Independent vs Moderate

[Proud liberal 80]

The media always like to talk about the independent vote, but I don’t think that is a good barometer because independents can range from being ultra conservative to ultra liberal who claim independent because the parties aren’t conservative or liberal enough. The better measure would be Moderates.

[Roland99]

1. IMO, both are copouts

People really identify with one party or another but put on airs or try to publicly disavow more extremist aspects of the party yet secretly enjoy it

[Proud liberal 80]

2. True, but

I know a lot of people who if you asked them their political party affiliation, they would say independent. So the media assumes that they are a person that could vote for either party.

But if you would ask that same person their political ideology, they would say conservative. So although they are “independent” they are going to vote for the Republicans.

[question everything]

3. Indeed. They chose not to register as Democrat or Republican

might fall in the "none of your business." But I've recently heard a presentation by professor of... don't remember, who seconded the opinion, above, that "independents" just don't know what they want, or think.

Remember networks would gather voters to ask for their opinions, and a day, or two, before the elections, they still did not know..

[brush]

4. And a certain senator wants us to have open primaries so these people who don't know what they...

want can have a say in picking our Democratic nominees.

[question everything]

5. Not only they don't know, they can and do sabotage the process

by voting for someone just to confuse the final counts.

[brush]

6. Yes. IMO that certain senator wants open primaries so these non-Dems can vote for him.

[moriah]

9. Well, if they're voting for him when he's running as a Democrat...

... and that certain Senator is far from being a DINO -- in fact, he's deliberately NOT a Democrat but votes with us, instead of the other way around....

I don't mind him courting voters who are left-leaning and who will vote Democratic in the General. That Senator certainly isn't trying to take the Party to the right.

What I dislike are the Conservatives who deliberately vote in a primary when they know they won't be voting for that Party in the General.

[brush]

10. I'm one who wants Dems deciding who our candidates are. The indies who can't decide what...

party to join can vote in the general.

[moriah]

12. I only agree because of witnessed deliberate Republican interference...

... in Democratic primaries.

Not because of people who, for whatever reason, are in a currently open-primary state and who are listed as unaffiliated because that's what they default all of us to. When we go in to vote, we're just asked which primary. I didn't get to even mark Democrat when they did my registration at the DMV.

[moriah]

7. I'm in an open primary red state. It sucks.

Technically I am listed as "unaffiliated", as are some Democratic political candidates/previous office holders, in my voter registration.

I have always voted in the Democratic primary. But I have personally heard Conservatives bragging about voting in the Democratic primary because the R they wanted was a shoe-in or a guaranteed loser and they didn't like one of ours.

This shit happens. Really.

[madinmaryland]

8. My wife registers as unafilliated, though she always votes democratic in the elections.

She is unfortunately not able to vote in the primaries. Our daughter and I voted for Bernie in the primaries, but my wife was not able to vote, since she was technically not a member of either party. Go figure.

We live in Ohio.

[Awsi Dooger]

11. Pre-election polls use independents

Not until exit polls do you get the breakdown of liberals, conservatives, moderates.

I wish it were different but as someone who has wagered on politics since 1996 that's the typical formatting.

Recently it's been very helpful to know that independents have turned against Trump, after favoring him last November.