More Americans identify as Independent

[shockedcanadian]

Admittedly I only put so much weight in any poll, so let's just classify this as "hopeful thinking".

Independent Party ID Tied for High; Democratic ID at New Low

In 2023, 43% of U.S. adults identified as independents, tying the record high from 2014. Meanwhile, Democratic identification fell to a new low of 27%.

news.gallup.com

Independent: 43%
Republican: 27%
Democrat: 27%

Independents will usually vote for one of the two main parties depending on the candidates, but this is a very hopeful sign. As the nutters on both ends get most of the attention, America continues to weaken.

Hopefully more and more will begin to consider a strong third party.

Neither party can protect your border and get a grip on spending.

Obviously people will decide "neither of these Parties has earned my vote".

 

[berg80]

The two failed parties propose all kinds of things when they know they will never pass

But there is a reason HR-1 didn't pass. Repubs refused to support it. Had that not been the case we would have no partisan gerrymandering in the US. We would have campaign finance reform. My point being the "they're all the same" narrative is factually incorrect.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

The significant majority of voters in MA are registered independents, but vote democrat 100% of the time.

Exactly.
And that is why the term "Independent" is mostly meaningless.
They are not really independent at all.

 

[pknopp]

But there is a reason HR-1 didn't pass. Repubs refused to support it. Had that not been the case we would have no partisan gerrymandering in the US. We would have campaign finance reform. My point being the "they're all the same" narrative is factually incorrect.

They are both the same. Both parties present things when they know they will never pass but when they might get them passed, those things are nowhere to be found.

I didn't hear a defense from you on the item I posted.

 

[berg80]

Neither party can protect your border and get a grip on spending.

Obviously people will decide "neither of these Parties has earned my vote".

What do you imagine the political orientation of an independent party to be?

BTW, you understand those parties are comprised of people, yes? People who designed policy positions. Who write bills. The "parties" are not some amorphous entity beyond the control of the voters. I submit the problem we have in America is voter ignorance, apathy, and a lack of participation.

 

[berg80]

They are both the same. Both parties present things when they know they will never pass but when they might get them passed, those things are nowhere to be found.

I didn't hear a defense from you on the item I posted.

Addressing insider trading is of little consequence in the bigger picture. But HR-1 did address the issue of ethics. It could be insider trading was included.

If you can't admit one party is advocating for reform to make the system better because it disrupts the narrative you've adopted there's little I can do about that.

Ethics[edit]​

The bill would require the president and vice president, as well as presidential and vice-presidential candidates, to publicly disclose their previous ten years of income tax returns. The bill would also eliminate the use of taxpayer money by members of Congress to settle employment discrimination claims, by requiring members of Congress to reimburse the Treasury for any such payments.[4][6][25][19][a] Another part of the bill would require the Judicial Conference to establish rules of ethics binding on the Supreme Court of the United States, the only court in the U.S. without a binding canon of judicial ethics.[19][4][6]

The legislation would also set new disclosure rules and limitations on presidential inaugural committees.[21] Inaugural committees would be barred from taking money from corporations; a contribution limit to inaugural committees of $50,000 per person would be imposed (under current law, there is no limit); contributions of more than $1,000 would have to be disclosed within one day; and the use of funds donated to inaugural committees would be restricted only to use for inaugural events and for charitable contributions.[19]

For the People Act - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Mac1958]

I'm not sure why they even bother with a poll. This data can be collated from voter registration records. Maybe a poll was just a faster approach.

These results do align with more thorough assessments based on the aforementioned records, which have been showing for the past several years this same pattern of about a quarter of voters being registered by each of the two major parties, and about half of the rest being unaffiliated or minor parties. While being independent doesn't necessarily mean moderate or centrist, some Democrats and Republicans are themselves moderates. I think this illustrates that a centrist moderate party would be able to dominate American politics for decades, if only the politicians had the courage to coalesce and behave like adults.

