One other thought for the Democratic Party. This party averaged 45% of the electorate from FDR until Reagan, then it began kicking out its conservatives. Successful, the Democratic Party averaged 35% of the electorate from Reagan to Obama when the Democratic Party began kicking out its moderates. Dropping to 30% through Trump and if Gallup is correct, down to 26% today. Progressives are now the largest faction within the Democratic Party. Perhaps its majority. Who knows?

The Republican Party has remained constant with their share of the electorate, 33% during Eisenhower, then falling to 21% Nixon and during Ford before rising to 33% under Reagan, then falling again down to 25% during Bush II and Obama. Now at 26%. The first time since FDR the two major parties have been tied. The Democratic Party has always held the advantage until today.

Under IKE, the Republican Party did have its liberal wing, the old Rockefeller liberal Republicans of the Northeast. The GOP kicked them out by the time they got to Reagan. The Republican Party is also in the process of ridding themselves of their moderates, so the Democratic Party isn’t alone in this.

Gaining in all of this were independents or those who no longer align themselves with either major party. From 20% of the electorate under Eisenhower to 30% under Reagan to 35% under Obama, to 40% under Trump, now currently at 44% or as of 19 Oct 2021.

You do have three categories of independents, those who lean Republican, independents who lean Democratic and pure or true independents with no leans. The difference is those who identify themselves with the two major parties will vote for their party’s candidates on average 92% of the time regardless of who those candidates are. Independents with leans, one party or the other, they’ll vote for the party they lean toward on average 72% of the time. As to pure or true independents with no leans, no one knows as they’re all over the place. Voting 80-20 for one party one election, then 80-20 for the other party the next, then perhaps 50-50.

The study of independents is most interesting. sometimes amazing.

Last edited by perotista; 12/13/21 01:42 PM.
It's high past time that we start electing Americans to congress and the presidency who put America first instead of their political party. For way too long we have been electing Republicans and Democrats who happen to be Americans instead of Americans who happen to be Republicans and Democrats.