Americans Want Alternative to 2 Parties

INDEPENDENT VOTERS

• Major Parties Struggle for Popularity; Broad Interest in an Alternative (ABC News/ Polls, by Gary Langer) Interest in an independent candidate peaks, naturally, among independents themselves; 73 percent like the idea, vs. 57 percent of Republicans and 53 percent of Democrats. And 37 percent of independents “strongly” favor the notion. Independents, as it happens, are in good supply these days: they’ve outnumbered Democrats and Republicans in ABC/Post polls steadily since 2009, by far the longest period in which they’ve done so in polling back to 1981.   
• Gallup poll: Obama scores points with Iraq withdrawal pledge (By Michael Muskal, LA Times
  November 2, 2011, 11:32 a.m.) Independent voters approved of Obama’s actions by 77% to 17%.