Independents - The Deciding Deciderers

Whether the Republican flag-bearer or the Democratic placard-holder wins the 2012 Presidential election, it will all depend upon and rest in the hands of the Independent voters; and probably more so in the laps of women Independents. So from now until the election we will all be privileged with experiencing the sycophantic Republicans and toadying Democrats bombarding us with their fawning promises that they and only they can save us from the ravaging catastrophic policies of the other side and restore the America to it shining ubiquitous prosperity. In other words, the politicians will be continue to use the established technique of “promise them anything” and don’t worry that they have no plans, intentions or more pointedly ability to delivery on them. So the test to the Independent will be of their own ability to assess, judge and determine what policies they see as necessary steps to implement and for accomplishing the functions and roles that our government is able to provide.

The Independents will have to decide if ‘cutting’ is a solution or just another one of the simple-minded slogans that doesn’t explain, guide or guarantee anything in specifics or reality. Cutting costs is always a good objective whether for an individual, a family, a business, a community, a state or the federal government; but except in political campaigns just cutting is hard, has consequences (not always good one) and requires some degree of intelligence to accomplish a goal aligned with the cutting. This ‘cutting’ solution applies to taxes, government spending, size of government, and the economy both local and nationally.

The Independents will have to likewise decide if making the wealthy pay their ‘fair share’ or protecting the wealthy’s role (though spuriously questionably) as the essential job creaters in the economy is to be the guiding principle in vectoring the direction forward on taxes, tax rates and tax policies. Once again the Independents will have to separate the ‘fluff’, fuzzy-math, false claims and fallacious proposals that are touted as a choice between freedom versus servititude, jobs versus unemployment, security versus armaggedon, and prosperity versus destitution. Each parties’ candidates for the numerous offices will obviously be shouting why they, and only their vision, will deliver the former and the election of their opponents distorted and evil views will portent the latter. Not an easy task given the enormous financial sums that special interest groups will be plowing into the media blitzes that will inundate everyone with the tempting ‘candies’ and ‘gifts’ offered by these strangers accosting the unwary in public square. They will need to remember to adhere to their parents’ warning to “not take candy from strangers.”

The Independents will need to recognize the manipulative use of issues that are deemed important to the Independents but which are meant as lures to hook and ensnare these voters, rather than to inform the voters about policies or to establish a principle by which they will govern. I am sure that the Democratic and Republican bases have the same or similar issues, but there are already trapped in their partisan party alignment and unable to overcome the intellectual impedance required to chose outside their affiliation’s anointed one.

What will the Independents decide? That is the question that is plaguing the Republican and Democratic leaders, strategist and media consultants. We can only hope that the Independents will ignore the parties and focus on the issues and assess them with their own critical eye. That they will decide with a view to what the nation’s interests and how both their own and their countrymen/women will be best represented and lead.