General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Serious question (not trying to bait anyone). What do you make of the rise of Independents? [View all]BlueWI
(1,736 posts)I would describe myself as a liberal independent. I have voted for exactly one Republican since I started voting in 1982. In 1984 I voted for Congressman Jim Leach of Iowa, back when liberal Republicans existed. He earned my vote. The election before that I volunteered for his opponent's campaign, but I learned more about Leach and voted for him based on what I learned.
I have occasionally voted Green Party when there's an candidate that earned my vote. 1-2 of these candidates won. I lived in one city with a Socialist mayor. I voted for her, although I think the office was officially nonpartisan.
Contrary to some of the handwringing and insults on this thread, I think it's healthier for a democracy to have multiple parties than to have identified voting blocks that do not always get served well by the aligned parties. As a black man and a liberal outlier who reliably votes Democratic, I do not feel that the Democratic party is as consistent as it should be in advocating policies that support my interests. That's why I remain open to the possibility that individual candidates, and sometimes third parties, can earn my vote.
All that said, I have voted and volunteered for Democrats for decades. Just donated to a Democratic candidate for state Senate this week. Maybe the folks that don't like independents should listen more, fret less, and earn a few more votes by respecting honest differences and truly embracing the concept of a big tent party.
Plus, if there were fewer independents, there's no guarantee that this would help Democrats win.