Facing America's Independents

[whoo689]

I mean, if you're an Independent, how does it make much sense to keep voting for the same 2 parties you always voted for, or to vote almost the same partisan way you did before as a registered partisan?? You're basically just a Leaner then. Leaners are almost identical to partisans in voting behavior, research shows. We have to separate ourselves from the failed duopoly and demand MORE: more candidates, more choices, more parties. We need range voting, not the crappy system we have today.

[whoo689]

The sad thing is that, although a lot of people call themselves Independent, about half of those people are really what political experts call Leaners. I'm in a political behavior class at MU, and only about 10-15% of the electorate are "true" Independents. It actually used to be a bit higher, but now we've become a lot more partisan and divided as a nation. I don't think Independents will be listened to as long as we keep VOTING FOR THE SAME 2 DAMN PARTIES!! Vote for Indies and 3rd parties!!

[whoo689]

When you vote for one party a lot more often than another, although you can vote for either, you look like just another blind partisan. The Democrats and Republicans don't take you seriously as a threat and something to really listen to. And I don't think that woman's description of swing voters is accurate. Swing voters aren't necessarily Indy; I'd say they're basically moderate and could be from any party. We need to vote for more people like Ralph Nader or Bob Barr, so we can matter.

[jeniferpepen]

im the second person LOL

[murraydab]

Great panorama of Independents, rarely to see just to have people speak as independents