Do independents think they are cool?[W:43]

It's like people that use macs. They think they are cool for no reason. Everyone else is a sheeple. I think the biggest culprit are the nutjobs that support ron paul.

Re: Do independents think they are cool?

99percenter said:

I think the biggest culprit are the nutjobs that support ron paul.

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Ron Paul is so 2 years ago get with the times man its all about RAND PAUL now!! w00t w00t!!!

Re: Do independents think they are cool?

Yes, I think I'm cool.

I want to avoid strict ideology as much as I can. The reason for that is that I don't believe the world operates according to invented political ideologies; and that the human world -- and it's derivative systems, institutions, economies, etc. -- are in a constant state of change. So what public policies work today, may not always work tomorrow. Societies have and will always change. Thus rather than being bogged down in a set ideology, I want to strive to support the "best" solution as possible. That's not is what is "best" in accordance to preconceived ideological assertions of truth, but in respect to what is actually happening in this world.

Re: Do independents think they are cool?

99percenter said:

It's like people that use macs. They think they are cool for no reason. Everyone else is a sheeple. I think the biggest culprit are the nutjobs that support ron paul.

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I feel like they just believe that neither of the two major parties generally field candidates that represent them well. Although there are probably some who are independent just because they don't want to be mainstream, I doubt that is what most independents believe.

Re: Do independents think they are cool?

99percenter said:

It's like people that use macs. They think they are cool for no reason. Everyone else is a sheeple. I think the biggest culprit are the nutjobs that support ron paul.

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I'm not so sure they are cool. After all, they give up their right to vote in the primaries. I would never give that up. IMO, the primaries are as important as the general election.

Re: Do independents think they are cool?

brothern said:

Yes, I think I'm cool.

I want to avoid strict ideology as much as I can. The reason for that is that I don't believe the world operates according to invented political ideologies; and that the human world -- and it's derivative systems, institutions, economies, etc. -- are in a constant state of change. So what public policies work today, may not always work tomorrow. Societies have and will always change. Thus rather than being bogged down in a set ideology, I want to strive to support the "best" solution as possible. That's not is what is "best" in accordance to preconceived ideological assertions of truth, but in respect to what is actually happening in this world.

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When you have to make a choice about who is going to run things there will always be 'ideologies.' If there weren't there would be no way to know what the person running for office had in mind. Well, except for Obama. He definitely bamboozled the cool crowd. It will be a hundred years before all the ways he has sold this country down the river will be fixed if they ever are.

Re: Do independents think they are cool?

99percenter said:

It's like people that use macs. They think they are cool for no reason. Everyone else is a sheeple. I think the biggest culprit are the nutjobs that support ron paul.

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Nice troll poll.

Re: Do independents think they are cool?

I'm not brainwashed by the corporate media. Both parties are exactly the same.

Political hipsters can get ****ed.

Re: Do independents think they are cool?

Maenad said:

I'm not so sure they are cool. After all, they give up their right to vote in the primaries. I would never give that up. IMO, the primaries are as important as the general election.

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Many states do not require you to be registered to a party in order to vote in a primary. And I don't see why you would want to vote in a primary where none of the choices represent you very well.

Re: Do independents think they are cool?

Anagram said:

I feel like they just believe that neither of the two major parties generally field candidates that represent them well. Although there are probably some who are independent just because they don't want to be mainstream, I doubt that is what most independents believe.

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I don’t know if being a Reform Party member qualifies me as an independent of as a nut job as someone just said. But I am socially liberal which is anathema to the Republican Party as I favor a woman’s right to have an abortion is she so chooses and am for gay marriage. But I am a fiscal conservative who believes in a balance budget and not spending more than what revenues you take in, anathema to the Democrats. I would say the largest group in the independent ranks are socially liberal and fiscally conservative. But they span the entire political spectrum.

In 2012 I had lost faith in President Obama and didn’t trust Romney, so instead of voting for the lesser of two evils or the least worst candidate, I voted for Gary Johnson whom I really would have like to see win the presidency. But 95% or higher of independents do vote in their words for the lesser of two evils.

It is also interesting to note that over the years the strength of the two major parties has shrunk as the independent’s ranks has grown whereas today indies make up 45% of the electorate. Here is a quick break down of party affiliation.

Pew Research for the 1935-2000 numbers/Gallup for 2010-Today

Year…Dem…Rep…Ind…Ind.Lean.Dem….Ind.Lean.Rep…..True.Ind
1940…50……32……18
1950…48……32…..20
1960…51……29…..20
1970…47……27…..26
1980…45……27…..28
1990…38……30…..32
2000…34……30…..36
2010…32……33…..34………..12……………………15…………………7
2011…30……27…..42………..18……………………15…………………9
2012…35……30…..33………..16……………………12…………………5
2013…30……24….44………..14…………………..18………………..13
2014…31……24….45………..16…………………..16………………..13…..As of May 18 2014

Re: Do independents think they are cool?

who the **** thinks in terms of which political demographic is "cooler"?.....

Re: Do independents think they are cool?

