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Citizen Power. 2008 with forward by Ralph Nader On Government Reform: Start with public financing of campaigns The public is not going to receive the responsiveness it wants from government until candidates are freed from turning to wealthy private sources for financing needed to win and from the pressures of having to stay in good favor with those same monied interests to remain in office. A people's platform must insist on the public financing of elections. Only in this way can public officeholders be made responsible to the majority of citizens they supposedly represent. - Citizen Power, p. 24-27 Jan 1, '72 On Government Reform: Abolish voter registration as precondition for voting The case for not ending voter registration rests is that election fraud will result. I call that proposition into question. In rural areas, registration was never required; many states were merely swept up in the registration crusade which was aimed at urban abuses. The experience of North Dakota, which has preserved its voter integrity for 20 years without registration, proves the feasibility of abolition. States could continue to enroll voters just as they do now. However, if an individual fails to register before election day, he could sign an affidavit swearing he is a qualified voter in the precinct and that he has not voted elsewhere in the same election. In addition, election day should be declared a national holiday. - Citizen Power, p. 38-39 Jan 1, '72 Replace electoral college with direct election Citizen participation could be enhanced by abolishing the electoral college system in favor of direct popular election. - Citizen Power, p. 40-41 Jan 1, '72 On War & Peace: US creates threats to our own security by acting out of fear In the eyes of the rest of the world, this country has shown itself to be one of the major problems of world order. Our desire to use power where and when we please has made us one of the world's most dangerous nations. I am not saying that other nations are more peace-loving. It is only that we have the power to be a danger to world peace with no constraints on our nation's leaders but their own moral judgment. - Citizen Power, p 49 Jan 1, '72 On Homeland Security: Government secrecy creates a 1984-style state. During the past quarter century we have witnessed a growing separation of the state apparatus--including the presidency, the Department of Defense, the CIA, FBI, the Department of State, and associated agencies from the people it is supposed to be protecting. It is axiomatic that the custodians of the state will attempt to preserve it and to advance its interests. But when the state surrounds itself with the structures of secrecy, creates a loyalty system to ensure that those who serve it possess its values, and maintains a surveillance network to detect and apprehend citizens who oppose its purposes, then we are far along toward a 1984-style state when which suppresses citizens and only serves its own interests. In such a system, policy-makers act on the international scene to advance their own interests and those of the state, rather than those of the citizens they are supposed to represent or the people in other lands affected by their policies. - Citizen Power, p. 51 Jan 1, 1972 Mike Gravel is a man of of the people, a man of wisdom and truth. -willtirib EasyCityBooks NOLARead full review
Senator Mike Gravel’s seminal work has aged like a fine wine. Americans & frankly the world needs us to understand the power given to ordinary citizens in the US Constitution.
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