I am pretty much in agreement with most of the republican party platform. More so than most of those representing the party in Washington. The GOP leadership is so bad I thought about removing myself from the party in protest, but the Oklahoma republican party isn't as out of step with the platform as the national party is and it is important to me to try and choose the person who best represents my views on most issues. And that vote is in the republican primary. So while I'd love to change my affiliation as a protest to where the party is headed nationally, it is more important to me to still have some influence on the party locally. Does that make sense?
House GOP Leaders: We Can Pass Gun Control, Immigration, Without Republican Support
- Thread starter Spata
- Start Date
Yup.
Is that directed at me? I'm registered independent because Oklahoma doesn't recognize the Libertarian party. That doesn't keep me from telling my elected representatives what I think, even though we may not agree on things.
It's directed at anyone who thinks they can write an email or two and call it good. You're literally "phoning it in". Nothing in Oklahoma will ever change unless you change the two major players. Their stranglehold on ballot access is the reason Gary Johnson wasn't on the ballot in Oklahoma last fall.
You WILL NOT change that as a registered independent.
McArthy, McArthyism.
He's a freaking turncoat from the state of Commufornia.
I was registered as Independent for a few years. It seriously hampers your opportunity to vote in this state. Back to Republican where I can at least cast a ballot in the primaries.
He's a freaking turncoat from the state of Commufornia.
I was registered as Independent for a few years. It seriously hampers your opportunity to vote in this state. Back to Republican where I can at least cast a ballot in the primaries.
Being a registered independent only prevents one from voting in one of the two dominant party primaries. That's it. You can still vote in all other elections.
That said: I would submit that as an independent one wields more power thru communication with elected officials than those of us registered in one or other of the two parties. Why? The republican communicating with a dem and vice 'a versa is peeing up a rope. The official who is a dem knows he's not going to get the repub's vote and the repub official knows he's not going to get the dem's vote (at least most of the time anyway). So communicating across party lines is pretty much a waste of time.
The independent's vote is up for grabs. The independent's vote is a swing vote or is perceived that way and thus the officials communicated with, if they are wise, will consider the independent voter's view point while at the same time tossing the view point of the dem or repub into his file 13.
I think the more people that are registered independent rather than Republican or Democrat, regardless if they align with their core values or not, would be a good step in showing by numbers there is an interest in other parties in the state. It took lawsuits to get Gary on the ballot in other states and one was filed for Oklahoma as well, but I digress. It's difficult to do anything when only 10.5% of the registered voters in Oklahoma are independent. Get that up to 33% and that will get some attention.
The "Party of Freedom" (GOP) also spent millions in frivolous lawsuits to attempt to keep Gary off the ballot. Those millions could have bought a lot of TV ads for Romney...
Not in many counties. Many county official races, including Sheriff, are decided in the primaries. And the same county that votes 85%+ R in the general will only have D primaries for county races. I have a solution to that, but they don't like it.
Based on that, my experience since changing the letter on my voter registration card is that they are stupid.
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