99percenter said:

It's like people that use macs. They think they are cool for no reason. Everyone else is a sheeple. I think the biggest culprit are the nutjobs that support ron paul.

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Im an independent and i can only answer for me.

I would never want solely judged on my party affiliation, nor would i solely judge somebody on theirs.

To do so would be mentally retarded and its part of the problem with politics today.

so for me the answer is no

also id never vote for ron paul

Re: Do independents think they are cool?

Anagram said:

Many states do not require you to be registered to a party in order to vote in a primary. And I don't see why you would want to vote in a primary where none of the choices represent you very well.

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My state has closed primaries. Independents can't vote in them. Regardless, I would still not want to waste my one vote and give up my right to vote in the primaries. Personally, I favor open primaries, and we had a situation here this year that really shows why they are needed.

Re: Do independents think they are cool?

AGENT J said:

Im an independent and i can only answer for me.

I would never want solely judged on my party affiliation, nor would i solely judge somebody on theirs.

To do so would be mentally retarded and its part of the problem with politics today.

so for me the answer is no

also id never vote for ron paul

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All you have to do is listen to what they say and watch what they do. No independent has ever won the presidency. I'm not sure about congressional seats, but Rand Paul had to be a Republican to win.

Re: Do independents think they are cool?

Independent? I wish. If I were independent there'd be no problem. No, what I have is an ideological abnormality. One so unbelievable that is must be hidden from the public at all cost.

Re: Do independents think they are cool?

Perotista said:

I don’t know if being a Reform Party member qualifies me as an independent of as a nut job as someone just said. But I am socially liberal which is anathema to the Republican Party as I favor a woman’s right to have an abortion is she so chooses and am for gay marriage. But I am a fiscal conservative who believes in a balance budget and not spending more than what revenues you take in, anathema to the Democrats. I would say the largest group in the independent ranks are socially liberal and fiscally conservative. But they span the entire political spectrum.

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But your man Goldwater was socially moderate, like you.
We all know how he fell out of favor with the Reaganite Christian coalition in the 80's.

Did you notice how Clinton tried to get out in front of the Cantor thing today?
I'm watching Sen. Warren and would support her in a heartbeat .

Re: Do independents think they are cool?

NIMBY said:

But your man Goldwater was socially moderate, like you.
We all know how he fell out of favor with the Reaganite Christian coalition in the 80's.

Did you notice how Clinton tried to get out in front of the Cantor thing today?
I'm watching Sen. Warren and would support her in a heartbeat .

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Yeah on Goldwater, what I remember him was sometime back in 1963 or 64 stating "You do not have to be straight to shoot straight." A reference to gays in the military, gay marriage wasn't even thought about back then. Then his numerous arguments with Reagan over a woman's right to choose and the religious right. Goldwater thought religion had no place in politics.

About the only politician from the northeast I supported was Paul Tsongas. I voted in 1992 Democratic Primary for him which of course Clinton won going away. As for JFK, I was way too young to vote in 1960.

Re: Do independents think they are cool?

I remember Dad voting from Morocco for JFK--Dad was a Con Dem from Maine.
He described LBJ as an "old pro" in 1964 when I was 10-YO.

Wasn't it Muskie fromk Maine crying with the "Canuck" term?
Btw, LePage could win another 3-way in Maine for governor.

You should remember the older guys when you were young talking about Truman, another Con Dem, and IKE .

Perotista said:

Yeah on Goldwater, what I remember him was sometime back in 1963 or 64 stating "You do not have to be straight to shoot straight." A reference to gays in the military, gay marriage wasn't even thought about back then. Then his numerous arguments with Reagan over a woman's right to choose and the religious right. Goldwater thought religion had no place in politics.

About the only politician from the northeast I supported was Paul Tsongas. I voted in 1992 Democratic Primary for him which of course Clinton won going away. As for JFK, I was way too young to vote in 1960.

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Re: Do independents think they are cool?

99percenter said:

It's like people that use macs. They think they are cool for no reason. Everyone else is a sheeple. I think the biggest culprit are the nutjobs that support ron paul.

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No - I'm the cool one, babe.
*puffs on a cigar*
I'm moderate

Re: Do independents think they are cool?

NIMBY said:

I remember Dad voting from Morocco for JFK--Dad was a Con Dem from Maine.
He described LBJ as an "old pro" in 1964 when I was 10-YO.

Wasn't it Muskie fromk Maine crying with the "Canuck" term?
Btw, LePage could win another 3-way in Maine for governor.

You should remember the older guys when you were young talking about Truman, another Con Dem, and IKE .

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way back then I remember mostly from Georgia, Herman E. Talmadge was governor then senator, of course Richard Russell and Sam Nunn as senators. There was my ten year stay in southeast asia. I do remember Dewey, Barkley, Rayburn, McCormick, Stevenson, Taft, Kefauver, LBJ, Symington, Al Gore Sr, not his son, Harry Byrd, Strom Thurman, Rockefeller and of course Goldwater. The list goes on.

Re: Do independents think they are cool?

