Natural Law Party (United States)

Template:Short description Template:Infobox political party 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 party proposed that political problems could be solved through alignment with the unified field of all the laws of nature through the use of the Transcendental Meditation and TM-Sidhi programs. Leading members of the party were associated with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, leader of the Transcendental Meditation movement.

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."<ref name=Thomas/> Harmony with Natural Law could be accomplished by the practice of Transcendental Meditation and more advanced techniques.<ref name=Thomas/>

The NLP proposed that a government subsidized group of 7,000<ref name=Wallace/> advanced meditators known as Yogic Flyers would lower nationwide stress, reduce unemployment, raise the gross national product,<ref name=Copelin/> improve health, reduce crime,<ref name=Thomas/> and make the country invincible to foreign attack.<ref name="Herubin">Template:Cite news</ref> Hagelin called it a "practical, field-tested, scientifically proven" solution.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> TM would be taught to the military, to students, in prisons, and to ordinary citizens.<ref name="Thomas">Template:Cite news</ref>

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.<ref name=Herubin/> It recommended adoption of the Grace Commission reforms.<ref name="Thompson">Template:Cite news</ref> The party supported a flat tax.<ref name=Mercer/>

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.<ref name=Herubin/><ref name=Maier/>

Civil rights planks included equal rights for women and homosexuals, replacing bans on abortion with prevention programs, and a national referendum on capital punishment.<ref name=Herubin/> It opposed the legalization of drugs.<ref name="SFC">Template:Cite news</ref> In 1992, it suggested the appointment of former Secretary of State George Shultz as drug czar.<ref name=SFC/>

It endorsed organic, sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, and conservation.<ref name=Maddox/>

Slogans included: "Only a new seed will yield a new crop",<ref name=Wallace/> and "bring the light of science into politics".<ref name=Maier/> Catchphrases included: "prevention-oriented solutions" and "conflict-free politics".<ref name=Maddox/>

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."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Founding

Bevan Morris, president of Maharishi University of Management (then called "Maharishi International University"), was the founding chairman of the party, which he created on 22 April 1992 in Fairfield, Iowa.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

The party said it had no direct connection to Maharishi Mahesh Yogi or to TM. Hagelin said, "It's not a transcendental meditation party",<ref name=Maier/> and denied any connection between the Maharishi University of Management and his campaign.<ref name=Gorman/> Mike Tompkins, also a member of the MUM staff, said that more than half of its founders were connected to the TM movement.<ref name=Thompson/> One critic said that it was "just another front group for the TM movement".<ref name=Gorman/> By one report, almost all of the 92 candidates who ran on the NLP slate in California in 1996 were TM practitioners.<ref name="Epstein">Template:Cite news</ref>

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.<ref name="Wallace">Template:Cite news</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Nevada required 9,392 signatures.<ref name="Whaley">Template:Cite news</ref> 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.<ref name=Whaley/> The NLP qualified after submitting 11,000 valid signatures.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The party submitted the required 250,000 signatures in California too late to qualify for the ballot there.<ref name="Herubin2">Template:Cite news</ref> By the time of the election, Hagelin was on the ballot in 31 states plus the District of Columbia.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

It was certified as a national party by the Federal Election Commission in September 1992, making it eligible for federal campaign funds.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Elections/campaigns

1992

File:John S. Hagelin.jpg

John Hagelin, three-time NLP candidate for U.S. President

John Hagelin, at the time 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.<ref name=Marcus/> Hagelin and running mate Mike Tompkins<ref name=Wallace/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> were formally chosen at the party's 400-person convention in Washington, D.C., on 5 October 1992, although they had already begun campaigning.<ref name=Herubin2/><ref name=Connolly/> Both of them took six-month leaves of absence from the university to campaign.<ref name=Gorman/>

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".<ref name="Copelin">Template:Cite news</ref> He said that the test would "allow us to avoid the possibility of a brain-dead candidate".<ref name="Workman">Template:Cite news</ref> The proposal was dropped because of a poor reception.<ref name=Maier/>

