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JenniferEver
The Disney Lady
Member since 5/05 18163 total posts
Name:
Jennifer
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Political Independents
While I like the concept, I can't really see being a true independent, at least in national elections. I've been watching all of the debates for both parties, and to me they seem to be talking about two different countries in two different languages. It's hard to imagine someone straddling those worlds, it seems like you either see the world this way, ro you see it this way. Where's the middle?
Please chime in.
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Posted 2/5/08 1:48 PM  |
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Ophelia
she's baaccckkkk ;)
Member since 5/06 23378 total posts
Name:
remember, when Gulliver traveled....
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Re: Political Independents
I don't see it as being that hard.
to me, it'd just be a matter of not going down partisan lines with the different issues.
you could be a pro choice, pro war candidate who also wants more govt services, tax breaks to lower middle income rather than big business/big money breaks.
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| Posted 2/5/08 1:56 PM |
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neener1211
:-)
Member since 4/07 22952 total posts
Name:
J
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Re: Political Independents
It's almost like having the ability to not have to decide who's better for your beliefs, but to weigh, pick and choose who is right at the moment. I don't see myself as a Democrat or a Republican. I agree with issues and beliefs from both parties.
I don't get to vote in the primary, but I wouldn't want to vote in a primary if I didn't believe in that party's beliefs at the time.
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| Posted 2/5/08 2:39 PM |
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JenniferEver
The Disney Lady
Member since 5/05 18163 total posts
Name:
Jennifer
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Re: Political Independents
I understand picking and choosing from beliefs. I think there are very few people who agree 100% with their party's platforms, but it seems like in the past 10 years, we're living in "two americas" and "red" states and "blue" states and the political dialogue refleccts that.
it's no secret that I'm a liberal democrat, and I watch all of the debates and follow news of both races, but to me I watch the republicans and  . It's hard for me to imagine a world where that worldview would also make sense to me... unless the independent stand point is that NONE of it makes sense, and I'll  to that.
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| Posted 2/5/08 2:43 PM |
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bird382
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Member since 7/07 1712 total posts
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Re: Political Independents
Posted by neener1211
It's almost like having the ability to not have to decide who's better for your beliefs, but to weigh, pick and choose who is right at the moment.
That's a good way to put it.
Even if I liked a particular party, what if I didn't like that party's candidates? I want to be able to choose from the entire slate of candidates.
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| Posted 2/5/08 2:44 PM |
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Kara
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Member since 3/07 13217 total posts
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They call me "Tater Salad"
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Re: Political Independents
Posted by bird382
Posted by neener1211
It's almost like having the ability to not have to decide who's better for your beliefs, but to weigh, pick and choose who is right at the moment.
That's a good way to put it.
Even if I liked a particular party, what if I didn't like that party's candidates? I want to be able to choose from the entire slate of candidates.
Since when can registered party members not do this?
I AM affiliated with a political party. I don't believe ONE person on the planet could ever buy totally into one party's platform entirely. (If they did, we wouldn't have primary debates...)
I've voted for people outside my party. I keep an open mind.
I completely understand why people are independents -- but it is not fair to assume that party members always vote straight ticket.
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| Posted 2/5/08 2:48 PM |
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Ophelia
she's baaccckkkk ;)
Member since 5/06 23378 total posts
Name:
remember, when Gulliver traveled....
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Re: Political Independents
Posted by Kara
Posted by bird382
Posted by neener1211
It's almost like having the ability to not have to decide who's better for your beliefs, but to weigh, pick and choose who is right at the moment.
That's a good way to put it.
Even if I liked a particular party, what if I didn't like that party's candidates? I want to be able to choose from the entire slate of candidates.
Since when can registered party members not do this?
I AM affiliated with a political party. I don't believe ONE person on the planet could ever buy totally into one party's platform entirely. (If they did, we wouldn't have primary debates...)
I've voted for people outside my party. I keep an open mind.
I completely understand why people are independents -- but it is not fair to assume that party members always vote straight ticket.
whoa Nellie.
no one is saying that. at all.
I am a registered Demo.
I vote for whomever I want....and no one is saying otherwise.
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| Posted 2/5/08 2:52 PM |
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neener1211
:-)
Member since 4/07 22952 total posts
Name:
J
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Re: Political Independents
I don't think most people vote straight ticket, some do, but some don't.
Maybe if I describe it as, I don't want to be a Republican or Democrat, and vote in that primary for a candidate, just to vote. Does that make sense?
I wouldn't want to vote in a primary and have to vote for my party, if I didn't want to. Almost takes the guilt out having to vote for 'just someone' because I need to vote in the primary.
Message edited 2/5/2008 2:55:05 PM.
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| Posted 2/5/08 2:54 PM |
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JenniferEver
The Disney Lady
Member since 5/05 18163 total posts
Name:
Jennifer
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Re: Political Independents
Pigs would fly the day I voted for a republican for president
but I am also a registered republican  
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| Posted 2/5/08 2:57 PM |
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donegal419
St. Gerard, pray for us.
