Hankster Blog Round-Up on Independent Voters

INDEPENDENTS ON THE BLOGS

• The "Myth" of the Myth of the Independent Voter (by Todd Eberly, Assistant Professor of Political Science at St. Mary's College of Maryland, The FreeStater Blog… Where the Old Line meets the On-Line) Of those respondents who self-identified as an independent Democrat in 2000, 31.4 percent no longer identified with the Democratic Party in 2002, nearly as many, 29.8 percent, no longer identified with the party in 2004. For Republican Leaners the results were similar, 27.2 percent no longer identified with the Republican Party in 2002, 26.1 percent in 2004.
• Independent's Day (RUDNICK for Philadelphia City Council Blog - The web log of BRIAN RUDNICK 8th District, Independent Green, for Philadelphia City Council) I have changed my registration from Green to no affiliaton.
• OneMaine (Zeb Pike, Inside Zebster) NOTE: Zeb Pike, a Hankster alumnus, has rejoined the independent blogosphere and is now a contributor to The H. WELCOME BACK, ZEBSTER! -- Announcements: The first of my posts for The Hankster is now posted. I will post it here later but please visit that multi-author blog for independent news, newsfeeds and editorials. -- Those of you who know me personally or have read enough of my writing know that I am nothing if not fiercely independent.  That means that not only do I not always vote for one party in elections, it also means that I strongly support maintaining my right to be independent, not affiliated with any political party; therefore, not having pressure from my chosen party to go along with something I disagree with.
• Rational Irrationality (John Cassidy, Obama’s Mini-Surge, Posted by John Cassidy, The New Yorker) #3. Independents. Obama’s rebound has been particularly noticeable among voters who identify themselves as independents. The conventional wisdom is that this is where elections are decided. In September, Gallup found that among independents Obama was trailing the generic Republican candidate by 27 per cent to 48 per cent—a massive gap. In the new poll, he has pulled back to even. Both he and the generic Republican get 38 per cent of the independent vote.
• Live Blogging of CBS News/National Journal Republican Debate (Amazing Bloggers - Blog and etcetera) My focus is on how the participants come across in the race and the possible impact on independent voters — who are not a monolithic group — rather than who I agree with or not. These are the reactions of an independent voter who has belonged to both parties. NOTE: This post is a link to Joe Gandelman's post at The Moderate Voice.
• Research Log 4- UPWARD MOBILITY (by TAZMAN, Why Dems can't lead & Repubs can't govern) Article take from Zakaria, Fareed, "The downward path of upward mobility" Quote: "Most Americans are increasingly concerned over the growing gap between the rich and the poor. The biggest causality seems to be the shrinking American middle-class. In Fareed Zakaria's article, he shows how this argument is quickly divided among party lines with liberals wanting some sort of government intervention and Conservatives saying let the free market find its equilibrium. The all powerful and ever vacillating Independent voters are leaning towards the Liberals."