000 to a couple of hundred
• That the US should immediately sign the Kyoto Protocol
• Immediate US military withdrawal from Iraq and support for a UN-sponsored regional peace process to arrest the Iraqi Civil War
• He has recently proposed the United States Armed Forces Withdrawal From Iraq Act as a strategy to do so.

* He is highly critical of the President and Bush Administration's public characterization of nations such as Iran, Syria, North Korea, Cuba, and Libya as members of an 'axis of evil'.

* He has stated his firm opposition to the prospect of military confrontation with Iran.

Torture *

Senator Gravel has called upon Congress to pass legislation to outlaw the practice of torture against detainees of the Government and military. His 1 March 2007 media release states:
"The Constitution is very clear that prisoners of war are the responsibility of the Congress. The Bush administration has unlawfully taken that power without Constitutional justification. The Congress has been derelict in its duty to see that enemy combatants are treated humanely within the guidelines of the Geneva Conventions, and has been equally neglectful in its response to the President’s unlawful use of torture."

* He has pledged that if elected President he would 'vanquish' the Military Commissions Act of 2006, by which the writ of habeas corpus has been suspended for aliens designated "unlawful combatants" and which he also claims to found authorization for CIA torture practices in overseas detention facilities.

• CAFTA & NAFTA cause unemployment in Mexico & Central America. (Sep 2007)
• Trade agreements only benefit shareholders. (Jun 2007)

• Americans are getting fatter & dumber; must get empowered!. (Sep 2007)
• Asks candidates to pledge to use existing public finance law. (Aug 2007)
• When you use political capital, more capital flows your way. (Aug 2007)
• Obama avoids PAC money, but takes lobbyists' bundled money. (Jul 2007)
• Congress is Constitutionally more powerful than President. (Jun 2007)
• Congress is Constitutionally more powerful than President. (Jun 2007)
• People protest because they cannot participate in power. (Jun 2007)
• People protest because they cannot participate in power. (Jun 2007)
• Institute healtharereforms by people's National Initiative. (Mar 2007)
• I've got no money; of course I'm for campaign finance reform. (Feb 2007)
• You can be empowered to vote on issues that affect your life. (Feb 2007)
• Repeal the Electoral College; enact federal term limits. (Dec 2006)
• National Initiative to allow citizen law makers. (Nov 2006)
• Start with public financing of campaigns. (Jan 1972)
• Abolish voter registration as precondition for voting. (Jan 1972)
• Replace electoral college with direct election. (Jan 1972)

• Require license & training for gun ownership. (May 2007

* His Presidential campaign website states that Senator Gravel 'fully supports the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution'. It also states that he advocates a licensing program whereby a potential gun owner must be licensed as well as properly trained with a firearm before he/she may own one.

• On Reducing Health Care – Move to a single-payer, government-backed insurance system. (Dec 2007)
• Universal coverage with guaranteed equal care. (Sep 2007)
• Reforms fail because pharma companies control Congress. (Sep 2007)
• Everybody should have the same health care. (Sep 2007)
• Applies lessons from his healthcare-related bankruptcy. (Sep 2007)
• Need to do better job on treating Americans with HIV. (Aug 2007)
• End subsidization of the insurance companies. (Jun 2007)
• Doctors do a lot of testing today to cover their backsides. (Mar 2007)
• Single-payer health care plan via vouchers you can add to. (Mar 2007)
• Real reform impossible under mercantile lobbying system. (Mar 2007)
• Reforming employer-based system keeps historical accident. (Mar 2007)
• Vouchers provide freedom of choice and perhaps public plan. (Mar 2007)
• President has role to energize people for preventive health. (Mar 2007)
• Phase out Medicare and Medicaid over time. (Mar 2007)
• Citizen Power includes universal health care. (Jan 2007)
• Almost all developed nations provide healthcare for all. (Nov 2006)
• We have impressive resources but need delivery to people. (Jan 1972)

* In his campaign pronouncements Senator Gravel has identified medicine and medical technology costs as 'one of the leading causes of bankruptcies'. He is an advocate for 'a national, universal single-payer not-for-profit health care system' in the United States.
He proposes a National Health Care Voucher plan. Using vouchers paid for by the government, patients would be free to choose their own doctor.

