Capitol Hill Blue Forums Political Issues Campaign 2020 J6: Putting it all together

They also seem to like complaining about how Congress can't get anything done while enabling candidates who take pride in preventing anything from getting done.

Yeah...no sh!t.

That depends on what independents want done. Independents support the Republicans on some issue, oppose them on others, the same with the Democrats. They’ll support the democrats on some while opposing them on other issues. They don’t fall in line or lock step with either party as each party thinks they ought to. Contrary to what most partisan loyalist believe, independents aren’t all moderates or centrist who fall ideological wise in-between the ideologies of both parties. Some are way to the left of the Democratic Party and some way to the right of the GOP. What most independents have in common is their dislike of both major parties. Only 24% of independents have a favorable view of the Democratic Party, 25% a favorable view of the Republican Party. Most independents don’t complain about getting things done. They do complain when the party in power does something they don’t like or want. Most independents are indifferent to quite a lot of issues that get both major parties heated and hot, at each other’s throat.

Here's a couple of interesting stats regarding the independents and the midterms. 32% of all independents said Trump was a major factor in determining their vote. This group broke for voting Democratic by a 62-38 margin. As I have said numerous times, Trump was the biggest asset the Democrats had going for them this midterm. I think the above proves that.

That doesn't answer any questions.
If I had a dime for every instance of you patiently explaining that "independents don't like either party" and another dime for every time you call folks partisans, I'd be rich beyond the dreams of avarice.
In other words, WE KNOW this, but it's empty proselytizing with a broad brush chaser.

I'm not quite what you'd call a partisan.
I almost voted for McCain back in 2008 because I hadn't been paying much attention to anything but work back then and the black guy I knew nothing about with a name vaguely reminiscent of folks who crashed into the WTC struck my anemic knowledge base as a sure loser.
---NOBODY in their right mind would vote for a guy named "Hussein" in post 9/11 America or so I thought.
Sarah Palin's mindless babbling steered me away from McCain.
I almost decided to just stay home.

What DO independents want done?
No one knows because they want it done by PFM, "pure ****ing magic".
They want things done by a divided Congress half of whom were inspired by Newt Gingrich's bomb throwing war on lawmaking disguised as a "Contract for America".
They want things done by a wave of a magic wand.
Some of them want things done by royal decree, it seems.

In a legislative environment dominated by think tanks and lobby groups, SuperPACs and dark money donors, the only things that get done are those things that please the money people, who are more than happy to craft a narrative that blames everyone else, like Democrats, for instance, for important stuff NOT getting done for the American people.

Frank Luntz still has a job, you know.
But Luntz doesn't harbor any illusions about independents being some precious magical group of people.
He's just in it for the money.

I'm not buying what you're selling.

What's left of the Dems? Communists
What's right of Repubs? Fascists

I don't believe that independents who decide our elections are Communists or Fascists. I believe the independents are moderate populists who are fluid and are able to vote for both parties depending on which way the populist winds are blowing at the moment.

...and notoriety.

LOL

Somehow voodoo communications over long distances, reminiscent of quantum mechanics, between independents must be happening to ensure divided government, or it could simply be the result of disparate interests in disparate states, which upon tabulation, simply conclude in a divided government.

Yeah pundits like to say it, but I suspect they are trying hard to make sense of why one time its heads, the next time its tails. So yeah I do think such comments are a bit humorous no matter who says or types them.

It's populism. Independents are populists - they go with how the populist winds blow.

¯\_: / )_/¯

I heard a good quote tonight on PBS:

"People may not like a Party that doesn't know what they are doing, but that's a lot better than a Party that's lost their minds."

In ordinary circumstances divided government translates into increased compromise and can be a very good thing but it's disingenuous to ignore the fact that one specific half OF a divided government is hell bent on destroying government altogether.