ndependents are a growing faction of this nation’s electorate. From 30% in 2006 up to 40% today as the two major parties shrink. Most are disgusted with both major parties for various reasons. Gallup as of 19 Oct 2021 lists party affiliation as 29% Republican, 29% Democrat, 44% independent. As Greger calls them coach potatoes, these coach potatoes are now the ones who decide elections.
Independents, swing voters aren’t political junkies, they pay little to no attention to the daily grind of politics going on in D.C. They’re too busy leading their own lives, taking care of family, rooting for their favorite sports team and watching their favorite TV shows. Politics usually don’t interest them much until an election nears. That is unless something comes along which affects their lives. Inflation is that something. If everything is going fine, smooth, they’re happy and will vote for the party in power. When things aren’t smooth, they’re having a hard time, they’ll vote for the party out of power hoping the change will fix things or at least help.
It is scary to see what you describe as a resurgence of the primitive simplistic Know Nothing Party. Once again, if voters are too stupid, ignorant, or apathetic to understand about the cause of the inflation, which is mostly from the intentional incompetence and willful malevolence of Rump and almost total cowardice and conspiracy of the GOP in dealing with Covid for political gain, then the country is doomed. I would be mortified, humiliated, embareaased and or apoplectic to chose to be identified as an "independent" let alone defend them or worse advocate that their positions are rational or intellectually honest.
Since the civil war, I doubt if there has been a more obvious, to even the most casual observer, distinction between the two major political parties in terms of good vs evil, right vs wrong, honest vs dishonest, honorable vs dishonorable, and democratic vs authoritarian. Your frequent assertion that "independents" find both parties equally "disgusting" , a term used frequently by GOP because it seems effective, show that there is a dyed in the wool position of independents that cannot be changed by obvious facts. If so , they should change their name from independents to something more appropriately descriptive for the party. We could take a poll for statistics.
It reminds me of the joke about someone being chided by their parent or boss: Are you ignorant or just apathetic? Response: I dont know, and I dont care!
TAT
