Why Are Independent Voters Being Ignored?

[GoLeft TV]

#AskROF: “Why are there so few presidential primary polls that include independent voters, considering they make up 40% of the electorate?” Ring of Fire’s Farron Cousins answers this on Ring of Fire TV.

[demosincebirth]

1. Because Independent voters don't all hold the same views on core party issues...republican or

democrat.

[zalinda]

2. Except they do.

Most 'left' their parties because their party left them. If parties are run by party bosses and sway way to the right, the parties lose people. Democrats who hate what their party has become, leave. Republicans who hate what their party has become, leave. Those Republicans who can stand to take on the name, join the Democratic Party as they are now the old Republican Party.

Z

[demosincebirth]

19. Not true. Many lefties left the Democratic Party because the party's core principals have not

changed since I started voting many decades ago. The party of FDR has not changed it's principles. The far left wants their own issues dealt with, come hell of high water no matter if it causes the democratic party to lose the presidency. They remind me of children having a temper tantrum when they don't get their way.

I am a Clinton supporter and I will work hard to get her elected. If Sanders gets the nomination I will work just as hard to get him elected. HOw many on the left or far-left are willing to say that? That's the difference between true democrats and these charlie-come- lately first time voters of any age.

[zalinda]

21. Read Listen Liberal by Thomas Frank, then get back to me.

I had been a registered Democrat since the early 1970's, I saw the changes. I had thought that the Republicans had pushed the Democrats to the right, until I became an avid Internet user and read Thomas Frank's book. The history of the Democratic Party is interesting and it started happening BEFORE you became involved.

Z

[demosincebirth]

22. I don't agree with all columist even if they are lauded by the by the left or by the establishment.

I have been a die-heart democrat since I could remember. My first election I was active in was JFK's, in the late fifties. I met JFK on a stump speech in Oakland ca. That was one of the high light of my life. I seen the hippie protest at the Democratic Nation Convention in Chicago.in 1972. That chaos handed the nomination, who didn't have a snow balls change in hell to win, to McGovern, Again we got Tricky Dick elected for another four years. Humphrey was a much better choice and would have probably beat tricky Dick in a close election.

I was thirty years old before baby Thomas Franks was born. I was raised in the era of Teamsters and longshoremen on the west coast fighting for workers right , getting our head bashed in by over zealous cops and railroad Bulls.

And now, the sicking part of some so-called baby democrats who probably never have voted in their lives whether they are 18 or 30 years old saying if they don't get their way they won't vote.

I've said before that I am a Clinton supporter and have been for years and I will work hard to have get the nomination...if she doesn't get it, I will work hard to get Sanders elected. Thats
what true Democrats should do and not stay home and twiddle and pout

[zalinda]

23. You can be a Clinton supporter all your want

but the indications are she will lose, and probably lose big.

A guy came up to me after seeing my Bernie bumper sticker, and said he was a Bernie supporter. He also said if Hillary got the nomination, he would vote for Kasich or Rubio. He was adamant that Hillary was a liar and he could never vote for her. He had a point, if Kasich or Rubio is the nominee against Hillary, she loses and loses big. Neither Kasich or Rubio seem to much of a threat to the country as Trump or Cruz, and dems crossed lines to vote for Kasich in the primary.

Z

[demosincebirth]

24. You did not get my point, did you? Sad. eom

[zalinda]

25. Yes, I did but you didn't get mine.

The Democratic Party of today is not the same as it was back in the 40's and 50's, hell even the 60's. The dems mourn the true liberals in the party, but let the party big wigs keep those same type liberals from running. They put up people like Hillary who will not help those the party has ignored for at least 30 years. Back in 2008, I didn't care which dem got the nomination because they were both the same. And, who in the hell cared about the midterms, the same crappy dems were running. Even with a majority in his first 2 years Obama got nothing done for the least of us. And, if you don't know it, the least of us is a growing constituency. We are no longer just the welfare moms, people of color and generational poor, both urban and rural, the falling middle class are joining us in record numbers, and they aren't used to being ignored by the Democratic Party.

The Democratic Party has left us, and as usual we are being ignored. We finally have a champion for our cause and the Democratic Party is fighting against us. If you think we are going to shut up and be ignored again, you are mistaken. We've now tasted power and we are ready to fight at the convention, no matter how much Clinton cheats. If Clinton wins the nomination, be prepared to see the Democratic Party membership plummet after the convention.

This is what you are up against.



Z

[blm]

3. How many Independent voters gave GOP the majority in congress as well as their states

Last edited Mon Apr 11, 2016, 12:44 PM - Edit history (1)

like Wisconsin and NC who are now rolling back voting rights and attacking Dem policies like equality, healthcare, and environmental issues?

Independent IS a separate party in NY, btw. Ask the Independent Party of NY to endorse someone.

I'm not against independents, at all, just realistic about why they aren't and SHOULDN'T be the deciding factor for Democrats and our party rules and our party policies.

[A Simple Game]

5. I always referred to myself as unaffiliated when I became and when I will become unaffiliated again.

It can be confusing in New York to register and tell people what your party status is. I am now once again a Democrat to enable my vote for Bernie in the New York primary on the 19th.

But at 40% and growing if you disregard the unaffiliated voters in your primary decisions, you could be dooming your parties chances in the general election. This year could be a prime example.

Signed,
A DINO from the left.

