A Uniter, Not a Divider

The man from the party that split speaks often about bringing the American public together, to give a voice to other voters disenchanted with the mainstream candidates whose parties have had decades to prove themselves and whose platforms, he says, have not realistically addressed the problems.

Although a mainstream candidate will be elected this year, Hagelin says that these "voiceless voters" can be heard now and in the future.

"[The voters I am trying to reach] have no reason to support the Republican and Democratic parties…The Republicans and Democrats attempt to divide the people through issues like partial-birth abortion, wedge issues meant to chisel away at each other's support base," Hagelin says.

"We're about the huge issues that unite Americans, like the prevention of disease and promotion of health, like taking back our stolen democracy from special interests."

Hagelin sees Ralph Nader as a partner in the quest to take votes from Texas Gov. George W. Bush and Vice President Al Gore '69, but complains Nader's campaign fails to create the "broad-based independent political movement" that is the goal of his Reform Natural Law Coalition.

"He's sticking to his core, narrowly liberal campaign with his upper middle class white support base, and he'll get five percent of the vote that way, but we've got to have a voice for the ... Americans who have no voice in our government," Hagelin says.

While Hagelin's efforts are not fruitless, his political capital does not seem like it will place him anywhere in the headlines the morning after the Nov. 7 election.