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Originally posted by Niki2:
HUZZAH! This is what I thought might happen, and gives me hope that the American people won't vote "viscerally" but THINK about the actual issues, not the bullshit.

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The current ruckus over building an Islamic center and mosque near ground zero, calls to change the 14th Amendment and other so-called "wedge" issues are roiling up each party's base, but they're turning off independents, analysts say.

"This is party politics as usual with respect to all of these wedge issues," said Jacqueline Salit, president of independentvoting.org, a national strategy and organizing center for independents. "I think there's more and more of a steady recognition that these kind of wedge issues and political manipulation, sensationalism and opportunism is exactly what is degrading the American political process and our democracy."

Salit, who is also the executive editor of The Neo-Independent magazine, said that people are having a hard time understanding what's happening with the economy because of partisanship.

"I think people can't tell what's going on because the political environment is so polluted by partisanship," she said. "The parties are trying to change the subject from things they think can inflame voters on and win elections on. How does that help the country? That hurts the country. And that's what independents are deeply concerned about."

Independents are increasingly concerned by both parties, and it's evident in recent polls.

Bringing up divisive issues that distract from fixing the country's economic woes will only create cracks in the bridge between the two major parties and independents, said Omar H. Ali, an independent voting analyst and professor at the University of North Carolina-Greensboro.

"Right now, there is a movement for nonpartisan reform in America and independents are leading that movement," Ali said. "In some ways, this issue with the mosque is the latest attempt of trying to gain partisan interest against the Democrats. ... But Democrats do the same thing to the Republicans [on other issues.]"

Independents, he said, are the watchdogs and "conscience of America" when it comes to issues like the economy. The blame game over who caused the economic recession only highlights what is wrong in American politics today, Ali said.

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Now, if the Dems could only start talking about the ISSUES, and let the Repubs rant on about Obama being a Muslim, etc., we'd make some headway. Not that I expect it...sigh...


Hippie Operative Nikovich Nikita Nicovna Talibani,
Contracted Agent of Veritas Oilspillus, code name “Nike”,
signing off

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Originally posted by Bytemite:
Going Dem in November kind of defeats the object of being independent. My only response to Niki here is

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Originally posted by Bytemite:
EDIT: Bleh. I forgot again.

Kwicko, I'll send you my response in PM form. I told Niki that I'd try to stop hassling people about partisanism. It's a pet peeve of mine, but pointing it out at every opportunity just ends up being annoying and derailing threads.

I'm going to add a line in my sig to remind myself. I need to nip that reaction in the bud, it just makes things unnecessarily hostile around here.

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Kwicko, I'll send you my response in PM form. I told Niki that I'd try to stop hassling people about partisanism

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What do you mean you told niki2 you would stop? Who the fuck is she? And what kind a faggot maggot are you? Kwicko harps on Bush in every thread, as does niki. If partisanism is your pet peeve you do it a disservice by going along with these idiots despite what you really want to say. How is bringing partisan-ism into a thread titled "Wedge issues divide politicians from independence" derailing? You are a gutless coward. Independents everywhere should throw shit on you for even attempting to be of like mind. You are forever cockByter to me. Shame on you. You come off as a whining little appeaser, some clown with no friends who will put his own self interest on hold to be included. Grow a pair you little cunt.....Man, that shit is unbelievable. I have seen some lip service on this fucking board , but that is ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous.


"I'll PM my response". What the fuck is that? Don't take this shit so fucking SERIOUS cockbyter. My god it's a fucking political thread on a board dedicated to a failed TV show. We are not saving mankind here, say what the fuck you want to say and move along. Holy shit.

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Originally posted by Niki2:
We need a new party to get enough support to become a power; won't happen in my lifetime, so in the meantime, I'll continue voting for the lesser of two evils.

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Not to say that Dems as a group reliably vote your interests. They DON'T. Roughly 65% deserve to be sent packing. But that compares to the roughly 88% Repubs who deserve to be sent packing. I responded to a thread earlier that talked about babies and bathwater. I think you tossed the baby out somewhere.

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Byte, would you vote for a candidate who voted against the Iraq war, the so-called Patriot Act, and the bailout???

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The few candidates that voted against them for cred points with their properly paranoid local constituency don't really count.

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Originally posted by Niki2:
I don’t want to “get into” anything with you, Byte. I’m expressing what I believe; you’re expressing what you believe. I think we’re a lot closer than you see. I abhor the current system as much as you, but I believe doing SOMETHING is better than doing NOTHING. I look at what a party DOES in office to decide how I feel about them. I am displeased enough with the actions of the Democratic Party enough that I re-registered Independent, thus adding one more to the number of same. Maybe when we get big enough, we’ll be able to get power. Our numbers are growing steadily; we need our own “Tea Party”, just not as hateful.

But that hasn’t happened yet. All I can do is add myself to the numbers of “Independents”. I have been Republican, Democrat, and “agnostic” in the past, remember. I was Republican as a child, because my parents were. As I grew and learned, I became an “agnostic” and ignored politics. As I matured further, I became a Democrat because yes, they DID advertise themselves as what they are not, but they BEHAVE closer to that in which I believe. The last year of the Bush Presidency, I re-registered Independent. The reason I did it, aside from it reflecting how I feel and what I think, is that it is one more number to the ranks of “official” independents.

If you refuse to participate in the process, then you can have little or no effect on it except to complain. If you think bringing the government down will produce something better, then I believe you are mistaken.


Hippie Operative Nikovich Nikita Nicovna Talibani,
Contracted Agent of Veritas Oilspillus, code name “Nike”,
signing off

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Originally posted by Niki2:
I make Byte feel bad? I badger her? Don't you think that's just a bit ironic, considering what you post to me?

Mind, it doesn't make me feel bad, except for you.

Byte, am I badgering you or making you feel bad? Please known that is not my intent. I am attempting to have a debate on an issue, nothing more.


Hippie Operative Nikovich Nikita Nicovna Talibani,
Contracted Agent of Veritas Oilspillus, code name “Nike”,
signing off

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