“…these candidates talk about change, they don’t know what change is.”

-Mike Gravel, presidential candidate

Monday night, on the PBS program Newshour, former US Senator from Alaska Mike Gravel did something extremely unusual.

He was truthful. He spoke about issues that are actually on people’s minds in this country, and this is so strikingly unusual, and demonstrates by contrast so well the pathetic farce the political system of the United States of America has become, that it was probably the best political piece I have seen on PBS.
Certainly the best interview of a politician, local, state or federal. If they interviewed Kucinich already I missed it; I suspect his will be excellent also. But back to Mr. Gravel.

Seventy two percent of Americans, give or take a few percentage points, indicate they feel there should be universal health care coverage in this country. An even greater number seem to feel the health care system needs major changes. Politicians will say that this is not politically feasible, and this is a flat out lie. It is more than feasible. As Mr. Gravel pointed out, we spend more money on the military than the rest of the world combined, while our education system is painfully lacking, while our health care system rates low in comparison to other industrialized nations.

Mr. Gravel was speaking directly about real issues Monday night, issues that actually matter in people’s lives. He was doing this without the opaque filter of rhetoric, euphemism, elitism… all the things we get from political candidates on both sides on a regular basis. It was as if this news program transformed for seventeen minutes; was suddenly vivid when it had mostly been dull.

I had a similar experience when I first discovered a radio station in the Pioneer Valley, a Pacifica affiliate called WXOJ-LP. I had been used to NPR, and trying to glean information or analysis or inspiration from an NPR station. This NPR station is powerful and pervasive. Over time, you get the notion that, for people on the left or people actually interested in issues- NPR is the best you can do. That’s a depressing notion. When I first started listening to programs on the Pacifica station I mention above, such as Democracy Now, Antidote Radio, Axis of Justice with Tom Morello, it was like I had been living on thin gruel, and had just walked into a room with a colorful feast layed out for me to eat.

It comes down to intent. Candidates don’t speak truth, because they don’t want to. Let’s imagine a man walks into a room to speak on a given topic. First time. We can say many things about his style, his presentation, diction, phrasing, his use of language; none of those things means even half as much as his fundamental intent. If he has respect for his audience and actually wants to express something, and they are remotely interested in hearing it, it’s likely that he will. If he doesn’t have respect for these people, or if he is motivated by something contrary to speaking truth, then he won’t deal with substantive ideas, and he won’t reach people. It’s just empty calories. It’s obfuscation and manipulation. The problem comes when he is well dressed, well appointed, and representing some prestigious institution or another. So this makes people question themselves. Why am I bored with this? Maybe I’m just not interested in issues. It’s beyond me. But that’s not true.

A therapist told me a story once that illustrates this point perfectly. She said she had a patient who would come in once or twice a week and talk about her life, just like any patient would. But she, the therapist, was bored and tired. Painfully so. She said the woman would actually make her tired, and that there were times when she thought of laying down on the floor after her patient left to take a nap. She questioned herself. Why was she so uninterested in what her patient had to say? that was unusual for her. Had she failed her patient? Some time later, the patient revealed something fascinating and illuminating: she had been making it all up. There was nothing behind it.

This is what happens with a good deal of political commentary. It’s boring and lifeless, because the people doing it have no intention of getting to issues that really matter. Why would they?

Watching presidential candidate Mike Gravel Monday night, it was almost as if he was in color, and the program had been in black and white. He stated openly and frankly that the founders of this nation and of our constitution would be appalled at the current abuses.

Mr. Gravel stated that the policy changes current presidential candidates are talking about will amount to very little, that we need fundamental change, in which people are brought in to the operation of government.

In other words, a candidate is talking about the people of this nation actually having some say in the crucial issues of their lives: housing, economic decisions, health care, education. He pointed out that five hundred and thirty five members of congress make unbelievably stupid decisions, while a hundred and thirty million citizens are far more competent to make decisions, and should make the decisions that govern their lives.

There are some who claim to be interested in democracy and yet will contest this. They may cite reasons, including feasibility. In truth, their position will boil down to two possible reasons: One, they benefit from that elitist structure and are threatened by the idea of change. Two, they feel the populus is so ignorant and incompetent that we cannot make decisions for themselves.

You can listen to the interview here.

Sometimes I fear that our current system, the two parties that are basically both part the same big business party; the obscene amounts of money required to be in the running and the obvious way that filters almost everyone from a non-privileged background; the extremely narrow bandwidth a person has to fit in to not be marginalized or dismissed entirely, sterilizes our politicians. By the time most make it to a position like President, they’re white washed and generic. Mr. Gravel’s interview was so striking because he was genuine. When asked why he was doing all this now, when most would be thinking about retirement, he said he loved people. I think for once I believe him.

Even if Mr. Gravel does not become the next President, I am grateful I saw this interview, because now I know it can happen.

Tristan L. Sullivan