That's precisely what I said on election night (although I believe I used the phrase, "boot in the ass"), and it's not like it was some sort of brilliant observation on my part. Independents -- who make up roughly 40% of the American population -- decide elections. I often say that. Know why? Because it's an undeniable fact. The democrat party and GOP know it, although they hate talking about it and hate being reminded of it. And on Election Day 2010 one week ago, Independents nationwide overwelmingly voted against the democrat party's iron grip on power in DC, which meant we had to vote for republican candidates at the national level. From today's Politico.com (link to full story at bottom):"[Independents] overwhelmingly think the country is on the wrong track and largely disapprove of President Barack Obama’s performance, and a plurality said they were voting for Republicans mostly to offer a check on the president and the Democratic majority. 'This wave was driven by independents voting for Republicans,' said GOP pollster Whit Ayres of his party’s electoral gains. 'This was an angry, protest election where people voted against the Democrats and the Obama agenda,' added Democratic pollster Stan Greenberg . . . The results illuminate what may be the most worrisome trend for Obama and Democrats in the two years since their political triumph — the flight of independent voters to the GOP."
The specific polling numbers, as reported by Politico (and taken the day of and day after the election), further tell the story:
-79% of Independents think the country is going in the wrong direction.
-Only 35% of Independents approve of Obama's job performance (60% disapprove).
-"Independents have also swung to the right on issues, favoring the GOP on economic issues, which voters cited as their top priority."
-57% of Independents favor repealing the democrat party's 2010 health care monstrosity (with only 31% opposing repeal).
But the story also makes clear that last Tuesday was not some widespread adoption of the republican party by Independents. 43% of Independents (a plurality) who supported a republican congressional candidate "said they did so to institute a check on the president and his party," rather than being predominantly motivated to vote for a republican. Yep. I know that feeling.
"And Independents, when given the choice, indicated they wanted to see both parties move to the center," rather than aligning along the ideological totem poles inhabited by the far leftists and the right-wing conservatives. And that may be the most disconcerting thing, since all I see these days are two parties who continue to move farther towards their extremes.
But that's OK, because if they govern too far out there on those extremes (see democrat party, 2009-2010), we'll just kick another slew of incumbents to the curb in the next election. We Independents are starting to get pretty damn good at that.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1110/44875.html
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1110/44875.html
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