What Does It Mean to Be Independent?

I'm an American and an Independent, tired of the bullshit I hear daily on what pretends to be news. I'm left of center, longing for civility and common sense from my fellow Americans, our leaders, and our legislators, no matter their political affiliation.

We are not our political ideologies, after all. We are Americans. Yet we Americans could not be more polarized; our discourse more partisan; and our rhetoric more vitriolic. You'd think our limping two-party system was led by high school cliques where the biggest bullies were inexplicably the most popular. The more incendiary the bully, the more newsworthy. Hence, the very personalities on my boobtube that make me grumpy.

Unfortunately, the Independent party is not yet a cohesive force. We are a fragrant potpourri of conservatives and liberals. Like Keystone Cops, we run around our ride, bouncing up and down and off one another before we find just the right seat. That gives us a lot of latitude for choosing our candidates, but it also stunts our ability as a party to make a major impact on policies in D.C.

Still, though we lack a unified message on major issues, we're making a powerful difference in elections. If Republicans are the party of No and Democrats are the party of Yes-yes-yes, then Independents are the party of Fickle Fingers, especially in the voting booth. We swing left or right, depending on which politician says what we want to hear. Case in point, the last voting cycle where we said loudly, "You, out. You, out. You, don't let the chamber door hit you in the ass." We didn't vote FOR somebody as much as we voted OUT somebody. No mandates there, I don't care how the conservatives spin it. We just want our leaders to actually COME TOGETHER AND DO something.

I'm an Independent not because I'm confused, ignorant, or fickle, but because my beliefs cross Democrat and Republican lines. This blog is my voicebox. Agree with me or not, doesn't matter. I welcome differing viewpoints if presented in a manner that invites intelligent debate. That said, I'm not very tolerant of hatred or bigotry. Go there on this blog, and your comment may be deleted. My blog, my rules.
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