There are precious few actual "independents"...

[Duke Newcombe]

After my experiences (granted, very anecdotal, but humor me), I'm of the mind that people who call themselves "independent" are just aligned with one party or the other, and are just afraid to own their preference--perhaps to seem "above it all", impartial, and reasonable. In reality, there are precious few issues where they could go either way, or the opposite way of their preference. Comments?

[dkf]

1. Well someone is changing their vote or are you saying changes in control are simply due to

Deaths and 18 year olds moving into and out of the voting population?

[Radical Activist]

2. Yes, except for those who are low-information voters.

Some people call themselves independents because they don't know much about what the two parties stand for.

[DFLforever]

3. No I don't agree.

There are people who simply have no interest in or understanding of politics.
There may be an issue or two they're keen on but they usually dislike partisan politics.


I have one in my own family. He regularly votes for Dems in national elections but in state and local elections will vote for Dems, Republicans or Mn Independent party. However, he never votes for social conservatives and is strong on civil liberties.

But right-wing and left-wing both turn him completely off. He thinks they both are crazy.



He's an Obama supporter...and is among the target audience for the president's bipartisan spiel.

[ixion]

4. I guess I'll have to disagree...

As an independent, it simply means that I don't ascribe to party affiliation or talking points, and form my own opinions on issues.

Personally, I find both parties lacking in integrity and ethics, which is why I chose to become an independent in the first place.

[Duke Newcombe]

5. To amplify...

I essentially believe that most self-labeled "independents" are little more than soft-core Republicans with a socially moderate opinion here and there. In other words, stealth conservatives.

[LWolf]

6. I was an independent for the first 23 years of my voting life.

I registered as a Democrat to protest the 2000 selection.

I'm a registered Democrat, but I'm also still independent.

I am an issues voter, putting issues and a candidate's record higher on my priority list than partisan concerns. No party owns my vote.

I am not now, have never been, and never will be a "soft-core" Republican.

I consider centrist "new" Democrats to be stealth conservatives.