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INDEPENDENTS VIEW OF THOSE IN WASHINGTON D.C. and a Couple of other things.

INDEPENDENTS VIEW OF THOSE IN WASHINGTON D.C. and a Couple of other things.

Since independents make up 42% of the electorate compared to 30% for the Democrats and 26% for the Republicans, I decided to research independents only views on our leaders in Washington and somethings affiliated with the two major parties. The views of independents often get overlooked, but here they are in all their glory. This is as 3 July 2017.

Independents view of our elected leaders in a positive or negative view. The percentages do not add up to 100% as quite a lot of independents fall into the Don’t know or Haven’t heard enough column or category.
President Donald Trump Positive 39% Negative 48%
Speaker Paul Ryan Positive 25% Negative 44%
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Positive 15% Negative 43%
House minority Leader Nancy Pelosi Positive 18% Negative 48%
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer Positive 16% Negative 38

Congressional leaders are viewed a lot less positive than Trump and a bit less negative also. The exception is House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi who has the same 48% negative view by independents they gave President Trump. Her positive view is 21 points below President Trump in independents eyes.

Political parties
Democratic Party 20% positive 55% negative
Republican Party 27% positive 50% negative

Talk about a pox on both major parties. I suppose that shouldn’t surprise anyone, after all they are independents for a reason, that reason is they don’t like either party.

Congressional Parties, not to be confused with independents view of the political parties as a whole. This is the view of those in congress and in congress only.

Democratic congressional members 20% positive 55% negative
Republican congressional member 21% positive 52% negative

Hmm, no difference between independents view of the Democratic Party as a whole and the Democratic Party’s congressional members. Now the Republicans congressional members drop or are viewed a lot less positive than the Republican Party as a whole. That is something to poinder.

Direction of the country 27% of independents think the country is headed in the right direction versus 51% who think it is headed in the wrong direction.

With all this focus on the media lately, independents have a 30% positive view or say they trust the media to report the news accurately and fairly accurately either most or some of the time compared to a 55% with a negative view.

Independents on Obamacare, 24% think it has been a success, 36% a failure.
Independents on either expand, keep as is or repeal Obamacare, 27% expand it, 10% keep as is, 39% repeal it.

Independents on Trumpcare, 23% favor replacement of the ACA with the AHCA, 39% Oppose the replacement of the ACA with the AHCA.

There are the numbers, make of them what you will. But I have given independents a voice.
 
Your statistics are interesting and appreciated.

Di
 
Thanks.

Yes, a pox on both houses.
 
Independents just aren't, they vote according to the lean they don't advertise to the world. When you have two vastly opposing side, no one is independent.
 
American;bt4056 said:
Independents just aren't, they vote according to the lean they don't advertise to the world. When you have two vastly opposing side, no one is independent.
Ah, but a big difference even among independents with a lean. Those who identify or affiliate with a political party historical averages show them voting for their party's candidate 90% plus of the time. Independents which lean one way or the other do so a bit less than 80%. Also independents with leans are apt to change their lean in a heartbeat.

Today independents make up 42% of the electorate with 40% of that 42% leaning towards the Republican Party, 45% leaning toward the Democratic Party with 5% with no leans. Two months ago according to Gallup independents made up 44% of the electorate. 36% of independents leaned toward the Republican Party, 46% toward the Democrats with the rest with no leans.

Go back to November of 2016, election day. 45% of independents leaned toward the Republican Party, 40% towards the Democratic Party which Trump won the independent vote 46-42 over Clinton with 12% voting third party.

All of that aside, here is how independents voted since 2006

2006 independents voted Democratic by a margin of 57-39 over Republicans. Democrats received 52% total congressional vote vs. 44% for the Republicans.

2008 independents voted for Obama by a 52-46 margin over McCain. Obama won 53-46 over McCain. Independents voted 50-48 for Democratic congressional candidates. Total congressional vote was 53-43 Democratic.

2010 independents voted 57-41 Republican over Democrat and the total congressional vote was Republican 52% Democratic 45%

2012 independents voted for Romney by a 51-48 margin, close to a wash. Obama won the election 51-47. Independents voted 52-47 for Republican congressional candidates. Total congressional vote was 49-48 Democratic.

2014 independents voted 54-44 for Republican congressional candidates and the total vote was 51-46 Republican.

2016 Independents voted for Trump 46-42 with 12% voting third party. In congressional election independents voted Republican 51-47. Total congressional vote was 49-48 Republican.
 
American;bt4056 said:
Independents just aren't, they vote according to the lean they don't advertise to the world. When you have two vastly opposing side, no one is independent.

I don't think that's true at all. I vote based on individuals and issues. I'm conservative on some issues, liberal on others, and have utterly no regard or use for either the RNC or the DNC. I don't have to read a party platform to find out what I supposed to think, and I like it that way.
 
I think the two major parties want to believe exactly what American said. But independents are independents because they don't agree or fall in line with either political party. You can get wild swings in the way independents vote. In 2006, Democrats won the independent vote by 18 points. four years later in 2010 Republicans won independents by 16 points. That is a wild swing of 34 points in just four years.

My point is with independents, neither party gives them a political home. The majority of independents fall into the fiscal conservative, social liberal arena. Although some are far right of the Republican Party and some far left of the Democrats. They also don't let the parties make up their mind for them as those members do..

I have found out that independents tend to vote against the party they're mad at. Hence the Democrats receive 57% of the independent vote in 2006 when their mad at Bush and the GOP, four years later they give Republicans 57% of their votes when they are mad at Obama and the Democrats.

The only reason independents are voting for one or the other two major parties is our two party system. They don't have a choice except to vote one way or the other. To hold their nose and vote for the lesser of two evils. The two major parties loves this, love their monopoly on our election system. I do think we need a viable third party that is somewhere in-between the GOP and the Democrats. Until that happens, polarization in Washington will only get worst.
 
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