Published via T: 2014-01-08 21:20:02
PRINCETON, NJ -- Forty-two percent of Americans, on average, identified as political independents in 2013, the highest Gallup has measured since it began conducting interviews by telephone 25 years ago. Meanwhile, Republican identification fell to 25%, the lowest over that time span. At 31%, Democratic identification is unchanged from the last four years but down from 36% in 2008.
My Two Cents
The attached study finds that 42% of Americans identify themselves as independents. I was independent until 28. Then I decided that I wanted to participate in the Primary election process. I wanted my vote to count. So I registered as a Democrat. Just a little closer to a centrist democrat than a centrist republican. But if the US had a viable 3rd or even 4th party (and I mean truly financially viable with primaries, matching federal funding and the like), how many of us would switch from either Democrat or Republican. I would! If the 3rd party was loosely defined as Libertarian or Populist, I bet that number would jump into the teens quickly and maybe as high as 20's? If you recall, Perot (approx 20%) won the Presidency for Clinton and then Nader (2-3% max) won the Presidency for Bush. It wouldn't take much for a 3rd party to gain strength, but it does need money, funding and infrastructure.
