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November 2, 2000 Hagelin,
running for president, Jessica Tarbox DES MOINES, Iowa--It's election season, T minus five days and counting. Mud has been slung, issues and capabilities have been debated, extraordinary amounts of money have been spent. And for many voters, the choice has come down to a vote between what they consider the lesser of two evils. That line of discouraged, indecisive thought is plaguing John Hagelin. As the Natural Law Party candidate for the 2000 presidential election, Hagelin has traveled around the country, and he said he has seen much voter frustration with the Republican and Democratic candidates and their special-interest funded campaigns. In response, Hagelin is offering to the American people an independent platform based on improved education in many areas, giving voters an option that does not fall within the traditional two-party presidential race. His desire to run for president was conceived eight years ago, Hagelin said, when the thought arose that the two parties could not come up with truly viable candidates. "Many people were thinking, 'Can't the country do better than this?'" Hagelin said. Voters began to consider more forward-looking solutions, he said, to issues such as sustainable energy, drug use and conflicts at home and abroad, and these issues were worthy of much public discussion. "The campaign content had been so ideological and whitewashed, so sanitized for fear of losing a vote. Their hands are completely tied." Hagelin, whose campaign headquarters is in Fairfield, Iowa, was looked to as a possible candidate to address these issues. A Harvard-educated physicist and educator, he is a scientist in the theories of natural law, and he is determined to dedicate his campaign to an innovative approach to government, free of the funds of special interest groups. "I promote this common sense philosophy that our government should promote programs that work," he said. To advance the spread of this message across the nation, Hagelin has often turned to young voters. This demographic group, voters aged 18 to 25, are the ones to appeal to, he said, as they are the ones to "inherit the mess" left by the government so far. "Eighty-nine percent of eligible students didn't vote in the last election," he said. "They're not going to believe their vote is going to make a difference. But young people are talking, they're connected, they're Internet-savvy. I've built this party for you and your generation." In addition to an appeal to the country's young voters, Hagelin has also made a strong appeal to students and educators. As a lifelong educator, he said, he has scoured the country for the most innovative and successful educational programs because he believes that outstanding education is the key to a brighter national future. "Education is the source and solution to our national problems," he said. "I have a tremendous focus on education, not just funding but the substance of it, the content of it." Hagelin's base in Fairfield, Iowa is a strategically chosen location that grants his party easier access to the farming community. The needs of family farmers are a high priority in Hagelin's campaign. "The Midwest is a very common-sense oriented place ... and the government should be about what actually works ... in an effective and humane sense," he said. "Farmers would like to switch to sustainable resources. They want to have a farm to hand down to their children and right now the USDA practices are jeopardizing the family farm. We want to have more for family farmers, as well as to capture for them more of the profits of the food they produce." And he, like any candidate, has high hopes for the outcome of the election on Tuesday, Nov. 7. He's heard the pessimistic comments concerning the likelihood of third-party candidates receiving any majority of the vote, but his optimism overshadows such negative feedback. "The purpose of third parties is not to court power. It is to provide crucial solutions," he said. He cited instances of policies implemented by the platforms of third-party candidates in American history, including the abolition of slavery and women's right to vote. "And there are two ways to win. One is to win the White Hosue and implement programs from there. Second is to win the way third parties always win--in the marketplace of ideas. Mass majorities of everything we cherish in this country came from candidates who didn't win." Hagelin is confident that third parties will eventually win, and every step makes a difference. "Every vote that (Ralph) Nader gets, every vote that I get is precious," he said. Policy implementation is a primary objective of the Natural Law Party, but on the same level is the need to create a party for the voters who are not affliated with either of the two mainstream parties. "We're trying to give a voice to the 50 million registered independent voters, plus the 115 million frustrated non-voters," he said. "The foundation has been laid, and I will dedicate my life to building this viable political movement, a voice for the people." All that is left now is to wait. Five days from now as voters approach the polls, Hagelin hopes that they will not fall into the lesser-of-two-evils vote, but instead will cast their ballots for something they believe in. And he is realistic about the outcome of the election, but persistently optimistic, too. "We may not win this time," he said. "However, no one's voted yet." |