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New poster, noticing a curiosity...?

markjs

markjs

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So, is it just me, or are most folks who label themselves as leaning "independent", generally conservatives who just don't want to label themselves as such? Not trying to criticize here, but it really seems to me, most folks labeling themselves as independent, have a decidedly right lean in most of their commentary. IDK, maybe it's just my MSM "brainwashing" lol.... :lamo
 
markjs said:
So, is it just me, or are most folks who label themselves as leaning "independent", generally conservatives who just don't want to label themselves as such? Not trying to criticize here, but it really seems to me, most folks labeling themselves as independent, have a decidedly right lean in most of their commentary. IDK, maybe it's just my MSM "brainwashing" lol.... :lamo
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You're conflating two different things. Independent relates to no party affiliation while conservative is a political ideology. You can be both an independent and a conservative but not like the Republican party. Independent =/= moderate or centrist.
 
I think I fit that description! I have left the Republican Party though and although my values tend to lean right I can see their faults too. I am a registered independent because neither the denmocrats or the Republicans have my loyalty.
 
markjs said:
So, is it just me, or are most folks who label themselves as leaning "independent", generally conservatives who just don't want to label themselves as such? Not trying to criticize here, but it really seems to me, most folks labeling themselves as independent, have a decidedly right lean in most of their commentary. IDK, maybe it's just my MSM "brainwashing" lol.... :lamo
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Independent means no affiliation with the dems or the repubs.

That doesn't have any barring on whether they personally swing right or left.
 
TheGoverness said:
Independent means no affiliation with the dems or the repubs.

That doesn't have any barring on whether they personally swing right or left.
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Many of our previously "Conservative" labeled mods switched too,
 
Conservative =/= Republican if such association is of concern with those who would take up a conservative label, though I understand the desire to explicitly identify as someone affiliated with no party.

That said, I feel the point of the 'independent' label was more to emphasize a person's lack of affiliation with any true political lean (not party allegiance; there is no 'Democrat/Republican' option), whether left or right, so yes, in this respect many (probably most) people are improperly using it.
 
markjs said:
So, is it just me, or are most folks who label themselves as leaning "independent", generally conservatives who just don't want to label themselves as such? Not trying to criticize here, but it really seems to me, most folks labeling themselves as independent, have a decidedly right lean in most of their commentary. IDK, maybe it's just my MSM "brainwashing" lol.... :lamo
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There's a lot of confusion about the terminology. I've seen people who express decidedly liberal values call themselves 'conservative' , simply because the word 'liberal' has come to mean socialist or progressive to many Americans.
 
markjs said:
So, is it just me, or are most folks who label themselves as leaning "independent", generally conservatives who just don't want to label themselves as such? Not trying to criticize here, but it really seems to me, most folks labeling themselves as independent, have a decidedly right lean in most of their commentary. IDK, maybe it's just my MSM "brainwashing" lol.... :lamo
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It is not brainwashing necessarily, but you are making 2 errors to my way of thinking. One is that you seem to be confusing independent with centrist. For example, you can be very conservative economically, but very liberal socially(but not a stoner, so not a libertarian) and be an independent. You don't fit with traditional conservatism, nor with traditional liberalism, while not really being at the center either. The other mistake is I think is that, some one who is at the center is going to seem pretty conservative to a liberal or a progressive. It is something I forget sometimes myself, it is an easy mistake to make.
 
By and large, if I notice the "independent" label at all, I expect the person to be farther right than the average Gopper, until shown otherwise.
 
Yeah, so many "independents" tend to be lock step in line with the most conservative elements, but it seems to be their way of wishfully calling them self an individual thinker, despite the line by line adherence with the modern day far right agenda.

It baffles me how anyone who denies science can ever be called "intellectual"; if anything science denial is the antithesis of intellectualism.
 
markjs said:
So, is it just me, or are most folks who label themselves as leaning "independent", generally conservatives who just don't want to label themselves as such? Not trying to criticize here, but it really seems to me, most folks labeling themselves as independent, have a decidedly right lean in most of their commentary. IDK, maybe it's just my MSM "brainwashing" lol.... :lamo
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There are a lot of folks on this board who hide behind monikers like "independent," "moderate" and "other." Honestly though...I think they're just conservatives and liberals who just won't actually admit to being that.

Honestly....I find a lot of "others" and "independents" are left-leaning. Some that come to mind are fall-off-the-left-side-of-the-table socialists.
 
markjs said:
So, is it just me, or are most folks who label themselves as leaning "independent", generally conservatives who just don't want to label themselves as such? Not trying to criticize here, but it really seems to me, most folks labeling themselves as independent, have a decidedly right lean in most of their commentary. IDK, maybe it's just my MSM "brainwashing" lol.... :lamo
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I think a great many Centrists and Independents have fallen into the agenda by Rockefeller Republicans and the Clintons' Centrist Democrats' push to merge the Republicans and Democrats foreign policies.
Ironically, I tend toward somewhere between Libertarian-Socialism and Centrist Progressiveness.
 
Velvet Elvis said:
There are a lot of folks on this board who hide behind monikers like "independent," "moderate" and "other." Honestly though...I think they're just conservatives and liberals who just won't actually admit to being that.