Member since 7/07 7650 total posts
Name:
K
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Re: Political Independents
I am independent because I am:
pro-life, anti-war
BUT
want support for public education and health care.
Essentially I respect life in all its forms, but oppose the big business/money obsessed society we now live in.
I also find that how can you be pro-child and education, yet be for abortion (Democrats)
OR how do you say you're pro-life and support a war and cut funding for public services that would better people's lives??? (Republicans)
Essentially, I really am stuck in the middle. I do tend to vote Democratic though, but it depends on the candidate and i have voted republican in the past.
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| Posted 2/5/08 2:57 PM |
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neener1211
:-)
Member since 4/07 22952 total posts
Name:
J
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Re: Political Independents
Even if I liked a particular party, what if I didn't like that party's candidates? I want to be able to choose from the entire slate of candidates.
Since when can registered party members not do this?
Registerd party members have to vote for a candidate in their party for a primary.
So, by not being a D or R, for me, the parties are going to vote who they feel is best for the job, and as an independant, I get to choose from the entire slate of candidates after that has been decided in the final presidential vote.
Message edited 2/5/2008 3:00:13 PM.
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| Posted 2/5/08 2:59 PM |
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bird382
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Member since 7/07 1712 total posts
Name:
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Re: Political Independents
Posted by Kara
Since when can registered party members not do this?
I AM affiliated with a political party. I don't believe ONE person on the planet could ever buy totally into one party's platform entirely. (If they did, we wouldn't have primary debates...)
I've voted for people outside my party. I keep an open mind.
I completely understand why people are independents -- but it is not fair to assume that party members always vote straight ticket.
I'm not assuming anything. I'm just explaining (perhaps poorly!) why I'm not registered as affiliated with a particular party.
I don't want to be included in statistics that count the number of, say, Democrats because I don't always vote for a Democrat.
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| Posted 2/5/08 2:59 PM |
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JenniferEver
The Disney Lady
Member since 5/05 18163 total posts
Name:
Jennifer
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Re: Political Independents
I hear you. I'm with the Dems on everything. I'm pro-life, but I'm also somewhat divided about legislating it..but I just think the republican party is disingenuous about abortion..I think they use it to geet votes. Illegal occupations, torture, war, the death penalty and cutting federal programs is not exacclty my idea of respecting life.
I also feel we'll do more to stop abortion if we educate people about birth control, so I can NOT side with republicans about abstinence only sex ed.
I'm a true blue democrat. My grandma taught me to vote democrat when she took me into the booth with her when i was a child, and that's how I will always vote
(except for when a liberal republican businesman witha rags to riches Andrew Carnegie story runs for mayor of NYC..then I have voted republican)
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| Posted 2/5/08 3:02 PM |
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Ophelia
she's baaccckkkk ;)
Member since 5/06 23378 total posts
Name:
remember, when Gulliver traveled....
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Re: Political Independents
Posted by donegal419
I also find that how can you be pro-child and education, yet be for abortion (Democrats)
I do want to say this. being "pro choice" is NOT being pro abortion or pro death.
it's about being pro choice. about NOT making such a monumental PERSONAL decision of someone else your business.
I am NOT pro abortion. I would NOT have an abortion (unless under extreme circumstances) but I WILL NOT tell anyone else they can't.
I don't want this to be an abortion thing, but I think that is something "pro-life" people may not understand.
and that is all.
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| Posted 2/5/08 3:02 PM |
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bird382
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Member since 7/07 1712 total posts
Name:
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Re: Political Independents
Posted by neener1211
Registerd party members have to vote for a candidate in their party for a primary.
Not where I live. This morning I was able to vote from a non-partisan ballot that listed every candidate's name. So for me there's really no incentive to register.
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| Posted 2/5/08 3:08 PM |
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donegal419
St. Gerard, pray for us.
Member since 7/07 7650 total posts
Name:
K
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Re: Political Independents
I do want to say this. being "pro choice" is NOT being pro abortion or pro death.
it's about being pro choice. about NOT making such a monumental PERSONAL decision of someone else your business.
I am NOT pro abortion. I would NOT have an abortion (unless under extreme circumstances) but I WILL NOT tell anyone else they can't.
I don't want this to be an abortion thing, but I think that is something "pro-life" people may not understand.
and that is all.
yes, i hear what you are saying about being pro-choice and letting indivuduals make that choice. BUT i do believe a lot of "pro-choice" people may not understand that if you're pro-choice, although you may personally be opposed to it, you are ALLOWING it to continue and thus it becomes not just a personal choice for one woman but a choice for ALL and a choice that affects us ALL. . . .in so many many ways, not just whether "x" baby was born.
but, i will stop now because this is a topic that always leads to too much drama and it's not the point of the thread anyway. 
