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Nazareth, Pa., United States

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

The Rise of the Independent

According to the Inky, the ranks of Independent voters are growing as the two major parties dwindle. Pundits on both sides of the political spectrum attribute this to dissatisfaction with the major parties, and that's certainly true enough. But I think another reason is voting machines. Not only is it easier to cast a write-in ballot, but it's also easier to physically see the independent candidate on the ballot. In the last election cycle, blogger Michael Molovinsky was able to draw 9% of the votes, although he attributes his success to his good looks.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Neither party represents the citizens and working classs of this once great country. Until then, they can all lump it!

Anonymous said...

The more each party panders to their non-moderate, zero sum, win at all cost members, the more they lose the middle ground.

That middle is people who realize that government is needed, that there are services and functions that the private sector can't or won't perform, yet at the same time want to see it done efficiently.

Anonymous said...

Yet, 99% of elected officials belong to one of the two major parties. One may call oneself anything one wants. But on election day, they're either R or D.

michael molovinsky said...

@5:08 has a point, there hasn't been an independent or third party candidate elected to the pa. state house since the 1930's. people are warm to the concept of an independent, yet think that they're wasting their vote. of course the only real waste is voting for someone different than their real choice.

Anonymous said...

1 Netanyahu
0 Team Obama / Blog Mentor

Bernie O'Hare said...

MM is probably out boozing it up with BiBi.

Matt said...

You can't vote in the primaries where things like choosing those who tax your home come up (i.e. 2015) as an I, and neither party will change that.

Anonymous said...

Ralph Nader was ahead of his time. As always.

Anonymous said...

When was Ralph Nader president?