Hagelin was excluded from the presidential debates and he asked the Federal Election Commission to take over the process.<ref name="Phillips">Template:Cite news</ref> He did participate in the Alternative Candidates' National Debate along with the candidates or representatives of three other parties.<ref name=Phillips/> Hagelin's campaign cost several million dollars.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

The NLP had nine candidates for U.S. Congress in California.<ref name=Workman/> The sole congressional candidate in Massachusetts was a movement employee.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Two people tried to get on the ballot for congress in Missouri, but only one succeeded in getting enough petition signatures.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The party said it had 100 candidates running in state and local offices.<ref name="Maier">Template:Cite news</ref> The NLP ran a candidate in Illinois for Senate.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> There were reported to be between 80 and 175 candidates on the NLP slate.<ref name="Connolly">Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

The Beach Boys raised funds for the NLP during a summer concert tour.<ref name=Maier /> Mike Love said he was switching his support from George H. W. Bush to Hagelin.<ref name="AP1992">Template:Cite news</ref>

In addition to its own slate, the NLP also endorsed candidates in other races, including Republicans and New Alliance Party members.<ref name=Thompson/>

1994

The NLP ran slates of candidates in the 1994 mid-term election. Four candidates ran in Nevada.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> It hired professional petition gatherers to support 12 candidates for the ballot in Missouri.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

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.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=Warren/> It spent up to $250,000 on signature gatherers, in addition to its volunteer efforts.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Party officials said that 70% of the signatures came from students<ref name="Gorman">Template:Cite news</ref> and the party qualified for the ballot in 1995.<ref name="US Fed">(December 20, 2011) Americans Elect Party Qualifies for California Ballot</ref> It submitted 55,000 signatures to qualify in Ohio, half of which were collected by volunteers.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> It made a serious effort to get on the ballot in all 50 states.<ref name="Marcus">Template:Cite news</ref>

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.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The party published a 172-page platform booklet, the longest of any party.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Hagelin said that the party had been treated as a political curiosity in 1992, but had become a political force by 1995.<ref name=Warren/> The party was the subject of jokes on late-night TV shows,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> and its leaders admitted that some voters rejected the party because of the Maharishi's teachings.<ref name="Warren">Template:Cite news</ref>

1996–1998

In 1996, the NLP called itself the "fastest-growing grassroots party with 700 candidates on the ballot in 48 states".<ref name="Mercer">Template:Cite news</ref> It ran 92 candidates for local, state, and federal offices in California alone.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> There were about 50 on the ballot in Ohio.<ref name="Rowland">Template:Cite news</ref>

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.<ref name=Marcus/>

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.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> 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.<ref name="Maddox">Template:Cite news</ref> NLP candidates, including Hagelin, said they did not expect to win but were using the campaigns to spread their message.<ref name=Rowland/>

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 California, psychiatrist Harold H. Bloomfield ran as candidate for governor in 1998.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

2000

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.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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.

Between 2000 and 2004, the Natural Law Party sought to create an independent coalition of voters interested in election law reform. In 2002, the party endorsed Independence Party of Minnesota candidate for Minnesota Governor, Tim Penny.

Office	Candidate	State	Votes	%	Misc.
United States Senate	William Quarton	Michigan	5,630	0.1%
United States House of Representatives	Wendy Conway	Michigan	1,839	0.6%	District 1
United States House of Representatives	Susan J. Goldberg	Michigan	2,705	0.9%	District 2
United States House of Representatives	Jerry Berta	Michigan	866	0.3%	District 3
United States House of Representatives	Stuart J. Goldberg	Michigan	792	0.3%	District 4
United States House of Representatives	Brian D. Ellison	Michigan	1,345	0.5%	District 5
United States House of Representatives	Gail Anne Petrosoff	Michigan	1,159	0.4%	District 7
United States House of Representatives	Allen, Patricia Rayfield	Michigan	715	0.2%	District 8
United States House of Representatives	Alaya Bouche'	Michigan	824	0.3%	District 9
United States House of Representatives	Bonnie Hixson	Michigan	1,228	0.4%	District 11
United States House of Representatives	Fred D. Rosenberg	Michigan	887	0.3%	District 12
United States House of Representatives	Arndt, David	Michigan	1,304	0.5%	District 13
United States House of Representatives	Miller, Richard R.	Michigan	1,030	0.5%	District 14
United States House of Representatives	N. Fouad Hamze	Michigan	938	0.4%	District 16
Michigan House of Representatives	Gordon Reh	Michigan	2	0.0%	District 31
Member of the State Board of Education	Lynnea Ellison	Michigan	28,315	0.3%
Member of the State Board of Education	Gail Quarton	Michigan	25,418	0.3%
Regent of the University of Michigan	Lisa Anne Puccio	Michigan	47,447	0.6%