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| Posted 2/5/08 3:08 PM |
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donegal419
St. Gerard, pray for us.
Member since 7/07 7650 total posts
Name:
K
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Re: Political Independents
Posted by bird382
Posted by neener1211
Registerd party members have to vote for a candidate in their party for a primary.
Not where I live. This morning I was able to vote from a non-partisan ballot that listed every candidate's name. So for me there's really no incentive to register.
really????? then what's the point of a primary????
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| Posted 2/5/08 3:09 PM |
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JessInCA
live laugh love
Member since 8/06 5082 total posts
Name:
Jess
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Re: Political Independents
I'm a registered independent, because I refuse to affiliate myself with either major party when my political beliefs truly run the gamut on both sides. It may be hard to imagine, but it happens 
Because the parties are so polarized at this stage in the game - you mentioned the debates being very different - this basically results in me having major issues with ALL the candidates. I have a problem with some part of every single person's platform... but then, maybe that's not so unusual.
The only part I don't like about it is not being allowed to vote for anyone in the primaries. I think I should be allowed to vote in the primaries for whomever I think is worth it, from whichever party they may belong to - but I understand why it is the way it is.
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| Posted 2/5/08 3:11 PM |
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donegal419
St. Gerard, pray for us.
Member since 7/07 7650 total posts
Name:
K
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Re: Political Independents
Posted by JenniferEver
I hear you. I'm with the Dems on everything. I'm pro-life, but I'm also somewhat divided about legislating it..but I just think the republican party is disingenuous about abortion..I think they use it to geet votes. Illegal occupations, torture, war, the death penalty and cutting federal programs is not exacclty my idea of respecting life.
yes, i hear you there! that's why it's so hard to truly vote pro-life in this country. Neither side is truly pro-life. If you are pro-life you are anti-abortion, ant-death penalty, and anti-war. And the Republican Party although they claim to be pro-life they have done nothing to stop abortion and continue to support the dealth penalty and war while the Democrats support abortion, but are for the death penalty.
Makes me crazy!
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| Posted 2/5/08 3:11 PM |
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donegal419
St. Gerard, pray for us.
Member since 7/07 7650 total posts
Name:
K
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Re: Political Independents
Message edited 2/5/2008 3:13:29 PM.
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| Posted 2/5/08 3:12 PM |
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JessInCA
live laugh love
Member since 8/06 5082 total posts
Name:
Jess
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Re: Political Independents
Bird382 - Where do you live? I'd like it if things worked like that where I am...
Message edited 2/5/2008 3:13:00 PM.
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| Posted 2/5/08 3:12 PM |
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neener1211
:-)
Member since 4/07 22952 total posts
Name:
J
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Re: Political Independents
Posted by donegal419
Posted by bird382
Posted by neener1211
Registerd party members have to vote for a candidate in their party for a primary.
Not where I live. This morning I was able to vote from a non-partisan ballot that listed every candidate's name. So for me there's really no incentive to register.
really????? then what's the point of a primary????
Yeah...i'm then...that is what I thought the purpose of the primary was...for each party to vote who they want to put into the race. I thought only D and R's could vote in primaries.
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| Posted 2/5/08 3:12 PM |
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sticklee
LIF Adult
Member since 8/06 2984 total posts
Name:
Stick
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Re: Political Independents
Posted by Ophelia
I don't see it as being that hard.
to me, it'd just be a matter of not going down partisan lines with the different issues.
you could be a pro choice, pro war candidate who also wants more govt services, tax breaks to lower middle income rather than big business/big money breaks.
exactly
i am registered with no party affiliation. i prefer to assess each issue, and choose the candidate who is most in line with my ideas
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| Posted 2/5/08 3:12 PM |
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neener1211
:-)
Member since 4/07 22952 total posts
Name:
J
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Re: Political Independents
Posted by JessInCA
Where do you live? I'd like it if things worked like that where I am...
Then we could just have the presidential vote and ignore the primaries...
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| Posted 2/5/08 3:13 PM |
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~Colleen~
my loves...
Member since 5/05 9129 total posts
Name:
guess
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Re: Political Independents
Posted by donegal419
yes, i hear what you are saying about being pro-choice and letting indivuduals make that choice. BUT i do believe a lot of "pro-choice" people may not understand that if you're pro-choice, although you may personally be opposed to it, you are ALLOWING it to continue and thus it becomes not just a personal choice for one woman but a choice for ALL and a choice that affects us ALL. . . .in so many many ways, not just whether "x" baby was born.
Actually that is the crux of what being ProChoice means. Allowing the choice - whether it is abortion, giving birth, adoption. Just because Sally won't have an abortion doesn't mean she doesn't want Jane to have the ability to make her own choice wrt to her own pregnancy.
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| Posted 2/5/08 3:15 PM |
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