Dear independent voter:
Boy, was I wrong about you! I used to think that the folks in your little clique were people who went through life sideways, wearing mismatched clothes and driving cars with “I’m a Maverick!” bumper stickers. Well, that’s probably still true, but as it turns out, there are a lot more of y’all than I had fear- … thought.
According to figures released last week by Arizona Secretary of State Ken Bennett, registered voters with no party affiliation now outnumber both registered Republicans and registered Democrats. It’s stunning, really. Who knew that a “movement” based on a collective shrug could become so popular? More than 1.1 million Arizonans are registered as independents. Do you realize what that could mean for the political landscape in the Grand Canyon State? Well, if the past is any indication, it will mean exactly two things—jack and dookie.
As it turns out, you guys are the least engaged of any voters. You turn your noses up at both major political parties and then you show everybody what’s what by declining to show up to vote. You do understand that muscle that goes unused will atrophy, right? (More on that later.)
I sincerely understand your ascribing to the philosophy of “A pox on both their houses!” when it comes to the two major parties. All too often, those parties allow themselves to be bullied by the shrieking minorities that inhabit the fringes. Democrats are certainly guilty of it, but Republicans have raised it to an art form. With the addition of the Tea Party as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Republican Party (or, perhaps more correctly, vice versa), you probably find that you have a lot more to sneer at in that direction than in mine.
For example, some Democrats want to close down coal-burning plants because of the harmful effect that the emissions have on our environment. Meanwhile, just last week, Republicans in Chicago elected a congressional candidate who believes that gay marriage causes tornadoes. And autism. And hurricanes. And this wasn’t in Incestville, W. Va.; this was in Chicago.
I want you to try something. Go into a dark, cool room, the kind people go into when they have a migraine headache. Close the door and sit on the edge of the bed. Then say the words, “Gay marriage causes tornadoes.”
You will either bust out laughing or you’ll run out of the room lest the words somehow bounce back on you and become part of your fiber.
If you read my column with any regularity, you’ll know that Hypocrite is high on my Don’t Be That Guy list. That’s why it has always bothered me that, after making a public display of not wanting anything to do with either political party, you guys whined and held your breath until the butt-kissers in the state Legislature passed laws that allow you to vote in political-party primaries.
Why would you even want to? You’ve made your point; you don’t like the parties. They’re strangling the political process in America. But now you want to reduce your status to Part-Time Virgin. You proudly show your disdain for the political parties but then you turn around and demand the “right” to stomp around in our garden and gum up our selection process. It seems like a rather extreme example of wanting to have your cake and eat it, too.
You’re like the home-schooling parent who wants to protect his/her child from the evils of society, lest that poor child be walking down the halls of a public school next to some kid wearing Beats by Dre and suddenly get struck by some of that dreadful Negro rhythm. And then that same parent turns around and wants that kid to be able to play on high school sports teams with real students who have to get up in the morning, actually go to school, dress right, act right and get good grades. You guys all sing that same song: Me me me me mine. Gimme. Me me mine me. Selfish. Me me mine me me. I want that. Me me mine me mine me mine me mine. Selfish. Me.
It takes a certain amount of strength to be a member of a political party. You have to come together with a wide array of people with whom you agree on some—but certainly not all—things. You have to work with people to help nudge the United States onto a path where it will become a better country for all Americans. It takes strength to stand up for something; not so much to flap in the breeze.
What’s really funny is that former Phoenix Mayor Phil Johnson refers to what’s going on as “the independent movement.” Well, it’s not a movement; it’s a slacker-a-thon. Do you know how I know that? First of all, because independent candidates almost never run for office. And on the rare occasions when they do, they get hammered. More important, however, your “statement” apparently ends with registration. After throwing a tantrum and being allowed to vote in primaries, guess what percentage of independent voters partook of that unfair privilege in the big-time 2012 election?
Why, it was 7.4 percent. Yes, one out of every 14 registered independent voters took the time to vote. Seven point four. Y’all are mavericks, all right.
This article appears in Mar 27 – Apr 2, 2014.
Hey, man, Tom – so we’re underwhelming, eh? But look at the alternatives. What did the Democrats do this year? (hint: NOTHING!). And what did the Republicans do this year? (hint: something, which turned out to be WORSE THAN NOTHING!). Pot, meet kettle.
The only strength it takes to be a member of either party is the strength to hold your nose while you pull the voting lever.
