Independence
November 4, 2009, by Carine Fabius
Poster by James Montgomery Flagg, 1917
Carine Fabius is making a dramatic change, a new affiliation that speaks to her head and heart.
That’s it. After being a lifelong Democrat, I am officially changing my party affiliation to Independent.
I like the ring of that word. One of its dictionary definitions is “capable of thinking or acting for oneself.” That’s a pretty accurate description of me. I wish I could be independent of any political party but I wouldn’t be able to vote in primaries; so if affiliation I must have, then I choose to belong to the American Independent Party.
But, Carine, that’s like throwing away your vote! If you’re thinking that, think again. I am not planning on voting Independent for any presidential candidate anytime soon because that would be a waste. For now. A president can only do so much alone, though; that’s how our system is set up. Without the lawmakers, it’s stagnation time. But the only time lawmakers pay attention to constituents is when they fear being kicked out of office. That point was driven home to me while visiting with my pro-Bush father recently when he kept asking me, But why do the people in Obama’s own party keep fighting him? Good question!
The answer is that only by voting in senators and representatives that stand up for our issues can we affect national politics. Party be damned. And the sooner we send that message the better.
On that note, if we consider ourselves to be conscious beings, trying to make our way toward the light during our time here on this physical earthly plane, then we cannot continue to hold our collective noses while voting for people we don’t believe in. Energetically, this is dishonest. So, I’ll be looking real hard at the politicians running for office from now on—both at the local and national level—no matter from what party they hail. I doubt I’ll be voting Republican, since one thing I know is they for sure don’t represent my views. But I’ve always liked the color Green; and how about The Peace and Freedom Party? Absolutely adore the way that sounds!
Politicians are so good at taking lovely words like liberal and conservative and turning them into ideologies people want to run away from. I know that the Jerk of all jerks, Joe Lieberman, belongs to the Independent party; and even though I’d rather feed my right arm to that albino alligator over at the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco rather than be in any club that guy belongs to, I’m going Independent. (I’m betting The Jerk will be changing the letter next to his name from “I” to “R” pretty soon anyway.) Independent is another one of those nice words that got hijacked by politics, but think about it: free to make up your own mind. Doesn’t that make you feel good all over?
Let’s face it, the Democratic Party sucks. For years now I’ve been saying that Democrats make me gag just a tiny bit less than Republicans. Why stay? This is a call to action. You don’t have to be affiliated with the spineless, drowning-in-special-interest-money, chicken shit party anymore. Let them know you mean it by voting for the politician that makes the most sense. Party be damned. Yeah, yeah, yeah!
November 4th, 2009 at 9:00 am
Hallelujah, sistah! I am so sick of the status quo. No wonder it takes so long for Dems to get power, and then when they do, they simply can not seem to get anything done. I am sick of voting for the lesser of two corporate evils, I am sick of politicians cow-towing to the most conservative voices, I am sick of apologizing for my party, and I am sick unto death of pretending that THAT is ever going to change. AND–Joe Leiberman has got to stop smoking crack.
I only wish there was another choice besides Independent. Too many yahoos in that party. Green? Too one trick pony. Peace and Freedom? Maybe. I’ve got some research to do. Thanks Carine.
November 4th, 2009 at 10:01 am
I was pleasantly surprised when I moved to Washington, and registered to vote, that I did not have to declare a party affiliation. Not only that, but when I vote in a primary, I can vote the candidate I feel to be the most qualified. What a novel idea! And to make it more interesting, a bill was passed here recently that moves the top two vote getters from a primary on to the general election……..regardless of their political party.
Maybe there is something to be said for forward thinking, tree hugging former hippies!
November 4th, 2009 at 10:16 am
Carine, your piece captures perfectly my disgust at Democrats such as Max Baucus and his kiss-the-insurance-company’s-asses caucus.
The Democrats in power seem to be divided into three distinct camps–the Republicans, the Dithering Milque Toasts and the Progressives. What would happen if Bernie Sanders and the Alan Grayson-progressive types linked up with the Greens and the Peace & Freedom party? Would we then have a decent majority of progressive thinkers in this country who could move us, as you say, towards the light? Or would Hillbillies from Hell, led by Sarah Palin and Mike Huckabee, make good on their not-so-veiled threats to form a militia and command a coup?
I don’t know the answer. Perhaps James Carville says it best: that Democrats consider all “six sides to the pentagon” before making a decision. And while they do this, the party loses intelligent voters like you. What a shame.
November 4th, 2009 at 11:00 am
I have been feeling like this for years. I just got a republican questionnaire in the mail, and realized that when asked completely loaded questions, I do say that I feel the democrats could do a better job than the republicans, but I don’t really identify myself as a democrat anymore either. (I said that I was an independent with views to the left of the dems.)
I wish we could do away with the whole 2 party system, I feel like it’s such a set up for not getting anything done. I had a friend in New Zealand, who told me that getting rid of the two party system there in 96 was the best thing that happened to his country.
November 4th, 2009 at 11:35 am
Carine, you speak truth and seek truth. Politics is often overwhelmingly aggravating. Taking action, as you have, is the only thing to do, or just hide under a rock and hope for the best. I like the ring of “independent” too, I’ve carved a life around independent thought, action, work and art. I’ll have to look into this some more. I just want to be sure my vote counts, even if it’s for the lesser of evils. It’s politics, after all.
November 4th, 2009 at 2:04 pm
Carine, I feel your pain. This summer we toured George Washington’s house and Monticello. I kept thinking, “oh brother, would they be disappointed…I don’t think this is what they had in mind.” I feel about the public school system, the way you do about Washington D.C. Lets just blow it up and start over. Unfortunately, that’s about what will happen if everybody keeps dithering about global warming, climate change legislation and health care reform.
November 4th, 2009 at 2:13 pm
Carine,
All the polls say that you’re in good company. The country is, by and large, independent. It’s just that the loudest mouths are screaming Republican and Democrat.
November 5th, 2009 at 4:33 am
Very well said. I, too, am a democrat but only because the other side isn’t very inviting. What we really need are more parties. Maybe two political parties worked when only white men could vote, but with all the diversity in our nation, two parties limit us - and we’re bigger than that.
November 5th, 2009 at 8:30 am
Courageous Carine, I think you are ahead of the curve. In Europe third and fourth parties are rising up because national political and cultural diversity demands them. I am socialist (deliberate small “s”) and always have been. I have not yet found the party I want to join, but in the meantime I like your position of voting for the person who most appeals and aligns.
November 5th, 2009 at 12:01 pm
Well, Carine, thanks for the gentle nudge. I’ve been jogging beside this bandwagon for nearly two years. Think its time to make the leap and stop pretending either party is going to actually rise above politics as usual. It has always been my aim to vote for people whose values and opinions most align with mine. That just makes too much sense for the world we live in today. Gotta keep trying, though.
November 5th, 2009 at 5:46 pm
Carine, great article on the energetics behind the lack of an entire country being blindsided by special interests and the mighty dollar! What about a telephone tea-party, contacting our elected officials and stepping up to the plate to leave a message about particular bills in congress? I recently did that through the White House phone line, and felt so empowered. Each time, each one of us keeps our honesty light lite, its another person aligning with the light of the Universe.