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Senator Mike Gravel
After serving four years in the Alaskan State legislature, the latter two as Speaker of the House, Mike Gravel represented Alaska in the U.S. Senate from 1969-1981.
Senator Gravel served on the Finance, Interior, and the Environment and Public Works committees, chairing the Energy, Water Resources, and the Environmental Pollution subcommittees, and was a prime mover in many of the critical issues of the day, including:
Like many entering public service, Senator Gravel was idealistically committed to improving society. Holding public office, he soon learned the real requirements for political survival in our representative system of government. In this system, as a matter of necessity, the people's interests are subordinated to those of powerful special interests. During his years in office, Senator Gravel increasingly came to understand that fundamental solutions can only be brought about by the people. It is the confluence of this realization, his experience as an elected representative, and his idealism that has equipped Senator Gravel to craft a process that will empower the people. In the early 1990's, Senator Gravel founded Philadelphia II, the non-profit corporation charged with bringing this process to fruition.
Senator Gravel's approach is rooted in a simple and complete faith in the people's ability to play a constructive legislative role in their own self-governance. He does not naively dismiss the negative elements of human nature, but is convinced that an improved structure for governance - a Legislature of the People - will call forth the better side of our nature.
Senator Gravel’s business activities have encompassed real estate, finance, and energy. He enlisted in the U.S. Army (1951-54) and served as an adjutant in the Communications Intelligence Services and as a Special Agent in the Counter Intelligence Corps. He is Chairman of Philadelphia II and The Democracy Foundation, nonprofit corporations dedicated to the promotion of democracy in the United States and globally. Senator Gravel lectures and writes about governance, capitalism, energy, environmental issues, and democracy. He is married to Whitney Stewart Gravel and has two grown children and three grand children.
Mike Gravel received a B.S. in Economics at Columbia University, New York, and holds four honorary degrees in law and public affairs. He lectures and writes about governance, capitalism, energy, environmental issues, and democracy. He is married to Whitney Stewart Gravel and has two grown children and three grand children.
Please also visit Mike Gravel's website www.mikegravel.us
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