Senator Gravel, Thank you for traveling to New Hampshire and agreeing to take part in NH Insider’s 10 Questions feature.

1. Liberals and conservatives alike have begun to question the value of the “No Child Left Behind" act; what reforms, if any do you think should be made to the public education system in America?

Mike Gravel There is good reason to question “No Child Left Behind." It is too rigid, too small a program and under funded; classic political imagery.

Education must be developed and funded as the top priority––from K 12 to graduate school or to trade schools––it must be if our democracy is to survive. (funds to come from the Fair Tax). The people as lawmakers will address the issue of education with civic creativity that is difficult to imagine today, far beyond my capability or that of any other presidential candidate.

2. Some have said that our nation is in an impending energy crisis, if you were President what would be your #1 goal in energy policy and how would you accomplish it?

 Mike Gravel I would launch and lead a massive global , integrated, scientific effort to end energy dependence on oil and carbon within ten years. I would invite scientists from China, Japan, India, Europe and South and North America (to name a few) to join in this effort and help fund it since all the world would be beneficiaries in the result.

3. Your website www.gravel2008.us refers to your support of a national sales tax. Some would call a sales tax regressive because it affects poor people more than the rich, why do you feel a national sales tax is the best alternative to the income tax?

Mike Gravel Because it is simple and transparent. I know what you pay and you know what I pay.

Our present income tax system disadvantages average Americans and the poor and is more regressive than any serious alternative. More than 70% of American taxpayers pay more in Social Security and Medicare taxes––the most regressive––than they do income taxes. The wealthy will always be advantaged because their wealth permit them to game whatever system is put in place. Our revenue system is corrupted and unfair––to not reform our tax system is a national tragedy. I support the Fair Tax and the repeal of all income taxes and closing down the IRS. The Fair Tax has a pre-bate feature protecting average Americans and poor with a monthly cash flow to all taxpayers to cover the cost of necessities like food, medicine, lodging and clothing. This removes the regressive nature of a sales or VAT tax. The Fair Tax does not redistribute wealth; but holding any reform hostage to the redistribution of wealth denotes a deep ignorance of history. The Fair Tax will change the focus of the economy from consumption to saving. It will reverse the flight of jobs and capital abroad and create the largest tax haven in the world––the American economy. The projected investment of global capital flowing into the U.S. is estimated to produce growth of around 10%––that’s comparable to China––and would provide needed funds for education and a whole host of needed undertakings to equip and refurbish our nation for the 21^st Century.

 4. Social Security is the so called Third Rail of Politics, what is your position on Social Security, does it need fixing, how would you make it solvent while protecting the peoples retirement?

Mike Gravel Again this situation is shameful and the Democrats refuse to even acknowledge the problem while the Republicans demagogue the issues with no intentions a really doing anything about it. Solving the problem means denying the Congress 10% to 20% of its revenue. The cash from Social Security taxes need to be deposited in the Trust Fund––rather than the non-negotiable 2% bonds––and properly invested, rather than continue to let the Congress spend the money for the day-to-day operations of government. The national debt is about $84 trillion. About half is Social Security debt that our grandchildren will have to pay. This plan has no effect on present or future benefits.

 5. Who do you consider the greatest American President and what was his most admirable quality?

Mike Gravel George Washington because he was an ordinary man who with courage and integrity met the challenges of extraordinary times. For me, he is the greatest military and political leader in all history, and ranks with Solon the Greek of 593 BCE.

 6. Legal and illegal immigration have been in the news as of late, what do you believe should be done to solve what many see as a broken immigration system?

Mike Gravel New law will be in place by the time I or other candidates can do something about it. Since I am no longer in the Senate all I can do is give you my present opinion and the concepts I would bring to the problem.

The 10 plus million illegal immigrants living here should be put on the road to citizenship providing they do not run afoul of the law. To expel them would be national tragedy equaling the “Trail of Tears” of President Jackson. Our nation’s borders should not be fenced nor should they be militarized. We can beef-up the Border Patrol and the Coast Guard, if need be.

However, the long term solution––and that is what really concerns us––is the issue of helping Mexico and the Central American nations secure economic growth and prosperity at home. We need to do for them what American companies did for China. If they had jobs at home they would have little incentive to come here.

