I am an independent voter. I am lucky in that sense because I live in a state (Wisconsin) with an open primary, so my not being affiliated with either party did not preclude me from voting in this primary. My parents, also, are independents, even though my dad is part of union and worked at an automotive factory that closed down this year. He voted against George W. Bush both times and pretty consistently for Democrats for president, but says that he prefers Republicans as governor.
Although many of you will probably agree, there is nothing wrong with that.
While I have my dad convinced to vote for Obama, which was rather easy, my mom voted for McCain in the primary. I've been working to point out his flaws and highlight Obama's strengths, but it's hard work and I may not get her to come around. And before you ask, she's never considered voting for Hillary, even as some sort of fictional "middle ground" between the two.
I disagree with her, but there's nothing wrong with her head. She isn't evil and she doesn't hate everyone who is different from her. She doesn't want to stay in Iraq and she certainly doesn't think we should invade Iran. And honestly, when I started looking at who I wanted to support this year, I started out by reading up on Clinton, Obama, and McCain. I could just as easily be a McCain supporter now; I liked some things about him, including his past willingness to work across party lines. Although socially I'm pretty far to the left, I am at times a fiscal conservative.
We are independents, and we are not your enemy. We are average people of every size and shape, color and creed. We are sequestered in every nook and cranny of this country, and while many of us are now supporting Obama, some are not, and still more are unsure. We are not bad people; we have real problems with policies on both sides of the fence.
Thankfully, right now Democrats are doing a better job at addressing these issues. The Republicans have moved too far into the hands of right-wing, Christian "conservatives" to make many moderate independents comfortable. You guys are at an advantage.
Still, some issues must be addressed.
By and large, the biggest grief I've found among independents with the Democrats is their perceived eagerness to take money from taxpayers. Going further, it's often thought that Democrats waste that tax money. Perhaps some of you will agree with me, but I see this as a legitimate concern. And even if you don't agree, you have to deal with it. Americans as a whole are people who work very hard for our money and naturally want to keep that which they've earned. You may not like it, but the problem is there.
That being said, I have found very few of my peers to be heartless individuals. Many independents agree with the social programs Democrats champion... in theory. I love the idea of welfare; people who have suffered an injury or illness, job loss or other tragedy given enough money to stay afloat while they get their life back on track. That is an awesome idea and I think many people would support it. Unfortunately, but there are serious problems in the execution of this policy, and as such people have the right to be wary of it.
My mom has worked at a state-funded welfare to work agency for about ten years. I worked there last summer. For every story she has about some unfortunate person turning their life around, she has three more about people abusing the system. It's unfortunate, but there are people determined to live off of these checks. There are people who are perfectly able to work, but are unqualified for any job they want and so they quit any job they do get. People take money intended for use to pay their rent and their utilities and feed their children and instead buy things like designer clothing and purses.
You may not want to hear that, but it's true. These things do happen and you cannot ignore them. Perhaps they don't happen everywhere, and perhaps with less frequency than it appears, but they are valid concerns about the system. The system is flawed and people use those flaws to their advantage. The problem is not with the Americans who disagree with this; the problem is with the people who abuse the system.
This is just one example of many problems that average Americans have about liberal issues. It's not my place to tell them that they are wrong for thinking it, but it should be Democrats place to address their grievances. I think you'll find that many Americans are liberal at heart and in spirit, but are too worried about the practical applications of all this "change". They don't want to see their money squandered or wasted—that's why many of them have a problem with Iraq.
Democrats are at a unique and, quite frankly, awesome place right now. You should be excited! The Republicans could not be doing more to push independents away. America is deeply entrenched in an unpopular, Republican-championed war. Our economy is quickly falling into a recession. Republicans are more and more defining themselves as the party of hate. And more importantly, they're effectively becoming both "pro-big-business" and "pro-big-government". They're giving tax cuts to the wealthy and trying to invade our privacy. The Democrats are practically having moderate independents handed to them... the important thing now is to work on addressing the issues that those same people still have with liberal policies.
Speaking as an Obama supporter, I could not be more excited for this election. I believe we have a real chance to change the direction of this country and do it correctly. Most of the people you are trying to win understand our goals and what we think we can do to better this country. Your job, my friends, is simple.
Prove it.