Rise of the independents

[30ashopper]

Interesting polling data from USA Today - the republican and democrat parties are totally falling out of favor, and in the process becoming more extreme as they shed independent voters.

USA fumes over politics - USATODAY.com

Should be interesting to see what happens in November. The party leaders are clearly taking the brunt of the dissatisfaction - Pelosi, Reid, Boehner, and McConnell all have dismal approval ratings. Throw the bums out!

 

[30ashopper]

 

[Here4Good]

Wow. I must say, listening to the main media outlets (CNN and Fox are the ones I most often see or visit on the web, and also Huffington Post on the web), I had no idea that the GOP leadership had such dismal approval ratings, also. I'm shocked that anybody has lower approval ratings than Pelosi, frankly.

What will all of this mean come election time, I wonder? Will we just see everything flip-flop - Republicans elected where there was a Dem, and vice versa? I'm not sure that would be very effective.

It's disappointing to me that current Congressmen who have tried to not get into lockstep with their party have been slapped hard - for example, Cao of Louisiana voted for the health care reform bill the first time, because he felt that his district wanted it (and he was probably right), and then he was told that he would get no funding from the national RNC for his re-election campaign this fall. He fell in line and voted with the rest of the party on the next bill.

I am sure there are Dems who are experiencing the same pressure.

What a bunch of ......I don't even know what to call them, except self-serving a**es with the morals of jewel thief and the loyalty of a feral cat.

 

[Arkiehawg]

Question? Don't you think that if the Tea Party(Independents) gets significant leverage by November that it will hurt the Republicans more than the Democrats by splitting tickets?

Seems that the highest percentage of TPs are mod/conservative....

 

[30ashopper]

Question? Don't you think that if the Tea Party(Independents) gets significant leverage by November that it will hurt the Republicans more than the Democrats by splitting tickets?

Seems that the highest percentage of TPs are mod/conservative....

From what I've read, the tea party plans on working within the two party system generally, trying to get balanced budget types nominated for republican tickets. Considering how fed up everyone is with spending in washington, I'd think that would help the party, not hurt it.

 

[Matt J]

Actual question from an independent:

"It's not fair that the independents don't get a primary, why is that?"

"They're independent of a party"

"So that's why they don't have a convention"

 

[Alicia Leonard]

Wow, I suddenly don't feel as lonely as I have for the last 23 years

 

[scooterbug44]

The way I am reading the graph is that the Democrats are holding steady and the Independents are picking up those leaving the Republican party.

 

[futurebeachbum]

We need a rabidly moderate party.

Knee Jerk moderates who don't do anything without thoughtful consideration of the issues.

Not gonna happen..Kind of like Gregg Easterbrook's Global news roundup for April Fools Day.

 

[Matt J]

We need a rabidly moderate party.

Knee Jerk moderates who don't do anything without thoughtful consideration of the issues.

Not gonna happen..Kind of like Gregg Easterbrook's Global news roundup for April Fools Day.

It won't work in a 24 hour new cycle, now now now, and instant gratification society.