2002

Office	Candidate	State	Votes	%	Misc.
United States Senate	Doug Dern	Michigan	10,366	0.3%
Member of the State Board of Education	Michael A. Kitchen	Michigan	30,804	0.5%
Regent of the University of Michigan	David, Arndt	Michigan	41,788	0.7%
Governor of Wayne State University	Kathleen Oakford	Michigan	54,370	1.0%

2003

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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

2004

By 2003, the Natural Law Party had so weakened that it endorsed Dennis Kucinich, a Democrat, for President, rather than trying to achieve ballot status for a candidate of its own, having lost all but 10 ballot lines.<ref>"2004 Petitioning for President", Ballot Access News, 1 August 2004 . Retrieved 21 September 2008.</ref> Hagelin went on to create an organization called the US Peace Government.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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.<ref name="Natural Law Party official web site">Template:Cite web</ref>

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.<ref name="ballot-access.org">[1] Ballot Access.org, Jan 3 2011, Michigan Natural Law Party Keeps Qualified Status for 2012</ref>

Office	Candidate	State	Votes	%	Misc.
United States House of Representatives	Anthony America	Michigan	2,153	0.6%	District 10
Member of the State Board of Education	Colette McLogan	Michigan	57,659	0.7%
Regent of the University of Michigan	Mary F. Debusschere	Michigan	77,637	0.9%
Trustee of Michigan State University	Katherine Dern	Michigan	87,022	1.0%
Governor of Wayne State University	Kathleen Oakford	Michigan	78,048	0.9%

2006

The party lost its ballot status in California.<ref name="US Fed" /> 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Office	Candidate	State	Votes	%	Misc.
Member of the State Board of Education	Debra Hayden	Michigan	66,552	1.0%
Regent of the University of Michigan	Valerie G. Hilden	Michigan	51,946	0.8%
Trustee of Michigan State University	Katherine Dern	Michigan	68,958	1.0%
Governor of Wayne State University	Tara C. Stegner	Michigan	54,406	0.8%

2008

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.<ref>"Natural Law Party Puts Nader on Michigan Ballot ", Ballot Access News, 4 August 2008 . Retrieved 21 September 2008.</ref> Nader received 33,085 votes in Michigan,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref>"Mississippi Natural Law Party Nominates Brian Moore for President", Ballot Access News, 6 September 2008 . Retrieved 21 September 2008.</ref>

Office	Candidate	State	Votes	%	Misc.
United States Senate	Doug Dern	Michigan	18,550	0.3%

2010

Office	Candidate	State	Votes	%	Misc.
United States House of Representatives	Alan Jacquemotte	Michigan	409	0.2%	District 12
Member of the State Board of Education	Stacy Kohmescher	Michigan	32,145	0.5%
Governor of Wayne State University	Doug Dern	Michigan	25,807	0.4%

2012

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.<ref name="Daily Press">Brehnan, Christopher (January 29, 2012) Local Attorney gets third party on ballot Livingston Daily</ref> In August 2012, the party nominated former Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson for president.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Office	Candidate	State	Votes	%	Misc.
United States Senate	John D. Litle	Michigan	11,229	0.2%
United States House of Representatives	Daniel Johnson	Michigan	3,251	0.9%	District 11
Regent of the University of Michigan	Nikki Mattson	Michigan	79,501	1%

2014

Office	Candidate	State	Votes	%	Misc.
Governor	Patrick Groulx	Michigan	17	0.0%	Write-In
Secretary of State	Jason Robert Gatties	Michigan	13,185	0.4%
United States House of Representatives	Jeremy Burgess	Michigan	1,680	0.7%	District 8
State Board of Education	Nikki Mattson	Michigan	30,099	0.5%
Trustee of Michigan State University	Bridgette Guzman	Michigan	35,097	0.6%
Governor of Wayne State University	Yolanda Robson	Michigan	29,053	0.5%

2016

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.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Michigan also ran two Congressional candidates: Keith Butkovich and Jeremy Burgess.

