Brady Bunch wrote:

Fred,

I mean actual indepenents, not someone who leans politically to the left or right.  You may not be aligned with a party, but you are a progressive who leans way left.

When I say independent, I am talking about someone who actually is a moderate voter who is likely to vote for both Republican and Democratic candidates

 
So, what you are saying Brady, that if you are progressive or lean to the left, you must align with the Democratic Party. If you are conservative or lean to the right, you must align with the Republican Party.

I don't buy that. You have to learn about a candidate's positions, not the party line, on issues. You'll never find one candidate that exactly matches your position on all issues, so you vote for the candidate that matches with most of your vision on how the government should run. If you can't find a candidate on the ballot that you find satisfactory for a position, you can always write in a name. That's how Scott Wagner won, and that's how I won an election for a local position.

The democratic and the republican professional politicians would like you to vote thinking that they all follow the same game plan on election issues (in other words, without thinking) but most of them don't. It makes it easier for the voter . . . just vote for the party, not the candidate. That is, again, why political parties spend so much time gerrymandering districts to fall in line with party preferences. Unfortunately, for the two major parties, this methodology is starting to fall apart. Factionalization within the parties, and outright voter rejection of some preferential party candidates is beginning to widen cracks in the major parties.

Independent voters try to be as independent as possible with their votes. It is difficult. Especially in states, like Pennsylvania, that do not hold open primaries. This is another indication of ways the two major parties control the election process. If every eligible voter registered as an independent, things would start to change. Until then, we'll all have to be content with being labeled progressive, left leaning, conservative, right leaning lemmings of the democratic and republican propagandists.

Good post, rongone.  I'm a progressive first.  That's that.  If a tribe wants my vote, they'll have to convince me they represent my points-of-view on issues I care about.  We'd all be better if we didn't align ourselves with a tribe, but instead paid more attention to what is moral, just, and responsible as members of a democratic society.

Imagine if everyone were 'independent' voters.  The tribes would have to pay attention to the will of the people, and not count on lemmings to simply pull a lever in a voting booth because they want to be 'good teammates' and support the team right or wrong.  That's bullshit, and that's why we are where we are in American politics today.  I'm agitated by those who don't get what I'm talking about.

Offer up a couple of candidates and I'll evaluate their positions on issues I care about.  I don't give a rat's ass what letter follows their name on some stinking ballot.

Common Sense said:

Trump is holding a rally in Anaheim today and the police have warned the anti-Trump protesters to peacefully  protest with-in the confines of the law or face swift enforcement action. It needs to be very clear they have a total and complete right to peacefully protest! Violent/unlawful thug behavior won't be allowed.


Crowds were beginning to gather Wednesday for a Donald Trump rally in Anaheim as police warned of "decisive action" if protests turn violent.
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-trump-anaheim-security-20160525-snap-story.html

I hope the protesters behave?

My response:

Let's hope the protests turn out to be peaceful, there is no need for senseless violence because someone else say something you find distasteful or disagree with.  I think the people who are protesting against Trump will have a better chance to defeat him if they stay peaceful and strong in numbers.