The Natural Law Party (NLP) is a political party in Michigan. It was a national political party in the United States, founded in 1992, affiliated with the international Natural Law Party. Beginning in 2004, many of its state chapters dissolved. The party's Michigan chapter is still active as of 2024.
The national version of the Natural Law Party ran John Hagelin as its presidential candidate in 1992, 1996 and 2000. The party also ran congressional and local candidates. It attempted to merge with the Reform Party in 2000. Several state affiliates have kept their ballot positions and have allied with other small parties.
Political stand
"Natural Law" referred to "the ultimate source of order and harmony displayed throughout creation."[1] Harmony with Natural Law could be accomplished by the practice of Transcendental Meditation and more advanced techniques.[1]
The NLP proposed that a government subsidized group of 7,000[2] advanced meditators known as Yogic Flyers would lower nationwide stress, reduce unemployment, raise the gross national product,[3] improve health, reduce crime,[1] and make the country invincible to foreign attack.[4] Hagelin called it a "practical, field-tested, scientifically proven" solution.[5] TM would be taught to the military, to students, in prisons, and to ordinary citizens.[1]
Hagelin predicted that implementation of the program would result in $1 trillion in savings from reduced costs for medical care, criminal prosecutions and prisons, national defense, and other government expenses.[4] It recommended adoption of the Grace Commission reforms.[6] The party supported a flat tax.[7]
Election-related proposals included replacing the Electoral College with popular vote, automatic voter registration, public funding of campaigns, reducing the campaign season, and the elimination of political action committees.[4][8]
Civil rights planks included equal rights for women and homosexuals, replacing bans on abortion with prevention programs, and a national referendum on capital punishment.[4] It opposed the legalization of drugs.[9] In 1992, it suggested the appointment of former Secretary of State George Shultz as drug czar.[9]
It endorsed organic, sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, and conservation.[10]
Slogans included: "Only a new seed will yield a new crop",[2] and "bring the light of science into politics".[8] Catchphrases included: "prevention-oriented solutions" and "conflict-free politics".[10]
As of 2018 the Natural Law Party of Michigan has adopted a policy of acceptance with the chairman of the party stating "My belief is right wing, left wing, same bird. We still try to educate people on the concepts of the Natural Law Party, of scientific solutions to government. But by the same token if you've got different ideas we won't keep you out."[11]
The party said it had no direct connection to Maharishi Mahesh Yogi or to TM. Hagelin said, "It's not a transcendental meditation party",[8] and denied any connection between the Maharishi University of Management and his campaign.[13] Tompkins said that more than half of its founders were connected to the TM movement.[6] One critic said that it was "just another front group for the TM movement".[13] By one report, almost all of the 92 candidates who ran on the NLP slate in California in 1996 were TM practitioners.[14]
The Natural Law Party had to qualify separately in each state to nominate a presidential candidate. It used 300 signature gatherers, both paid and volunteer, in California alone.[2] The party submitted 5,724 signatures in Iowa, as the party announced at a press conference attended by Mike Love, a member of The Beach Boys and a TM supporter.[15] Nevada required 9,392 signatures.[16] The NLP joined another small party in suing the state over their early deadline, and they succeeded in getting a court to order a second chance to qualify.[16] The NLP qualified after submitting 11,000 valid signatures.[17] The party submitted the required 250,000 signatures in California too late to qualify for the ballot there.[18] By the time of the election, Hagelin was on the ballot in 31 states plus the District of Columbia.[19]
It was certified as a national party by the Federal Election Commission in September 1992, making it eligible for federal campaign funds.[20]
Elections/campaigns
1992
John Hagelin, three-time NLP candidate for U.S. President
John Hagelin, a 37-year-old physics professor at Maharishi University of Management (MUM), was the NLP candidate for president of the United States in 1992. He said that he had been uninterested in politics and a Republican "by default" before the campaign.[21]Mike Tompkins, also on the MUM staff, was his running mate.[2][22] They were formally chosen at the party's 400-person convention in Washington, D.C., on 5 October 1992, although they had been campaigning already.[18][23] Both of them took six-month leaves of absence from the university to campaign.[13]
