Mcain's "Indy" Strength?...Or just Embarrassed Republicans?

[Cypress]

This totally makes sense.

...for all of the talk of John McCain's supposed polling strength among independent voters, something huge is missing from the debate: the fact that a significant proportion of those now telling pollsters that they are "independent" are, in fact, Republican voters effectively too embarrassed to admit their party affiliation or have recently left the party but still harbor positive feelings towards some of its leaders.

Chuck Todd -- Be careful over-interpreting the independents number for McCain in current polls. The reason he's doing well among indies is that a growing slice of them are former Republicans.

This goes to the party I.D. issue. As more folks refuse to identify themselves as GOPers, they move into the independent category, making those voters more conservative than we've seen in the past and therefore artificially increasing McCain's share among them.

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/06/25/1166271.aspx

msnbc via mydd.com

 

[Epicurus]

Well how "duh" can you get.

Party Identification as Republican has shot down during Bush's second term, and it's not like those voters changed their views they just got disgusted with their leadership.

What kind of fucking moron of a pollster looks at a huge decline in R-Party identification coupled with a huge increase in Independent identification and DOESN'T make that conclusion.

 

[Mott the Hoople]

This totally makes sense.

...for all of the talk of John McCain's supposed polling strength among independent voters, something huge is missing from the debate: the fact that a significant proportion of those now telling pollsters that they are "independent" are, in fact, Republican voters effectively too embarrassed to admit their party affiliation or have recently left the party but still harbor positive feelings towards some of its leaders.




msnbc via mydd.com

Very True! I would come close to being one of them or at least that was an accurate description of me in 2004 (I switched party affiliations in 2003 after the Iraq invasion which I believed would be a horrible mistake and was correct.).

In fact I'd say that's an accurate description of us Blue Dog democrats who left the republican party due to it's extremism and its incompetence. In fact there are still issues in which I poll closer to Republicans then Democrats.

I favor Republicans views on gun control, though I marvel at their disconnect on the issue.

I support a womans right to choose an abortion but believe it should be actively discouraged and highly regulated and I strongly support parental notification.

I support Republican views on taxation up to a point. Taxation should be progressive but minimized to provide essential services. Cutting taxes while running budget deficits is the height or irresponsibility.

I support a strong US Millitary which is the best strategic deterent we have. I strongly oppose isolationism, US imperialism and the use of our military for overtly nationalistic reasons. I support a military that's mission is to protect us from a clear and present danger to our national security, not one to defend us from any perceived or imagined threats.

These are just a few of the points I make to point out where the Republican party marched off the cliff of extremism and had they not I would probably still be a Republican.

Well to late for that, us Blue Dogs now have a new home in a party that is a uniter and not a divider.

 

[Mott the Hoople]

Another point I'd like to make. It will be ironic as hell that if McCain loses the party will blame him and not the reactionary ideologue extremist who have created the present mess for the Republican party. If McCain were to be elected, and at this stage though I admire him greatly I don't plan on voting for him, he would do what Bush so cynically lied to this nation about, that is, reaching out to all of us to unite us as a nation.

To me this is Bush greatest failure as a President and his greatest lie as a politician that he claimed to be a uniter not a divider. What an outrages lie that turned out to be.

 

[Mott the Hoople]

Well how "duh" can you get.

Party Identification as Republican has shot down during Bush's second term, and it's not like those voters changed their views they just got disgusted with their leadership.

What kind of fucking moron of a pollster looks at a huge decline in R-Party identification coupled with a huge increase in Independent identification and DOESN'T make that conclusion.

You make a good point but keep in mind, a lot of those who left the Republican party in disgust did not become independents. A lot of us became Blue Dogs.

 

[Damocles]

Very True! I would come close to being one of them or at least that was an accurate description of me in 2004 (I switched party affiliations in 2003 after the Iraq invasion which I believed would be a horrible mistake and was correct.).

