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Mike Gravel on Technology

Libertarian for President; Former Democratic Senator (AK)


Put entire government-citizen interface online

The Internet portends fundamental changes on the order of those resulting from the Gutenberg Press that ushered in the Ages of Discovery and Enlightenment. The Internet, in my view, will usher in the Age of Democracy, the essence of which will be republican governance--the majoritarian expression of the popular sovereignty of people.

[Incumbents] assess what the Internet offers for the delivery of government information. Much greater benefits however lie in moving the processing of the interface between citizens and government onto the Internet. My recent online driver's license renewal with the Virginia DMV was unexpectedly convenient and efficient. With little attention or effort, filing of income taxes online is on the rise. Clearly intra-governmental operations are increasingly going online. It makes sense that the entire government-citizen interface and interaction should begin to be vectored toward Internet facilitation, digital divide aside, which will shortly be marginalized.

Source: Press release, "The Internet and the Future" Nov 18, 2000

Empower Congress to make independent scientific conclusions

Congress needs help if it is to perform its adversary function assigned by our forefathers. An Office of Scientific Assessment (OSA) should be established which would equip the Congress with an impressive array of scientists, engineers, and other specialists with the expertise to make independent scientific and technical inquiries and to examine whether or not the advice provided to Congress by the executive departments is politically self-serving, incomplete, or otherwise biased or unscientific.

Congress has no scientists at its own command and is, therefore, at a disadvantage whenever it attempts to question the administration's scientific advice. Congressional committees do hear testimony from so-called "scientific witnesses," but often these experts' "private" scientific research is funded by government grants administered by executive agencies. Obviously, these scientists do not fail to notice which side their bread is buttered on.

Source: Citizen Power, by Sen. Mike Gravel, p. 44 Jan 1, 1972

Other candidates on Technology: Mike Gravel on other issues:
Frontrunners:
GOP: Sen.John McCain
Democrat: Sen.Hillary Clinton
Democrat: Sen.Barack Obama

GOP V.P. Possibilities:
Gov.Haley Barbour(MS)
Gov.Charlie Crist(FL)
Mayor Rudy Giuliani(NYC)
Gov.Mike Huckabee(AR)
Gov.Tim Pawlenty(MN)
Gov.Mitt Romney(MA)
Gov. Mark Sanford(SC)

Third Parties:
Libertarian: Rep.Bob Barr
Libertarian: Sen.Mike Gravel
Constitution: Amb.Alan Keyes
Liberation: Gloria La Riva
Green: Rep.Cynthia McKinney
Socialist: Brian Moore
Independent: Ralph Nader
Libertarian: Rep.Ron Paul
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Page last updated: 3/31/2008