Former Alaska senator and Democratic presidential hopeful Mike Gravel headlined the DemocracyFest in Bedford Saturday night.
He calls for pulling troops out of Iraq immediately and legalizing drugs.
NHPR correspondent Brian Early reports.
Senator Gravel calls for ending the war in Iraq by Labor Day, and having all the troops home by Christmas.
"We can pull our troops out, and then turn around and with aggressive diplomacy - bring in Russia, bring in China - and a way in, and I think we can have a rapid solution to the problem there, and focus on, of course, a solution between the Israeli and the Palestinians."
Gravel also favors getting rid of the income tax for a national sales tax. He says it would not only make American businesses more competitive, it would also encourage citizens to save more of their income.
Gravel also says he'd legalize all drugs, including cocaine and heroin. He says marijuana should be available at liquor stores, while harder drugs would be available through prescription. That way, he says, addicts would have to seek medical professionals that would be better suited to help them end their addiction.
For NHPR News, I'm Brian Early in Bedford.