Hagelin proposed that all candidates should have their brain waves recorded by EEG and the resulting "mental profiles" should be publicly disclosed, so that the voters could see which candidates had the best "brain-wave stability".[3] He said that the test would "allow us to avoid the possibility of a brain-dead candidate".[24] The proposal was dropped because of a poor reception.[8]
Hagelin was excluded from the presidential debates and he asked the Federal Election Commission to take over the process.[25] He did participate in the Alternative Candidates' National Debate along with the candidates or representatives of three other parties.[25] Hagelin's campaign cost several million dollars.[26]
The NLP had nine candidates for U.S. Congress in California.[24] The sole congressional candidate in Massachusetts was a movement employee.[27] Two people tried to get on the ballot for congress in Missouri, but only one succeeded in getting enough petition signatures.[28] The party said it had 100 candidates running in state and local offices.[8] The NLP ran a candidate in Illinois for Senate.[29] There were reported to be between 80 and 175 candidates on the NLP slate.[23][30]
In addition to its own slate, the NLP also endorsed candidates in other races, including Republicans and New Alliance Party members.[6]
1994
The NLP ran slates of candidates in the 1994 mid-term election. Four candidates ran in Nevada.[32] It hired professional petition gatherers to support 12 candidates for the ballot in Missouri.[33]
1995
The party started collecting petitions in 1995 for the 1996 election. It submitted 110,000 signatures in California with 35,000 coming from the county of San Diego.[34][35] It spent up to $250,000 on signature gatherers, in addition to its volunteer efforts.[36] Party officials said that 70% of the signatures came from students[13] and the party qualified for the ballot in 1995.[37] It submitted 55,000 signatures to qualify in Ohio, half of which were collected by volunteers.[38] It made a serious effort to get on the ballot in all 50 states.[21]
Hagelin came in third in a non-binding straw poll held in Fayette, Missouri, after visiting there twice. He received 20% of the 352 votes cast, ahead of Bob Dole and Ross Perot.[39] The party published a 172-page platform booklet, the longest of any party.[40]
Hagelin said that the party had been treated as a political curiosity in 1992, but had become a political force by 1995.[35] The party was the subject of jokes on late-night TV shows,[41] and its leaders admitted that some voters rejected the party because of the Maharishi's teachings.[35]
1996–1998
In 1996, the NLP called itself the "fastest-growing grassroots party with 700 candidates on the ballot in 48 states".[7] It ran 92 candidates for local, state, and federal offices in California alone.[42] There were about 50 on the ballot in Ohio.[43]
By January 1996, the party had collected $400,000 in donations, while Hagelin's campaign had received about $300,000 plus $100,000 in matching funds.[21]
Hagelin threatened to sue the organizers of the National Issues Convention, a forum on social issues held in January 1996, if he was not allowed to participate along with the Republican and Democratic candidates.[44] He continued to have trouble attracting attention from the media. At the Utah press conference announcing that the NLP had qualified for the ballot, only a single reporter attended.[10] NLP candidates, including Hagelin, said they did not expect to win but were using the campaigns to spread their message.[43]
During the 1996 election, the party ran hundreds of candidates for seats in the United States House of Representatives, against both Democratic and Republican incumbents. The successful candidates were mostly in California, where many of them received about 3% of the vote, and Ohio, where some candidates received 4% or 5% of the vote. The candidate running against Democrat James Traficant, a conservative Democrat with no Republican opposition that year, received 9%. In South Carolina, the party received 10% of the vote against Republican Floyd Spence who had no other opposition.
In 2000, Hagelin created an independent coalition between the Natural Law and the Reform Party. The coalition failed when Patrick Buchanan took control of the Reform Party.[46]
On March 31, 2000, the Federal Election Commission certified primary season matching funds for John Hagelin, who was seeking the nomination of the Natural Law and Reform Parties. Hagelin was the second minor party presidential candidate to qualify; the first was Pat Buchanan. Ralph Nader eventually qualified as well. According to the Federal Election Commission, the NLP spent $2.3 million on its presidential campaign in the 1999–2000 election cycle.[47]
Following Hagelin's and the Natural Law Party's failed attempt at a coalition with the Reform Party in 2000, the Natural Law Party ran its own ticket of Hagelin and Nat Goldhaber. The pair appeared on 38 ballots and received 83,702 votes or 0.1% of the total. This poor finish led Maharishi Mahesh Yogi to stop endorsing the Party and very few members renewed their membership in 2001.