In fact I'd say that's an accurate description of us Blue Dog democrats who left the republican party due to it's extremism and its incompetence. In fact there are still issues in which I poll closer to Republicans then Democrats.

I favor Republicans views on gun control, though I marvel at their disconnect on the issue.

I support a womans right to choose an abortion but believe it should be actively discouraged and highly regulated and I strongly support parental notification.

I support Republican views on taxation up to a point. Taxation should be progressive but minimized to provide essential services. Cutting taxes while running budget deficits is the height or irresponsibility.

I support a strong US Millitary which is the best strategic deterent we have. I strongly oppose isolationism, US imperialism and the use of our military for overtly nationalistic reasons. I support a military that's mission is to protect us from a clear and present danger to our national security, not one to defend us from any perceived or imagined threats.

These are just a few of the points I make to point out where the Republican party marched off the cliff of extremism and had they not I would probably still be a Republican.

Well to late for that, us Blue Dogs now have a new home in a party that is a uniter and not a divider.

The disconnect will not last forever and a loss to Obama will begin the fix. I'll remain to help pick up the sanity software and help with the reinstall.

 

[Chapdog]

anybody thats registered with a party is a stooge sheep anyways.

 

[Cypress]

Very True! I would come close to being one of them or at least that was an accurate description of me in 2004 (I switched party affiliations in 2003 after the Iraq invasion which I believed would be a horrible mistake and was correct.).

In fact I'd say that's an accurate description of us Blue Dog democrats who left the republican party due to it's extremism and its incompetence. In fact there are still issues in which I poll closer to Republicans then Democrats.

I favor Republicans views on gun control, though I marvel at their disconnect on the issue.

I support a womans right to choose an abortion but believe it should be actively discouraged and highly regulated and I strongly support parental notification.

I support Republican views on taxation up to a point. Taxation should be progressive but minimized to provide essential services. Cutting taxes while running budget deficits is the height or irresponsibility.

I support a strong US Millitary which is the best strategic deterent we have. I strongly oppose isolationism, US imperialism and the use of our military for overtly nationalistic reasons. I support a military that's mission is to protect us from a clear and present danger to our national security, not one to defend us from any perceived or imagined threats.

These are just a few of the points I make to point out where the Republican party marched off the cliff of extremism and had they not I would probably still be a Republican.

Well to late for that, us Blue Dogs now have a new home in a party that is a uniter and not a divider.

I left the GOP in, like, 1991, because of their extremism and religious wingnuttery. Although, admittedly, the only reason I was a republican in the first place as a young man was due to my father's influence. I always thought conservatives were bat shit crazy on social issues, and fairly heartless when it came to social conscience.

 

[FUCK THE POLICE]

Very True! I would come close to being one of them or at least that was an accurate description of me in 2004 (I switched party affiliations in 2003 after the Iraq invasion which I believed would be a horrible mistake and was correct.).

In fact I'd say that's an accurate description of us Blue Dog democrats who left the republican party due to it's extremism and its incompetence. In fact there are still issues in which I poll closer to Republicans then Democrats.

I favor Republicans views on gun control, though I marvel at their disconnect on the issue.

I support a womans right to choose an abortion but believe it should be actively discouraged and highly regulated and I strongly support parental notification.

I support Republican views on taxation up to a point. Taxation should be progressive but minimized to provide essential services. Cutting taxes while running budget deficits is the height or irresponsibility.

I support a strong US Millitary which is the best strategic deterent we have. I strongly oppose isolationism, US imperialism and the use of our military for overtly nationalistic reasons. I support a military that's mission is to protect us from a clear and present danger to our national security, not one to defend us from any perceived or imagined threats.

These are just a few of the points I make to point out where the Republican party marched off the cliff of extremism and had they not I would probably still be a Republican.

Well to late for that, us Blue Dogs now have a new home in a party that is a uniter and not a divider.