My parents were immigrants from Quebec, Canada. They came south because of the attractive New England job market in the 1920s. In point of fact, we are all immigrants and revolutionaries. If jobs need to be filled we should just raise immigration quotas. A guest worker program, in my opinion, is not a viable long term solution. However, with the National Initiative in place, anybody who disagrees with me may vote to cancel my vote––that’s all I would have as president one vote––when I put an immigration policy before the voters in a national initiative election.

 7. Your website says that you believe in “The National Initiative” could you explain briefly how it would work and why you feel this is the best solution to our nation’s problems?

 Mike Gravel Look around! Our economy is headed for a crash with the debt piling up. We need to become a saving nation not a consuming one. Our foreign policy is immoral and reviled around the world. There on only two venues to change our system: the government or the people. The former is the problem therefore we must take recourse to make the fundamental changes needed to equip our nation for the 21^st Century by going to the people. But the people have no procedures under the Constitution to take on the task; that’s why the people need to enact the National Initiative for Democracy which amends the Constitution and setup legislative procedures bringing the people into the operations of government as lawmakers in a partnership with their elected officials. The Congress will not dilute their power to do this. Your readers can go to: www.gravel08.us or www.nationalinitiative.us to read in detail about the National Initiative and vote for it and contribute to help make it happen.

Bear in mind the central power in government is lawmaking, not voting on Election Day, when you disempower yourself by giving your power to political candidates who manipulate the electoral system with special interest money to get your vote. People are qualified and should vote on all policy issues that affect their lives and thereby free up their representatives to do a better job on the day-to-day operations of government.

 8. What is currently the Democratic Party’s greatest weakness? What should be done to resolve this problem?

Mike Gravel The Democratic Party has no leadership that can lead and no real program that will turn this country around to lead with. The party seems to be after power for power sake. The Center for American Progress (CAP), the Progressive Policy Institute (PPI) and the Leadership Council (DLC) are democratic or liberal wannabe conservative type think tanks. On foreign policy they are Bush-lite and on domestic issues they offer a rehash of the same old programs.

If the heart and soul of the Democratic Party is really for the people, and I believe it is, then is should take up the National Initiative to empower the people as lawmakers. If the party supports the people, the people will support the party that puts the people first. The Republicans––a fine party that has lost its way––will then have to match the Democrats and also support the National Initiative––imagine a real by-partisan effort focused on what’s good for the people.

 9. Some are criticizing the Bush administration over large deficits and increased spending do you believe that the size of Government should be reduced, and if so, how?

Mike Gravel You bet I do! Bush’s and the Congress’ profligacy has no conscience or morality. The people are more conservative than their political leaders, regardless of which party is in control of government––after all it’s their money. So by enacting the National Initiative the people become the senior partners in government’s lawmaking department and they will be more than able to handle government’s growth.

Enacting my proposal for Social Security will cut spending by 10% to 20%. Enacting the Fair Tax will remove the power of Congress to corrupt the revenue system by rheostating the implementation of social programs. These programs will then have to stand or fall on their own merit. The results of the Fair Tax, which is revenue neutral, may well permit us to lower the sales tax rate––which is almost a wash with the embedded income taxes in the system––as a result of the flow of global investment into the U.S. economy.

10. Do you support New Hampshire’s first in the nation primary?

Mike Gravel … Very much so! The present primary schedule is vital to my type of candidacy––no money but great ideas and solutions. The presidential shouldn’t be first and foremost about the million from specials interests you can raise. Just imagine Rupert Murdock is holding a fund raise for Hillary Clinton.

Compared to Alaska my last experience, 26 year ago, New Hampshire is great––I could literally bicycle the state if need be to campaign. I would also enjoy the winters. There’s another asset: I am a first generation Franco-American and proud of it. I would be the first Franco-American president to occupy the White House as I was the first Franco-American to get elected to the U.S. Senate. I don’t think people should vote for me because of that––it took no talent on my part. However, I hope it would generate sufficient interest in my candidacy for some to look more closely at what I advocate to improve our great country.

 I hope the governor of New Hampshire and its legislature will fight the Democratic leadership hard to not change the primary schedule. I will add my voice to any effort in that regard.

 Thank you for the opportunity to answer your questions. I applaud your civic responsibility. Gratefully, Mike Gravel

May 21, 2006