In 2003, 2 candidates ran in the California governor recall election under the Natural Law Party. They were Iris Adam and Darin Price, who received 1,297 and 1,152 votes respectively, both of which are less than 0.1% of the total votes for the replacement governor.[48]
According to the Natural Law Party official web site, the national headquarters of the Natural Law Party closed effective on April 30, 2004 and the US Peace Government is now carrying forward the programs, policies, and ideals of the Natural Law Party.[51]
Entities using the name are still active in some states. The South Carolina branch of the party was taken over by the South Carolina Green Party. However, several candidates were on the ballot in 2004 under the Natural Law Party banner, including Socialist Party Presidential Candidate Walt Brown. In 2006 the Idaho Natural Law Party merged with the new United Party, with the United Party taking over the ballot line via a name change. Only the Michigan and Mississippi Natural Law parties remained as ballot-qualified parties.[52]
The party lost its ballot status in California.[37] The Idaho Natural Law Party remained active, and was prepared to have three candidates on the ballot for state and federal office in 2006 by entering into a coalition with the new United Party, and thus remained the only Natural Law Party still active in the United States of America. However, on June 16 the Idaho Natural Law Party changed its name to the United Party.[citation needed]
On July 30, 2008, the Michigan Natural Law Party nominated Ralph Nader for president, ensuring the appearance of the Nader/Gonzalez campaign on the Michigan ballot.[53] Nader received 33,085 votes in Michigan,[54] helping the Natural Law Party maintain ballot status in Michigan.
The Mississippi Natural Law Party nominated the Socialist Party presidential ticket of Brian Moore and Stewart Alexander, though they were ultimately barred from appearing on the Mississippi ballot because of a legal controversy surrounding the deadline hour for filing their presidential electors.[55]
The Natural Law Party was still active in Michigan, led by attorney Doug Dern. According to Dern, who ran twice as a Natural Law candidate for U.S. Senate and once for the Hartland Township Board of Trustees, the party appeared on the 2012 presidential ballot ticket.[56] In August 2012, the party nominated former Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson for president.[57]
On July 28, the Michigan chapter of the Natural Law Party, which maintained ballot access despite the defunct national party, nominated Mimi Soltysik of California and Angela Nicole Walker of Wisconsin and gave the ticket its first presidential ballot line in 2016. Soltysik and Walker were also the nominees of the Socialist Party USA.[58]
Michigan also ran two Congressional candidates: Keith Butkovich and Jeremy Burgess.
On August 1, the Michigan chapter of the Natural Law Party nominated Keith Butkovich for Governor, Raymond Warner for Lt. Governor, and John Wilhelm for US Senate. Butkovich is the first gubernatorial candidate in the state party’s history.[citation needed]
On April 18, 2024, it was announced by his presidential campaign that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. would appear on the ballot in Michigan as the nominee of the Natural Law Party in the 2024 United States presidential election. This was confirmed by a Michigan Secretary of State's office spokesperson.[59] Later, in August 2024, Kennedy announced that was suspending his campaign and instead endorsed Donald Trump while formally staying in the race but removing his name from the ballots of swing states such as Michigan.[60] Kennedy's attempt to have his name removed off the Michigan ballot was refused by the Natural Law Party, noting that Michigan law requires candidates once nominated to remain on the ballot unless they die during the campaign.[60]
John Samuel Hagelin is a physicist and the leader of the Transcendental Meditation (TM) movement in the United States. He is president of Maharishi International University (MIU), formerly Maharishi University of Management (MUM), in Fairfield, Iowa, and honorary chair of its board of trustees. The university was established in 1973 by the TM movement's founder, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, to deliver a "consciousness-based education". Hagelin's work and research connected to TM has attracted criticism from former colleagues and fellow scientists.
The Natural Law Party (NLP) is a transnational party founded in 1992 on "the principles of Transcendental Meditation", the laws of nature, and their application to all levels of government. At its peak, it was active in up to 74 countries; it continues in India and at the state level in the United States. The party defines "natural law" as the organizing intelligence which governs the natural universe. The Natural Law Party advocates using the Transcendental Meditation technique and the TM-Sidhi program as tools to enliven natural law and reduce or eliminate problems in society.
Presidential elections were held in the United States on November 5, 1996. Incumbent Democratic President Bill Clinton and his running mate, incumbent Democratic Vice President Al Gore were re-elected to a second and final term, defeating the Republican ticket of former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole and former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Jack Kemp and the Reform ticket of businessman Ross Perot and economist Pat Choate.
Presidential elections were held in the United States on November 3, 1992. Democratic governor Bill Clinton of Arkansas defeated incumbent Republican president George H. W. Bush and independent businessman Ross Perot of Texas. The election marked the beginning of a period of Democratic dominance and the end of a period of Republican dominance in American presidential politics that began in 1968, and also marked the end of 12 years of Republican rule of the White House, as well as the end of the Greatest Generation's 32-year American rule and the beginning of the baby boomers' decades-long dominance lasting through the present day.
Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was the creator of Transcendental Meditation (TM) and leader of the worldwide organization that has been characterized in multiple ways, including as a new religious movement and as non-religious. He became known as Maharishi and Yogi as an adult.
The Reform Party of the United States of America (RPUSA), generally known as the Reform Party USA or the Reform Party, is a centrist political party in the United States, founded in 1995 by Ross Perot.