What is a Republican, and what’s a Democrat? What does each party really stand for? Ask a card-carrying member of each group, and I’ll bet you get different answers these days.
I’m a fiscal conservative that also happens to recognize the importance of investing in things like public education. I make faith-based decisions, but those don’t include casting judgement on who can get married, what makes a “Real American”, or when birth control is acceptable. I haven’t been clear which party speaks for me in a very long time, so I’ve been an Independent.
And I vote. All the time. And only after taking the time to research each candidate. I also read your column most weeks, and I’m under the general impression that you don’t love it when people make sweeping assumptions about others…so what’s up? Gay tornadoes, mavericks and part-time virgins? Eesh.
The low voter turnout (and voter inclination to vote ‘straight ticket’ without any real insight into each candidate) drives me crazy too, but I would respectfully suggest that the above column won’t be inspiring apathetic voters to change their ways…or this independent voter to see the merits of joining a party.
What is a Republican, and what’s a Democrat? What does each party really stand for? Ask a card-carrying member of each group, and I’ll bet you get different answers these days.
I’m a fiscal conservative that also happens to recognize the importance of investing in things like public education. I make faith-based decisions, but those don’t include casting judgement on who can get married, what makes a “Real American”, or when birth control is acceptable. I haven’t been clear which party speaks for me in a very long time, so I’ve been an Independent.
And I vote. All the time. And only after taking the time to research each candidate. I also read your column most weeks, and I’m under the general impression that you don’t love it when people make sweeping assumptions about others…so what’s up? Gay tornadoes, mavericks and part-time virgins? Eesh.
The low voter turnout (and voter inclination to vote ‘straight ticket’ without any real insight into each candidate) drives me crazy too, but I would respectfully suggest that the above column won’t be inspiring apathetic voters to change their ways…or this independent voter to see the merits of joining a party.
I am registered independent, and haven’t missed even a school bond election since 1986. However, I vote Libertarian, which is the only Party talking sanity these days. And don’t even mention Ron Paul. He is nothing but a religious right nutcase with a few libertarian ideas.
Both major parties are about power and control of the individual. Both want to save me from myself.
If both parties went back to the days of JFK and Barry Goldwater, neither of whom would be welcome in today’s respective parties, I would have a tough choice.
I vote for the candidates individually, not because they have REP or DEM after their names.
Nietzsche says it best: “Whoever thinks much is not suitable as a party member: he soon thinks himself right through the party.”
As far as I’m concerned, belonging to a party serves one purpose: it allows you to make choices without having to really think about them.
Daheny, who the hell are you calling a slacker? I left the republican party because I thought I was getting the party that stood for personal choice and freedom, not the goddamn jesus party. Fact is throughout my voting life (been registered since I was 17 1/2) I always went both ways at the polls (bisexual pun DEFINITELY intended) and now I find it too embarrassing to be associated with a party that would shout “look what jesus did, look what jesus did” rather than listen to any intelligible argument. Am I a slacker? Certainly not, and you can expect to find my ass at the polls for every vote like I always have. I would encourage my fellow indies to do the same, stop Cathy Herrod is our call to battle.
“I vote for the candidates individually, not because they have REP or DEM after their names.”
That sounds very good, but in a Pollyanna-ish way. How on earth do you ever find a Republican worth voting for? And even if this mythical figure did exist, party discipline demands that the crazies band together to our detriment. Until the REPs get less loony, I’m afraid your ideal is less than optimal.
Hurri,
As regards to the Republicans and loonyness, as far as it pertains to the religious right fringe, I agree with you. They are not only on the fringe of the party, but also on the fringe of sanity.
However, as far as the party discipline and banding together comment goes, that goes for the Democrats more so than the Republicans, which is why many times I am afraid to vote for one. I voted for Ron Barber in the temp election to fill the last few months of Gabby’s term because the alternative (Republican) was unacceptable, though I did not vote for him in the November race, for the above reason.
The Democratic leadership in Congress has let Ron Barber off the leash to vote for AZ instead of Party lately, because he is vulnerable, and if he was forced to vote along party lines, he would not have stood a chance this November. Ron is a good man, but if he wins again, we will have lost any effective representation for Arizona for the foreseeable future.
For demographic and pigeonhole purposes, I am a libertarian.