• I ended the draft; I stopped nuclear testing. (Sep 2007)
• Terrorism is not a war; treat it as a criminal act. (Sep 2007)
• We are STILL expanding our nuclear capability. (Aug 2007)
• US has nothing to fear; fear sustains the military complex. (Aug 2007)
• Filibustered to end the draft; but women should register. (Jul 2007)
• Cut Pentagon by more than 15%; we're squandering money. (Jun 2007)
• FactCheck: Yes, Iraq money could fund 21M scholarships. (Jun 2007)
• Threatening nukes is immoral foreign policy. (Apr 2007)
• Fighting terrorism with a war doesn't work. (Apr 2007)
• US is the greatest violator of the non-proliferation treaty. (Apr 2007)
• Filibustered the draft in '71, causing its expiration in '73. (Jan 2007)
• Raze Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib prisons to the ground. (Dec 2006)
• Cut US nuclear arsenal from 10,000 to a couple hundred. (Nov 2006)
• War on terror will fail like war on drugs & war on poverty. (Nov 2006)
• Fight terrorism with dogged global police work. (Nov 2006)
• Remove power to declare war from Congress-they've abdicated. (Apr 2006)
• Fought & beat Nixon White House on Pentagon Papers in 1971. (Apr 2006)
• Bush administration's secrecy is worse than Nixon's. (Apr 2006)
• Cut military budget in half--we don't need such "readiness". (Jan 1972)
• Government secrecy creates 1984-style state. (Jan 1972)
• National security is no need for government secrecy. (Jan 1972)

• On dealing with illegal immigration - Believes the federal government should beef up overall border security. (Dec 2007)
• Immigration issue is national scapegoating. (Sep 2007)
• Embarrassed at building a wall on southern border. (Sep 2007)
• Suspend immigrant raids that separate families. (Sep 2007)
• I'm first-generation American; we're all immigrants. (Sep 2007)
• Make English the official language of the US. (Jun 2007)
• Illegal immigrants come here for jobs; don't deport them. (Jun 2006)

*In remarks at the Carson City, Nevada, Democratic Presidential Candidates Forum of February 2007, Senator Gravel has said that he disfavors wholesale or widespread deportation of illegal immigrants found residing in the United States.

* The campaign website declares that he favors a guest worker program and 'setting up naturalization procedures that would fairly bring existing illegal immigrants into legal status'.

* He has described the North American Free Trade Agreement as 'a disaster for the working class of both the U.S. and Mexico' which 'has led to a wave of immigrant workers looking for work in the US job market'. His position statement speaks in favor of 'major structural changes... to NAFTA... [and] reforming unfair trade policies'.

• Claims 100% rating with AFL-CIO for full legislative career. (Aug 2007)
• Minimum wage as president OK, but we need living wage. (Jul 2007)
• Citizens Wage: individuals share in nation's total affluence. (Jan 1972)

• I believe in the power of love over the power of prayer. (Aug 2007)
• Decisive moment: realizing representative gov't is broken. (Aug 2007)
• Leadership brings society to civic maturity on tough issues. (Aug 2007)
• Leaders are seen as mavericks, and only later as courageous. (Aug 2007)
• Clintons & DLC sold out the Democratic Party to Wall Street. (Jul 2007)
• GOP lost in 2006 because they were lousy; Dems must earn '08. (Jun 2007)
• Video "Fire" is metaphor for gathering & using experience. (Jun 2007)
• Video "Rock" is metaphor for causing changes in society. (Jun 2007)
• Did not plan on presidency, but candidates are frightening. (Apr 2007)
• Let the people decide: Solution is with you, not leaders. (Mar 2007)
• Achieved much in Senate, but prefers governors for president. (Feb 2007)
• US citizens should be allowed to vote for or against laws. (Feb 2007)
• Came in 3rd for Vice Presidential nomination in 1972. (Jan 2007)
• Has campaigned in NH almost fulltime since April 2006. (Jan 2007)
• Citizen Power: democracy requires participation. (Jan 1972)