Peter Miguel Camejo Guanche was a Venezuelan American author, activist, politician and Sailing Olympian. In the 2004 United States presidential election, he was selected by independent candidate Ralph Nader as his vice-presidential running mate on a ticket which had the endorsement of the Reform Party.
The Natural Law Party of Canada (NLPC) was the Canadian branch of the international Natural Law Party founded in 1992 by a group of educators, business leaders, and lawyers who practised Transcendental Meditation.
The Transcendental Meditation movement (TM) are programs and organizations that promote the Transcendental Meditation technique founded by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in India in the 1950s. The organization was estimated to have 900,000 participants in 1977, a million by the 1980s, and 5 million in more recent years.
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A. Nathaniel "Nat" Goldhaber is an American venture capitalist, computer entrepreneur and politician. Goldhaber helped found Maharishi International University and was special assistant to lieutenant governor William Scranton III and founder and chief executive of TOPS, a computer networking company. He served as president of the venture capital firm Cole Gilburne Goldhaber & Ariyoshi Management and was the founding CEO of CyberGold, an Internet marketing company that became a public stock offering in 1999. He was the 2000 U.S. vice president candidate for the Natural Law Party and serves as the managing director of Claremont Creek Ventures, an investment firm.
William Worthington Scranton III is an American politician who served as the 26th lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania from 1979 to 1987 in the administration of Governor Richard Thornburgh. He is the son of the late Pennsylvania Governor William Scranton, and a member of the wealthy and politically influential Scranton family, the founders of Scranton, Pennsylvania.
The Natural Law Party of Canada ran several candidates in the 1997 federal election, none of whom were elected.
The Natural Law Party of Canada fielded several candidates in the 2000 federal election, none of whom were elected. Information about these candidates may be found here.
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Mike Tompkins is a U.S. politician who was the Natural Law Party vice presidential candidate during the 1992 and 1996 presidential elections.
Bevan H. Morris was the president of Maharishi University of Management in Fairfield, Iowa, for 36 years and a founder of the Natural Law Party.
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References
1 2 3 4 Thomas, Jeff (February 6, 1996). "Natural Law Party advocates meditation as way to peace". Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph. p.B.2.
1 2 3 4 Wallace, Amy (July 18, 1992). "A Mantra of the People Presidency: Candidate from Natural Law Party says that mellowing out with meditation will help lower taxes, nationalize health care and balance the budget". Los Angeles Times. p.3.
1 2 Copelin, Laylan (May 13, 1992). "At one with the presidency // Natural Law Party nominee suggests candidates submit EEGs Series: CAMPAIGN '92". Austin American Statesman. Austin, Tex. p.A.1.
1 2 3 4 Herubin, Danielle; Warner, Gary A. (October 9, 1992). "Serious about Natural Law New group doesn't want to be just the party of meditation". Orange County Register. Santa Ana, Calif. p.a.09.
↑ "hopefuls stage alternative four-way debate". San Antonio Express-News. San Antonio, Tex. October 16, 1992. p.04.A.
1 2 3 Thompson, David (October 8, 1992). "Natural Law Candidate Sees $1 Trillion Yearly Savings". Omaha World-Herald. p.5.
1 2 Mercer, Marsha (October 6, 1996). "Path to Win Lies in Middle of the Road in Clinton-Dole Contest, Perot Not Deemed a Factor". Richmond Times-Dispatch. Richmond, Va. p.C1.
1 2 3 4 5 6 Maier, Scott (September 22, 1992). "Don't Take It Personal Meditation Technique Advocates Bring You Natural Law Party". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. p.b.1.
1 2 "Minor Candidates' Polite Debate / Small parties' presidential contenders agree almost as much as not". San Francisco Chronicle. October 16, 1992. p.A.4.
1 2 3 Maddox, Laurie Sullivan (March 1, 1996). "Natural Law Party Has Unnatural Knack For Savvy Politicking Natural Law Party Has Political Knack". The Salt Lake Tribune. p.A.1.
↑ "Iowa Group Stumps for Transcendentalist". Omaha World-Herald. Omaha, Neb. June 1, 1992. p.14.
1 2 3 4 5 Gorman, Steven J. (November 24, 1995). "Natural Law Party Offers Alternative". Daily News. Los Angeles, Calif. p.N.3.
↑ Epstein, Edward (December 29, 1995). "'No Secret This Is The TM Party' / Politics and Transcendental Meditation". San Francisco Chronicle. p.A.1.
↑ "Ballot Entry Bases Effort On Meditation". Omaha World-Herald. August 14, 1992. p.13.