99percenter said:

It's like people that use macs. They think they are cool for no reason. Everyone else is a sheeple. I think the biggest culprit are the nutjobs that support ron paul.

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It has nothing to do with being 'cool', it has to do with not being part of either of the two big parties that are 99% of the problem with America.

Re: Do independents think they are cool?

99percenter said:

It's like people that use macs. They think they are cool for no reason. Everyone else is a sheeple. I think the biggest culprit are the nutjobs that support ron paul.

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Of course they do... and so do partisan conservatives and so do partisan liberals.

Anagram said:

Many states do not require you to be registered to a party in order to vote in a primary. And I don't see why you would want to vote in a primary where none of the choices represent you very well.

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I purposely will not align myself with a party, even for primary voting purposes. As a result I do miss out on the primaries in my state, but that's a small price to pay for maintaining my integrity.

Maenad said:

My state has closed primaries. Independents can't vote in them. Regardless, I would still not want to waste my one vote and give up my right to vote in the primaries. Personally, I favor open primaries, and we had a situation here this year that really shows why they are needed.

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I do not favor open primaries simply as a matter of principle. People of one party should not have influence over another party's candidate in a general election.

Re: Do independents think they are cool?

99percenter said:

It's like people that use macs. They think they are cool for no reason. Everyone else is a sheeple. I think the biggest culprit are the nutjobs that support ron paul.

Click to expand...

I'm Independent
I use Windows
And, I am way cool.

Re: Do independents think they are cool?

Perotista said:

Yeah on Goldwater, what I remember him was sometime back in 1963 or 64 stating "You do not have to be straight to shoot straight." A reference to gays in the military, gay marriage wasn't even thought about back then. Then his numerous arguments with Reagan over a woman's right to choose and the religious right. Goldwater thought religion had no place in politics.

About the only politician from the northeast I supported was Paul Tsongas. I voted in 1992 Democratic Primary for him which of course Clinton won going away. As for JFK, I was way too young to vote in 1960.

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I'm a Goldwater Republican. We used to be a dying breed. We're coming back, and the end is now behind us. The religious right has gone too far, and as called on by Goldwater in the following quote... I'll not stop fighting the insanity:

On religious issues there can be little or no compromise. There is no position on which people are so immovable as their religious beliefs. There is no more powerful ally one can claim in a debate than Jesus Christ, or God, or Allah, or whatever one calls this supreme being. But like any powerful weapon, the use of God's name on one's behalf should be used sparingly. The religious factions that are growing throughout our land are not using their religious clout with wisdom. They are trying to force government leaders into following their position 100 percent. If you disagree with these religious groups on a particular moral issue, they complain, they threaten you with a loss of money or votes or both.

I'm frankly sick and tired of the political preachers across this country telling me as a citizen that if I want to be a moral person, I must believe in "A," "B," "C" and "D." Just who do they think they are? And from where do they presume to claim the right to dictate their moral beliefs to me?

And I am even more angry as a legislator who must endure the threats of every religious group who thinks it has some God-granted right to control my vote on every roll call in the Senate. I am warning them today: I will fight them every step of the way if they try to dictate their moral convictions to all Americans in the name of "conservatism."

Speech in the US Senate (16 September 1981)

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The religious right has co-opted much of the Tea Party. Tea stood for Taxed Enough Already... something that Goldwater could even get behind, because he said the following:

I have little interest in streamlining government or in making it more efficient, for I mean to reduce its size. I do not undertake to promote welfare, for I propose to extend freedom. My aim is not to pass laws, but to repeal them. It is not to inaugurate new programs, but to cancel old ones that do violence to the Constitution, or that have failed their purpose, or that impose on the people an unwarranted financial burden. I will not attempt to discover whether legislation is "needed" before I have first determined whether it is constitutionally permissible. And if I should later be attacked for neglecting my constituents' "interests," I shall reply that I was informed that their main interest is liberty and that in that cause I am doing the very best I can.

The Conscience of a Conservative (1960), ghostwritten by L. Brent Bozell, p. 15

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In addition to the above, he also said on the subject:

Where is the politician who has not promised to fight to the death for lower taxes--and who has not proceeded to vote for the very spending projects that make tax cuts impossible?

Barry M. Goldwater, The Conscience of a Conservative, New York, MJF Books, 1990, p. 47

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And:

Indeed, in the industrial age, earnings are probably the most prevalent form of property. It has been the fashion in recent years to disparage “property rights,” to associate them with greed and materialism. This attack on property rights is actually an attack on freedom. It is another failure to take into account the whole man. How can a man be truly free if he is denied the means to exercise freedom? How can he be free if the fruits of his labor are not his to dispose of, but are treated, instead, as part of a common pool of public wealth?

Barry M. Goldwater, The Conscience of a Conservative, New York, MJF Books, 1990, p. 48

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We need more Goldwater Constitutional Common Sense and less ideological rhetoric.

Re: Do independents think they are cool?

99percenter said:

It's like people that use macs. They think they are cool for no reason. Everyone else is a sheeple. I think the biggest culprit are the nutjobs that support ron paul.

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Independents don't think they're cool. They are.