• Put real money in the Trust Fund & invest it properly. (Dec 2006)
• Let beneficiaries leave surplus funds to heirs. (Apr 2006)

* Senator Gravel has recorded his call for Congress to 'stop raiding the Social Security Trust Fund'. He proposes identifying the interests of individual beneficiaries so they can leave their surplus funds to their heirs.

• Improving the Income Tax - Thinks we should replace the current system with a national sales tax, known as a consumption tax, or the Fair Tax. (Dec 2007)
• Tax code is corrupt & serves the wealthy. (Jun 2007)
• Wipe out the income tax! -- it's regressive. (Feb 2007)
• National sales tax; no exceptions; prebates for essentials. (Feb 2007)
• Supports a national sales tax to replace IRS. (Jan 2007)
• Repeal the income tax and close down the IRS. (Dec 2006)
• Tax system unfairness only superceded by incomprehensibility. (Apr 2006)
• Less regressive tax on poor; more capital gains on rich. (Jan 1972)

* Senator Gravel supports the FairTax proposal that calls for eliminating the Internal Revenue Service and the income tax and replacing it with a progressive national sales tax of between tax inclusive 19 and 23 percent on newly manufactured items and services. As compensation for necessities, such as food, there would be a “prebate” to untax households up to the poverty level. He calculates that an average family of three that lives below the poverty level would receive an additional $3,000 a year.

• Put entire government-citizen interface online. (Nov 2000)
• Empower Congress to make independent scientific conclusions. (Jan 1972)

• The government should not continue to fund the Iraq war because the United States presence in Iraq is encouraging terrorists. (Dec 2007)
• Believes most US troops should be withdrawn as rapidly as possible, beginning immediately. (Dec 2007)
• Believes the United States never should have gone into Iraq. (Dec 2007)
• Make Congress vote on veto override and war will end. (Sep 2007)
• Patraeus report is tragic charade; we all knew what he'd say. (Sep 2007)
• Pull American troops out; it can be done in 120 days. (Sep 2007)
• Young men & women will die because of this nation's mistake. (Sep 2007)
• Bush cooking books on Iran; resolve against invading Iran. (Aug 2007)
• Blaming Iraqis for war problems is American imperialism. (Aug 2007)
• Bush can't go into Iran today because I filibustered draft. (Aug 2007)
• Soldiers in Vietnam died in vain; now same in Iraq. (Jul 2007)
• 2006 election was about Bush's war; so end it. (Jun 2007)
• Vietnam caused no dominoes; Iraq won't either. (Jun 2007)
• Someone who voted for the Iraq war shouldn't be president. (Jun 2007)
• Soldiers in Iraq are dying in vain; so just get out. (Apr 2007)
• Iraq war was lost the day Bush invaded-make it illegal. (Apr 2007)
• 2008 election will be decided by how Democrats handle war. (Feb 2007)
• Bush can sign bill to end war, or he can believe in God. (Feb 2007)
• Anyone who voted for the war should not be president. (Feb 2007)
• Bring the troops home now. (Feb 2007)
• Stop nuclear proliferation: the Cold War is over. (Feb 2007)
• Immediate withdrawal from the war in Iraq. (Jan 2007)
• Commence an immediate and orderly withdrawal from Iraq. (Dec 2006)
• Election was mandate for peace but carnage continues for oil. (Dec 2006)
• US creates threats to our own security by acting out of fear. (Jan 1972)

• US ranks low worldwide in poverty statistics. (Nov 2006)
• Citizens Wage: $5000 income from feds to banish poverty. (Jan 1972)
• Workfare is morally repugnant; why not "wealthwork"? (Jan 1972)