M.U.M.'s Hagelin plans "second government"

Organization would focus on prevention-oriented solutions to problems.

The Fairfield Ledger/March 25, 2003
By Erik Gable

After three tries at running for president, John Hagelin is turning his focus elsewhere: making his own government. Hagelin, a professor at Maharishi University of Management, has decided to form a "U.S. Peace Government."

He says he isn't talking about seceding from the United States or overthrowing its leaders, however.

Instead, he sees his position as similar to that of the "shadow government" or "loyal opposition" in British politics: the people who are out of power but still try to influence public policy.

"The function of the government is not to usurp the existing responsibilities of our current government in any way," he said Saturday.

Instead, Hagelin said, the U.S. Peace Government would push the federal government and U.S. citizens to adopt prevention-oriented methods of dealing with problems.

Part of the group's approach would involve "the strategic application of meditation." While the proposal was endorsed last week by Transcendental Meditation guru Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Hagelin said it wouldnt just be a meditator group.

About 25 percent of the people who have expressed interest in the idea are clearly familiar with the TM movement, Hagelin said. The rest come from other backgrounds.