Honestly....I find a lot of "others" and "independents" are left-leaning. Some that come to mind are fall-off-the-left-side-of-the-table socialists.
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I chose other because my tiny Reform Party was not listed. But my name should tell the story. But I never look at the lean. Just what folks post and if it is fairly intelligent, I will add my two cents. Regardless of what the lean says, after a few posts one knows where they are coming from.
 
Fishking said:
You're conflating two different things. Independent relates to no party affiliation while conservative is a political ideology. You can be both an independent and a conservative but not like the Republican party. Independent =/= moderate or centrist.
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Not necessarily. I consider myself a fiscal conservative, I believe in a balance budget and lowering the debt. I am also socially liberal, I believe when it comes to abortion, that decision belongs to the woman only. When it comes to gay marriage or any marriage, let love reign. Government should stay out of these things.

So where on the conservative, moderate, centrist, liberal scale does a fiscal conservative who is also socially liberal fall? And as stated, I am not a Republican or a Democratic either, I belong to the Reform Party.
 
Perotista said:
I chose other because my tiny Reform Party was not listed. But my name should tell the story. But I never look at the lean. Just what folks post and if it is fairly intelligent, I will add my two cents. Regardless of what the lean says, after a few posts one knows where they are coming from.
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I was being general. Obviously there are true "others." You're right though...it only takes a couple posts to see the "real" user. The worst ones though are the trolls who claim one side, but are clearly half a universe away from that actual position.
 
Velvet Elvis said:
I was being general. Obviously there are true "others." You're right though...it only takes a couple posts to see the "real" user. The worst ones though are the trolls who claim one side, but are clearly half a universe away from that actual position.
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LOL, yeah. I pretty much stay away from the trolls. I really don't know what they are trying to accomplish.
 
markjs said:
So, is it just me, or are most folks who label themselves as leaning "independent", generally conservatives who just don't want to label themselves as such? Not trying to criticize here, but it really seems to me, most folks labeling themselves as independent, have a decidedly right lean in most of their commentary. IDK, maybe it's just my MSM "brainwashing" lol.... :lamo
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Many of us are fiscal conservatives, but socially moderate

And yet we don't see eye to eye with the he libertarians....

So where does that leave us?
 
gdgyva said:
Many of us are fiscal conservatives, but socially moderate

And yet we don't see eye to eye with the he libertarians....

So where does that leave us?
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You don't see eye to eye with libertarians? You are not cross eyed?
 
markjs said:
So, is it just me, or are most folks who label themselves as leaning "independent", generally conservatives who just don't want to label themselves as such? Not trying to criticize here, but it really seems to me, most folks labeling themselves as independent, have a decidedly right lean in most of their commentary. IDK, maybe it's just my MSM "brainwashing" lol.... :lamo
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I find that the independents here in DP are mostly Righties who are too embarrassed to admit they are Republicans. ;)
 
gdgyva said:
Many of us are fiscal conservatives, but socially moderate

And yet we don't see eye to eye with the he libertarians....

So where does that leave us?
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Centrist Democrat.
 
Why does it matter ?

markjs said:
So, is it just me, or are most folks who label themselves as leaning "independent", generally conservatives who just don't want to label themselves as such? Not trying to criticize here, but it really seems to me, most folks labeling themselves as independent, have a decidedly right lean in most of their commentary. IDK, maybe it's just my MSM "brainwashing" lol.... :lamo
Click to expand...
 
calamity said:
Centrist Democrat.
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Sorry but no

Anything with the name democrat makes my skin crawl...as it is associated with Pelosi, Reid, and so many others that I have zero respect for

There are a number on the other side of the aisle that repulse me also....

And I would rather have Obama have a third term than Hillary ever take the office

Problem is I think she is going to win...and continue us down this wrong path
 
gdgyva said:
Sorry but no

Anything with the name democrat makes my skin crawl...as it is associated with Pelosi, Reid, and so many others that I have zero respect for

There are a number on the other side of the aisle that repulse me also....

And I would rather have Obama have a third term than Hillary ever take the office

Problem is I think she is going to win...and continue us down this wrong path
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Strange as it may seem, I said basically the same thing a couple of hours ago. That I would rather have Obama have a third term than either Hillary or Trump become president. I think either one, Trump or Hillary would make a horrible president and leave this country in far worse shape once either left office than when either entered it.

I may consider Obama a below average president, but below average beats horrible any day.
 
Perotista said:
Strange as it may seem, I said basically the same thing a couple of hours ago. That I would rather have Obama have a third term than either Hillary or Trump become president. I think either one, Trump or Hillary would make a horrible president and leave this country in far worse shape once either left office than when either entered it.

I may consider Obama a below average president, but below average beats horrible any day.
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Gee, we could always vote to nullify the amendment that prohibits presidents serving more than two terms
 
gdgyva said:
Sorry but no

Anything with the name democrat makes my skin crawl...as it is associated with Pelosi, Reid, and so many others that I have zero respect for

There are a number on the other side of the aisle that repulse me also....

And I would rather have Obama have a third term than Hillary ever take the office

Problem is I think she is going to win...and continue us down this wrong path
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Maybe so. But, since there is no longer a socially moderate side still alive in the GOP, it's all ya got...at least as far as picking a side with any chance of winning.

I'm a fiscal conservative who can't stand most of the DNC. But, the GOP is just so far off the map nowadays, I simply have no choice but to chose the pragmatic best option. And, today, the best (if not the only sane) option is the D who is furthest to the Right.
 
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