[blm]

6. Not the point - The point was why they should control our party's primary?

They don't do any of the work involved in maintaining the party, don't spend time or energy attending meetings where the rules they complain about AFTER the fact (and only if they don't like the result in specific states, other than that they are fine with these rules) take shape and are voted through, all the while acting as if their voices were shut out. They weren't - they chose to not participate with the PROCESS.

That's fine - but, one needs to be realistic about why your own personal political choices in your state, also led to the different sets of rules in every state.

This Sanders voter (moi) doesn't believe in pretense to make a point. I support Sanders because I think he IS reality based and has a strong, common sense value system.

Sorry that may disappoint some of you.

[A Simple Game]

7. It was the point of the video which mentioned nothing about control of a party or it's primaries.

Nor do I when I am an unaffiliated voter want any control of either major party or their primaries, as far as I'm concerned both are going and deserve to go the way of the dinosaurs.

The question was why don't polls take into consideration unaffiliated voters. I stand by my statement on a party and their voters ignoring unaffiliated voters at your own peril. You do not win a general election without unaffiliated votes.

[blm]

8. One would think they'd choose based on the policies they agree with the most.

Choose or not choose to vote with Dems, but, don't pretend it doesn't imperil many of the very issues and millions of lives of those you profess to care about.

Nothing in life is perfect.

[A Simple Game]

10. What you say would be fine if the parties actually practiced what they espouse.

I left the Democratic party years ago because their rhetoric did not match their practice any more. For the most part it still doesn't.

A Democratic President putting Social Security on the table? Don't pretend it doesn't imperil the lives of millions of people, mostly poor seniors. Welfare reform in the '90s? Don't pretend it didn't imperil the lives of millions, most women and children. Know any prominent politicians that could have stood up and been an advocate for those women and children at the time?

Party members get nothing and haven't for years then blame it on the other side, both sides do it. Want the truth? You get nothing because both parties know they don't need to give you anything other than a scapegoat to blame for your problems and that 90% of the members will still vote for them.

[blm]

11. Supreme Court has proven to be more powerful than most presidencies

I am quite capable of prioritizing the issues - 'Priorities' is the reason why Sanders caucused for years with Dems, and why he chose to run as a Democrat.

Anything else, imo, lends strength to GOP, as some jump for joy at the IDEA that the Dem party might collapse and, oh boy, "won't THAT teach them a lesson?"

[A Simple Game]

12. Won't that teach them a lesson? I doubt it, they haven't learned yet.

With a country that leans left they still run right of center candidates. How many Senators, Representatives on a national level, how many Governors, Senators, Representatives and Mayors have we lost on a state and local level?

Tell me, how does a party that is supposed to have a platform that matches the majority of the people end up being the minority party?

No I doubt it will teach them a lesson.

So are you saying the candidates don't count? Just the Supreme Court? Then let's amend the constitution to directly elect the Supreme Justices. Problem solved. Both parties need to find a new scapegoat because the one about the Supreme court has been dead for so long with most people it doesn't even stink anymore.

[blm]

13. I'm just realistic about the power of Supreme Court in recent decades. Are you saying

you are not?

Well, I live in NC, and everything the SC does matters here and has been mattering more in our real lives than most anything that the WH has done or has tried to do on its own.

and….

Which is why I am appreciative of every Dem-nominated SC justice and cognizant of the fact that we need at least 2 or 3 more Dem-nominated justices going into the next decade if this nation is going to show progress.

[A Simple Game]

14. What I am saying is that perhaps the Court has become too important to leave to one person.

We all agree that it's important and that we want a say in who is appointed. I say if it's that important let us decide for ourselves not leave it up to one of two party approved politicians that has to try finding someone that the other party will approve. Maybe it's even time for one or two pre-approved Justices waiting in the wings, kind of like alternate jurors in a trial.

But for holding it over my head to elicit my support for a Presidential candidate... that won't work anymore. I will vote for the best candidate available for each job and I will expect the Senate to do their jobs and honestly vet any Judicial candidates. I have expectations for any President, the appointing of Justices is low on that list.

[blm]

15. So you best get on that Constitutional Amendment right away. We'll hold down the fort

while you're pre-occupied with direct voting for USSC candidates.

Someone has to while others indulge themselves in their safe red or safe blue states.

No guilt - I'm quite accustomed to heavier workloads, by now.

[A Simple Game]

16. You seemed to be the one worried about it, I was just responding to you with some of my thoughts

that could possible help you out in the long term.

Short term? If that is the only qualification for President you care about it must make your decision pretty hard not knowing who the candidates will nominate if the opportunity comes up.

[blm]

17. I'm fine, thank you. Just answered you appropriately, imo.

Goodnight.

[A Simple Game]

18. I knew it was coming, the Supreme Court is always the fall back defense for both parties. n/t

[blm]

20. You're welcome to pretend the Supreme Court doesn't bear priority consideration. I will not -

Last edited Tue Apr 12, 2016, 10:09 AM - Edit history (1)

and I'm not asking you to stop your pretense, in fact, I wish you great joy in your reverie.

[chapdrum]

4. Aren't independents and third parties

ALWAYS ignored?

That's a rich tradition.

[Phlem]

9. Yep. Even the one's elected to congress.

and people use this to show how independents get nothing done in congress even though it's no fault of their own.

Yeay the 2 party system, err 2 parties same boss system, err, fuck it, basically the 2 party system is corrupt.