You are very wrong, Mr. President. Obama's misguided view of the independent voter.

Just who are the “independent” voters in American politics and just how powerful have they now become?

Here is an excellent analysis of how the Democrats got drubbed in the last election because they forced their wasteful and mostly ineffective “big government" solutions on the American electorate and by doing so, they lost the support of “independent” voters.

By the way, before you scoff in disbelief, the author, John B. Judis is a liberal columnist who writes for The New Republic.

"Obama’s advisers, the Washington Post reported, “are deeply concerned about winning back political independents, who supported Obama two years ago by an eight-point margin but backed Republicans for the House this year by 19 points."

"These swing voters are probably one of the two groups that swelled the ranks of independents this election—up to 29 percent in this year’s exit polls from 26 percent in 2006—and tilted the vote to the Republicans. The other is probably the Shadow Republicans, which included voters who had previously considered themselves Republicans, but were alienated by the policies of George W. Bush’s second term."

 

With over 300 million people, I'm sure the dynamics are even more complicated, but it is good to see people delving into that fact.

 

You are very correct, Til the Last Drop.

I wonder how many Americans actually vote?

I'm guessing in 2012 less than 50% of elgible voters will actualy vote.

I predict many Black Americans who voted last time will stay away form the polls this time.

 

I think of independents as the backseat drivers of politics.

They don't call themselves Democrats or Republicans because they don't want to get blamed for the mistakes of those parties.

But the independents are the swing voters in every election.

So whichever party win the election it was independents who made the difference.

 

There are a lot in every generation who don't vote, but I think the percentage who do gets worse with age. For instance, I'm 33, old enough to see both parties with complete control in my young life, and from what I can tell, zero difference between the 2. I was die hard voter since 18, but at this point, I think I could only show up to vote for a Ron Paul type, just out of respect for the voting process, not because I think our elections are genuine. There is something very wrong in our electoral process as far as representation is concerned.

 

Basically, I think the largest demographic in American politics is people who don't feel represented by either party. Now in no way am I implying all those people agree on anything, quite the opposite is true most of the time. But there is a general consensus that no matter who you vote for special interests are all that is represented, and rightly so.

 

Gee I wonder if independents will prefer obamas balanced pragmatic approach or if they prefer far right slash and burn extremism

 

Right Sotomayor is no different than Alito....

Letting gays serve openly is the same as throwing them out...

Unemployment checks spend just as well as an empty mailbox...

 

If that really were the choice I suppose independents would prefer to let Obama keep investing taxpayer money in failed green companies.

But eventually our credit will reach bottom and Obama will not have any money to waste.

 

Oh is he running against someone who hasn't wasted any money?

One socialized his states medical industry

Another gave illegals perks us citizens don't get at a cost of 100k each

 

One way Obama said he was going to balance the budget was by eliminating wasteful spending.

So far he has only added to the waste.

 

Well the guy who hasnt wasted can make that case against him.

Who is he?

 

That would be the children as yet unborn who will grow up in the country that Obama bankrupted.

They deserve better.

 

There are independants because the R's are wrong most of the time and the D's are wrong most of the time. And then some of the time they're wrong together.
The parties just play good cop, bad cop. And then do what is good for DC politics and Wall ST banksters, and not main st america.
To be partisan is to hate america.

 

The supreme court votes pro-elite every time. Regardless if they were placed by a republican or democrat. Social policies are a moot point as our nation disintegrates into oblivion.

Gays are maybe 5% of the U.S. population, and "gay rights" serves more as a distraction for business to go on as usual.

There is only high unemployment because of outsourcing, a bi-product of free trade, and both parties support it. Arguing over band-aids is not my specialty.

 

That is one of the points where D's and R's are wrong together to benefit the corporate donors.
This is the fight american voters should take up. To rid corporate paybacks for large donations. It is the core problem with our political environment.

 

I could not have said it better myself.

And I agree completely.