1 2 Whaley, Sean (October 3, 1992). "Members of minor parties turn in signatures for November ballot bid". Las Vegas Review-Journal. p.3.b.
↑ "Nevada adds another splinter party to ballot". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Associated Press. October 7, 1992. p.3.b.
1 2 Herubin, Danielle (October 6, 1992). "Natural Law Party picks candidates". Orange County Register. p.13.
↑ Pertman, Adam (October 31, 1992). "Fringe candidates put frustration on the ballot Choices include populists, prisoner". Boston Globe. p.8.
↑ "Election Panel Recognizes 'Natural Law Party'". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. St. Louis, Mo. Associated Press. September 20, 1992. p.5.B.
1 2 3 Marcus, Ruth (January 30, 1996). "Less Stress, More Access: Natural Law Party's 50-State Focus". The Washington Post. p.A.04.
↑ O'Connell, Brian (October 8, 1992). "Alternative parties are long on faith, short in numbers". USA TODAY. McLean, Va. p.10.A.
1 2 Connolly, Timothy J. (October 7, 1992). "3rd District Notebook". Telegram & Gazette. Worcester, Mass. p.A.2.
1 2 Workman, Bill (July 10, 1992). "Candidates Challenged to Mental Test". San Francisco Chronicle. p.A.2.
1 2 Phillips, Leslie (October 16, 1992). "Alternative debate: Four on the fringe". USA Today. p.05A.
↑ Bock, Alan W. (November 15, 1992). "The 'possible dream' of the Libertarians". Orange County Register. p.J.01.
↑ McHugh, Edward T. (August 29, 1992). "Natural Law Party joins race;". Telegram & Gazette. Worcester, Mass. p.A.3.
↑ Mannies, Jo (September 5, 1992). "Blunt Calls State's Ballot 'Crowded'". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p.1.A.
↑ Sutin, Phil (November 3, 1992). "Voters Get Their Turn In Booths". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. St. Louis, Mo. p.1.A.
↑ Connolly, Timothy J. (October 10, 1994). "Friedgen sees TM as cure-all; Natural Law Party joins race in 3rd". Telegram & Gazette. Worcester, Mass. p.A.1.
↑ "Bush to lose Beach Boy vote". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Associated Press. September 27, 1992. p.5.a.
↑ Vogel, Ed (June 25, 1994). "Two ex-Democrats on slate for minor party". Las Vegas Review-Journal. p.5.b.
↑ Mannies, Jo (July 20, 1994). "'Natural Law' Calls Out The Petition Pros". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p.05.B.
↑ "'4 more years! 4 more years! Omm ...' 'Meditation' party may get on the ballot". Cincinnati Post. Associated Press. October 21, 1995. p.2.A.
1 2 3 Warren, Jenifer (October 27, 1995). "Party Asks Voters to Put Their Faith in Meditation; Politics: Skeptics scoff at Natural Law Party's answer to nation's ills, but backers say they have more to offer". Los Angeles Times. p.1.
↑ Freemantle, Tony (November 2, 1995). "Perot party to be on Calif. ballot/108,000 petitions demand spot in '96". Houston Chronicle. p.15.
1 2 (December 20, 2011) Americans Elect Party Qualifies for California Ballot
↑ Moloney, Sharon (November 14, 1995). "Another 3rd party on ballot Group meets Ohio deadline". Cincinnati Post. p.9A.
↑ "Clinton Is Fayette's Favorite in Cityvote Popularity Contest". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Associated Press. November 8, 1995. p.9A.
↑ Kelly Heft, Richard (November 13, 1995). "Lower taxes and, er, yogic flying". The Independent. London (UK). p.4.
↑ "Voting Force: Natural Law Party Transcends Political Lines". The Salt Lake Tribune. Salt Lake City, Utah. October 29, 1995. p.D.7.
↑ Rose, Bleys W. (December 9, 1995). "New Party Candidates Stress Meditating". The Press Democrat. Santa Rosa, Calif. p.B.1.
1 2 Rowland, Darrel (March 3, 1996). "Natural Law Party Meets for Strategy – Ohio Primary Will Be Its First Test". Columbus Dispatch. Columbus, Ohio. p.03.E.
↑ Ratcliffe, R.G. (December 14, 1995). "Third-party presidential hopeful jockeys for participation in forum". Houston Chronicle. p.24.
↑ "Minor-Party Candidates". The Fresno Bee. Associated Press. October 18, 1998. p.A4.
↑ Ayres Jr, B. Drummond; Janofsky, Michael (August 13, 2000). "Bitter Rivals Leaving Town As They Feud Over Money". New York Times.
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