Hagelin Offers 'New Solutions'

Presidential candidate John S. Hagelin pledged to provide "proven new solutions to America's pressing problems"--including transcendental meditation--in an infomercial aired on NBC last night.

"Only a new seed can yield a new crop," said Hagelin, a quantum physicist with a 1981 Ph.D. from Harvard. He is the candidate of the recently formed Natural Law Party.

Hagelin said he would "save the nation $1 trillion per year" while still cutting taxes, thanks to his new approaches to the economy, health care, the environment and crime.

The candidate has had no prior political experience.

"I am not a career politician," he said. "I have training in the scientific method. I will gather together the best ideas of all parties. Together we can rise above bipartisan gridlock."

The six-month-old Natural Law Party bases its platform on fundamental laws of nature. Hagelin said it is the fastest-growing political party in the country, with 115 candidates running for Congress in 32 states.

"Everyone who has read the National Law Party platform...feels that this is the party of the future, the common sense party."

Hagelin said he plans to employ "cost-cutting solutions" to cut taxes "deeply and responsibly" for both individuals and businesses while virtually eliminating the national deficit and still providing better services.

It is Hagelin's crime program that could save the most money, he says: transcendental meditation as a means of rehabilitation.

"Transcendental meditation is a very effective measure to cut stress. People leaving the prisons don't commit crimes and don't return to prison" after learning the technique, he said.