Well Mottley, the party system is nationalizing. Every day it's becoming more and more partisan, and more like a parliamentary system, where party trumps everything and an individual politicians views on issue are basically irrelevant. It used to be that who you were voting for depended more upon your region than anything else, but it just doesn't make sense for a progressive to call themselves a Republican anymore - hell, there are only three moderate Republicans left in the Senate, and two of them are from Maine.

 

[FUCK THE POLICE]

anybody thats registered with a party is a stooge sheep anyways.

Or they'd like to be able to vote in a primary?

 

[Cancel 2016.2]

Another point I'd like to make. It will be ironic as hell that if McCain loses the party will blame him and not the reactionary ideologue extremist who have created the present mess for the Republican party. If McCain were to be elected, and at this stage though I admire him greatly I don't plan on voting for him, he would do what Bush so cynically lied to this nation about, that is, reaching out to all of us to unite us as a nation.

To me this is Bush greatest failure as a President and his greatest lie as a politician that he claimed to be a uniter not a divider. What an outrages lie that turned out to be.

I think the best part of this election is that whomever should win will likely do a good job at bringing the country back together. Probably be a tough job to get it back to the Reagan/O'Neill type of cival disagreements, but both seem to have a strong desire to end the current bitter partisanship.

 

[Damocles]

I think the best part of this election is that whomever should win will likely do a good job at bringing the country back together. Probably be a tough job to get it back to the Reagan/O'Neill type of cival disagreements, but both seem to have a strong desire to end the current bitter partisanship.

And because of that, we are likely to have the closest thing to what we have all called for at one time or another. A campaign on issues.

 

[cawacko]

I think the best part of this election is that whomever should win will likely do a good job at bringing the country back together. Probably be a tough job to get it back to the Reagan/O'Neill type of cival disagreements, but both seem to have a strong desire to end the current bitter partisanship.

I don't mean to be negative and cycnical but how will that really happen? Many issues today seem very polarizing be it economic or social and there doesn't seem to a lot of 'common ground' where one side is not going to be highly disappointed.

 

[Cancel 2016.2]

And because of that, we are likely to have the closest thing to what we have all called for at one time or another. A campaign on issues.

I hope so, but at this point I am highly skeptical. I'll believe it when I see it. Gut feeling says the extremist 527's will do everything in their power to continue the high level of bitter partisanship. Because they know they will make far more money that way.

 

[Cancel 2016.2]

I don't mean to be negative and cycnical but how will that really happen? Many issues today seem very polarizing be it economic or social and there doesn't seem to a lot of 'common ground' where one side is not going to be highly disappointed.

The issues today seem (and are) so polarizing because THAT is how they have been defined by the extremists on the right and left. I truly believe that the vast majority of the population is closer to the middle, they simply are not as vocal and have allowed the nuts on both sides to make it so bitter.

 

[Damocles]

I hope so, but at this point I am highly skeptical. I'll believe it when I see it. Gut feeling says the extremist 527's will do everything in their power to continue the high level of bitter partisanship. Because they know they will make far more money that way.

Both candidates have shown that they can make a difference in the amount of money the 527s get from donors. They can't stop them completely, but they have a powerful influence over the tone of the Campaigns.

If this continues throughout the campaign it may change future campaigns, as people will know that "I can't do anything about them." is not an excuse.

 

[Cancel 2016.2]

Both candidates have shown that they can make a difference in the amount of money the 527s get from donors. They can't stop them completely, but they have a powerful influence over the tone of the Campaigns.

If this continues throughout the campaign it may change future campaigns, as people will know that "I can't do anything about them." is not an excuse.

While I believe they can control the majority of their donors by asking them not to contribute to the 527's that go overboard on the negativity, the problem lies in the extremes. If they feel "wronged" by their respective candidates, they will find a 527 to pump money into. If one doesn't exist that will cater to their rhetoric, it will be formed. Obviously just my opinion, but the nutjobs always seem to be the most vocal. I just don't see that changing. I hope I am wrong.