Two points, both of which underscore Tom’s points, which I rarely if ever agree with. As the commenters here demonstrate, independents tend to think much like libertarians. I have always defined a libertarian as a Republican who does not want to get elected. (What proper libertarian advocates the central D theme of more and more government?)
What is interesting about those ‘wonderful times’ of JFK and Barry is that everyone selected one of the two parties. Also of interest is that those times were almost devoid of what we now call gridlock. Can the new independents not see that their failure to participate in whichever party they despise the less is the primary cause of gridlock, which is caused by excessive devotion to perfect application of ‘fundamental principles.’ Reagan wanted people to agree only 80 percent of the time. He was wrong. Make that 51 percent. Choose a party, Independents, or stay stuck.
If you register for a party you get a ton of crap mail. I already get a ton of crap mail from both parties, so why not just stay middle of the road?
I am a registered Repub. But only so I can vote in the primary. I vote against the worst of the wackos, then in the general election I vote center left.
If only 7.4 percent of registered independents vote, I guess most of us who do vote are commenting on this thread. I vote every time, in every election. I’m an independent not because I’m “middle of the road,” but because I’m left-wing. Clearly, the Republican party does not represent me, but neither does the Democratic party, which has been almost completely bought by corporate money and seems to have very little interest in standing up for working people. Barber is just the latest person with a D after their name who consistently votes against what I used to think were Democratic party principles. He doesn’t even come close to representing me, and neither do most Democrats, though I have voted for some. If the two corporate parties didn’t make it so difficult to get alternative candidates on the ballot, we’d have more choices, but they fight tooth and nail against anyone who tries to limit their power or even share in it. For example, when I was a poll watcher during a recent election, I was not allowed (according to AZ state law) to be an Independent poll watcher. I HAD to be credentialed by one of the corporate parties. And it’s even harder to get an unaffiliated, independent candidate on a ballot.
some Democrats want to close down coal-burning plants because of the harmful effect that the emissions have on our environment. We just need to look at what Duke Energy is doing to the water ways in North Carolina with the Republicans support. If we allowed those industries freedom, they would have all the water ways polluted in the total USA. They don’t care about clean water, just profits they make for their stockholders and big bonuses for the executives. The sad issue is that Republicans agree that pollution of water and the land is ok.
Snarking over the Republican slide to insanity it great fun for Tom and other Democratic True Believers. It is just so damned easy, especially at the state level where our legislators in the next session will be debating the laws of gravity and what happened on the eighth day of creation.
But for an Independent, me, it is a tad disconcerting to live in a city that has been owned, lock stock and barrel, by the Dems for the 21 years I’ve lived here; a city government that routinely screws the pooch every time funds are forthcoming from the state or federal governments. Dare I mention Rio Nuevo (I know the name’s being changed and well it’s past history and impolite and we need to move on and all). And even the resident Dem pundit/cartoonist recognizes the failure of the Dem run government to even fix potholes or pave streets once in say every 25 years.
So Tom, many of us slackers do vote in every election just not in lock step with either the Democrats or the Republicans. Many of us pick the lesser of the two evils, occasionally actually agreeing with a candidate despite the party affiliation. The true slackers are those party members who vote by reflex pulling the lever be it D or R. That is mindless and one reason Tucson is in the shape it’s in. Your problem, Tom, is the same rigid orthodoxy you poke dun at in others namely “It’s a two party system, the good Democrats are for the people, the bad Republicans are for the business interests; vote D.”
Perhaps it’s better to be a slacker than a fool.
Tom – I respect ur opinion & most of the time I tend to agree w/U, but NOT on this topic: I vote for the person & what they stand for & NOT what political party the belong to!
The creation of the “other”, Independent vs. Democrats vs. Republican, is what has polarized and continues to be so divisive in this country and one of the many reasons why I refuse to be registered as either party.
I agree that Independents are not necessarily a movement but a change in how citizens see the political climate in this country; those of us that vote, vote on issues and not along party lines. Politicians have to work for my vote. I would consider going back to a political party if what you wrote held true. If Democrats & Republicans could WORK TOGETHER as a political party and with each other to form a better country.
“It takes a certain amount of strength to be a member of a political party. You have to come together with a wide array of people with whom you agree on some—but certainly not all—things. You have to work with people to help nudge the United States onto a path where it will become a better country for all Americans. It takes strength to stand up for something; not so much to flap in the breeze.”