What other choice does this group of voters who make up 40% or a bit more of the electorate have? They’re not members nor do they affiliate themselves with either major party. Most fall somewhere in-between the ideology of the two major parties. Or they support one party on somethings, support the other party on other things. They don’t fall in-line with either major party’s ideology or wants.
The two major parties have a monopoly on our election system. Republicans and Democrats write our election laws and they do so as a mutual protection act. If there’s one thing both major parties agree on, it’s no viable third party will ever rise. They give themselves automatic ballot access but make everyone else jumps through a million and one hoops just to get on the ballot. Everyone else must qualify through signature and petitions. The two major parties get all the money from corporations, wall street firms, lobbyists, special interests, super, mega individual money donors etc. Third parties, none. Therefore, the Republican and Democratic parties were able to raise and spend 14 billion dollars on the 2020 election. In third place on the money list was the Libertarian Party raising and spending a bit less than 3 million.
Not only does the two major parties control ballot access, they now make the rules for the presidential debates and decide which candidates are allowed in. They took the debates away from the League of Woman’s Voters after the League allowed Ross Perot into the debates. The two major parties vowed, never again to allow anyone in the presidential debates that isn’t a Republican nor a Democrat.
So, what are this group of voters that most call independents to do? They don’t march lockstep like mindless robots with either major party. They agree with some things and disagree with other things that both major parties try to do. Agreeing with GOP at times, other times with the Democrats, disagreeing at times with the Republicans and disagreeing at other times with the Democrats. Yet his group makes up the largest group of voters. According to Gallup, as of 19 Oct 2021, independents make up 44% of the electorate, republicans 26%, democrats 26%. These numbers are dynamic and change constantly. You end up with one party governing the way 26% of Americans want them to govern ignoring the rest, the 74% as the party in power tries to push their agenda on all the rest.
With no other choice outside of voting those in power, control out and hoping for change, for recognition, independents will continue to vote in, vote out, vote in again and out again until one or the other major parties or both decide to take them into consideration as to how they govern.