I just don't see that happening as long as we have a "system" (ha) that incentivizes and rewards the very worst impulses of its participants.

Also, as a couple of posters here have pointed out, the fact that someone calls themselves an Independent doesn't mean that they don't still obediently vote for one party.

I do think, though, that if a more moderate new party was given some support and allowed some oxygen, we could see a trend begin.

 

[Harry Dresden]

Everyone likes to think they are an independent.

but very few are.... since many"independents" back one party or the other.....

 

[pknopp]

Exactly.
And that is why the term "Independent" is mostly meaningless.
They are not really independent at all.

Last election in WV we had a really good candidate running for governor as a (D). Sadly Joe Manchin stepped in and supported the other candidate. Come the general election I voted (L).

This year in the primaries I will vote the (R) ballot. They have one absolute crazy running for governor and I will vote in their primary to vote against him.

It will most likely be third party come the general election again.

 

[berg80]

but very few are.... since many"independents" back one party or the other.....

What do you imagine the political orientation of an independent party to be?

 

[pknopp]

Addressing insider trading is of little consequence in the bigger picture. But HR-1 did address the issue of ethics. It could be insider trading was included.

If you can't admit one party is advocating for reform to make the system better because it disrupts the narrative you've adopted there's little I can do about that.

I've addressed this. Promoting something when you know it will never pass but then forgetting about those things when you can is not something I can support. Empty political rhetoric is not a valid platform.

 

[1srelluc]

OP is still a dem shill so.......

 

[rightwinger]

I'm a registered Independant voter.....

And, I'm MAGA

Do you vote for Democrats?

 

[SeaMajor7]

Do you vote for Democrats?

No, I don't vote for communists.

 

[berg80]

Neither party can protect your border and get a grip on spending.

And you think an independent party could? A number of immigration reform bills strengthening border security have died because Repubs can not countenance a path to citizenship despite it being a popular position with a majority of Americans.

 

[berg80]

I've addressed this. Promoting something when you know it will never pass but then forgetting about those things when you can is not something I can support. Empty political rhetoric is not a valid platform.

People come up with all manner of rationalizations to facilitate a failure to recognize the vast differences between D's and R's.

 

[Harry Dresden]

But there is a reason HR-1 didn't pass. Repubs refused to support it. Had that not been the case we would have no partisan gerrymandering in the US. We would have campaign finance reform. My point being the "they're all the same" narrative is factually incorrect.

they are the same kind of people.....they call each other the same names.....they accuse each other of doing many of the same things.....its 2 groups of people who maybe want the same thing but will say....."i agree with you,we need to get that done,but we do it my way or fuck you"....so it eventually will turn into a tit for tat type of governing....look at it right now?....these people,many are the so called "lessor of 2 evils" who got voted in......are some of the most inept people ever in DC.....so all you party people,keep voting these people in....then you can spend the next few years here bitching about how bad they are.....

 

[eagle1462010]

they are the same kind of people.....they call each other the same names.....they accuse each other of doing many of the same things.....its 2 groups of people who maybe want the same thing but will say....."i agree with you,we need to get that done,but we do it my way or fuck you"....so it eventually will turn into a tit for tat type of governing....look at it right now?....these people,many are the so called "lessor of 2 evils" who got voted in......are some of the most inept people ever in DC.....so all you party people,keep voting these people in....then you can spend the next few years here bitching about how bad they are.....

And?

When lesser of evils is your only choice you pick the leser and walk da fuck away. That is reality.

 

[pknopp]

People come up with all manner of rationalizations to facilitate a failure to recognize the vast differences between D's and R's.

And yet with the continued war mongering and massive debt you somehow see something positive in presenting bills you know will never pass while when able to do something positive, you don't.

 

[Harry Dresden]

What do you imagine the political orientation of an independent party to be?

obviously someone who thinks the 2 parties are fucking the country up and needs to get back to actually putting America and the people ahead of the parties bullshit...