Office	Candidate	State	Votes	%	Misc.
United States House of Representatives	Keith Butkovich	Michigan	1,838	0.6%	District 4
United States House of Representatives	Jeremy Burgess	Michigan	2,250	0.6%	District 8
Regent of the University of Michigan	Bridgette Abraham-Guzman	Michigan	84,194	1.0%
Governor of Wayne State University	Wendy Goossen	Michigan	62,223	0.7%
Michigan Supreme Court	Doug Dern	Michigan	336,160	9.7%

2018

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.Template:Citation needed

Office	Candidate	State	Votes	%	Misc.
United States Senate	John Howard Wilhelm	Michigan	16,502	0.4%
Governor of Michigan	Keith Butkovich	Michigan	10,202	0.2%
Lieutenant Governor of Michigan	Raymond Warner	Michigan	10,202	0.2%
University of Michigan Board of Regents	Marge Katchmark Sallows	Michigan	51,710	0.7%

2020

Office	Candidate	State	Votes	%	Misc.
United States Senate	Doug Dern	Michigan	13,093	0.2%
University of Michigan Board of Regents	Keith Butkovich	Michigan	37,193	0.4%
Michigan State University Board of Trustees	Bridgette Abraham-Guzman	Michigan	46,193	0.5%
Michigan House of Representatives	Andrew Warner	Michigan	638	1.4%

2022

Office	Candidate	State	Votes	%	Misc.
Governor	Daryl Simpson	Michigan	4,973	0.11%
Lt. Governor	Doug Dern	Michigan	4,973	0.11%
Trustee of Michigan State University	Sarah Brewer	Michigan	Nil	N/A
University of Michigan Board of Regents	Kathleen Oakford	Michigan	45,564	0.57%
Wayne State Board of Governors	Keith Butkovich	Michigan	Nil	N/A

2024

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.<ref name=michiganballot>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite news</ref> 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.<ref name=":0" />

Presidential tickets

Election	Presidential Candidate	Vice Presidential Candidate	Popular votes	Percent
1992	File:John S. Hagelin (cropped).jpg John Hagelin	Mike Tompkins	37,137<ref name=Gorman/>	nil
1996	File:John S. Hagelin (cropped).jpg John Hagelin	Mike Tompkins	113,670	0.1%
2000	File:John S. Hagelin (cropped).jpg John Hagelin	File:NatGoldhaber (cropped).jpg Nat Goldhaber	83,702	0.1%
2008	File:Naderspeak.JPG Ralph Nader	File:Matt-Gonzalez-headshot-696x696.jpg Matt Gonzalez	33,085	0.6% (Mich.)
2012	File:Rocky Anderson at MLK cropped.jpg Ross C. Anderson	File:Luis J Rodriguez NBCC Awards (cropped).jpg Luis J. Rodriguez	5,147	0.1% (Mich.)
2016	File:Mimi Soltysik (cropped).jpg Emidio Soltysik	File:Angela Walker (cropped).jpg Angela Nicole Walker	2,209	<0.1% (Mich.)
2020	File:Roque De La Fuente (cropped).jpg Roque De La Fuente	File:LG PICs 2 002.JPG Darcy Richardson	2,986	0.1% (Mich.)
2024	File:Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. by Gage Skidmore.jpg Robert F. Kennedy Jr.	File:Nicole Shanahan (54233355738) (cropped).jpg Nicole Shanahan	26,844	0.48% (Mich.)

Further reading

• Template:Cite book

External links

• Natural Law Party of the United States
• Template:Cite web