But you understand what that means is that as the swing voters who decide every election the independents are wrong 100% of the time?

 

The GOP will divide and harvest the independent vote by encouragin/promoting the Gay Agenda behind the scenes and through the voices of proxies like Maddow and Cooper.

The lessons of California's Prop 8 trumped-up gay-favoritism polling vs actual election results were not lost on them. They've done their own polling and found when push comes to shove, especially if that push includes roping in children to gay subcultural values [and I use the term lightly], the vast majority of middle grounders will publicly "support" gay activism but privately vote against it.

And hey, all that matters is what goes on behind the curtain at the polls. GLBTQs would call these voters "closet haters" and indeed made a bumper sticker in CA "8 is hate". But that's not going to change a thing. And all it will do is lose vastly more important platforms the democrats represent like labor, healthcare reform, jobs and the economy all for an agenda whose binding agent is deviant sexual behavior. Wow, we're so smart! You watch. The dems will bite the stink-bait like a starving catfish in a drying pond. Maddow and Cooper will rant and rave about gay this and gay that and gay gay gay gay gay. And with every word coming out of their mouths, from using tragic gay/confused teen suicides to forward an agenda, clear up to DADT, they will not feel the noose tightening around their own necks even. How much sympathy they think they'll get from Rick Perry and his adminstration [and his new Commander in Chief title] is beyond me.

I've talked to many an independent and moderate in the circles I run with. They all have the same sentiments about Obama and the gay. Some are seething with fury that DADT got passed while taxes were stayed to benefit tycoons. One guy I was talking to about it was shaking with anger...kid you not.. To be fair, that little power play rendered out [trickled down] to circumstances he could directly attribute to his nearly going bankrupt]. And they blame this on the democratic uber-left pandering. All that does is create more independents that can stray from the herd into the GOP pasture during the vote. And I'll tell you right now, Rick Perry is looking pretty nice from where I'm sitting. He calls the shots as he sees them. He delivers power instead of talking about it. Fox News hates him as does CNN and MSNBC. Carl Rove [ie: Dick Cheny] hates him. Need I say more? Where can I get a "Rick Perry 2012" bumper sticker?

 

You lost me on that one. Wrong 100% of the time?

 

So they agree on one area. But since it's one you're most concerned with they are identical.

Maybe they are just right?

 

Why? Which generation didn't inherit federal debt?

 

For them, they are right. For us, they are wrong.

 

Please help us get back on subject, dairyair.

This is the subject of our open thread.

Just who are the “independent” voters in American politics and just how powerful have they now become?

Here is an excellent analysis of how the Democrats got drubbed in the last election because they forced their wasteful and mostly ineffective “big government" solutions on the American electorate and by doing so, they lost the support of “independent” voters.

By the way, before you scoff in disbelief, the author, John B. Judis is a liberal columnist who writes for The New Republic.

"Obama’s advisers, the Washington Post reported, “are deeply concerned about winning back political independents, who supported Obama two years ago by an eight-point margin but backed Republicans for the House this year by 19 points."

"These swing voters are probably one of the two groups that swelled the ranks of independents this election—up to 29 percent in this year’s exit polls from 26 percent in 2006—and tilted the vote to the Republicans. The other is probably the Shadow Republicans, which included voters who had previously considered themselves Republicans, but were alienated by the policies of George W. Bush’s second term."

 

I must say James, I think the direction it was going is absolute proof of how many genuine independents are out there. People who don't like either party is the demographic that is growing. The hardcore democrats and republicans are disappearing. Those with money and nice lives are the ones who see 2 different parties, and they certainly aren't the majority.

 

Here James, this was my 1st post. It is why I don't play to either party. I've probably voted R more than D. Yet on every forum I've been on, I'm labled a commie liberal socialist.

As far as how powerful they are, not sure. I've seen statistics say 30% are R and D, so that leave 40% as neither. How many of that 40% vote, I don't know. One thing is sure, no one can win an election with just their base.