Perhaps I should start off with this disclaimer, I do not speak for all Independents, just myself. Perhaps I'm naive, perhaps idealistic, some would even say that I'm stupid. I tend to vote for the person who best represents my concerns, for what's important to me. Somethings I'm able to compromise on, others I'm not. The issues that are important to me, usually have me leaning left for the most part.
Before the cries of troll or false accusations of being a McCain supporter start getting tagged on me, perhaps you should hear me out. Over the past eight years a rubber stamp Congress, the establishment of free speech zones, the status quo of a war that we should never have been in, the creation of fear and complete disregard to the law, along with many others have made me vow never to vote Republican again. That doesn't mean, I've become a card carrying Democrat, just that this election I've chosen to support the netroots movement and the Democratic Party.
I guess to understand where I'm going, it may be helpful to understand where I've been, so meet me after the jump...
We all have our history. We all have things that have shaped us and our beliefs which have led to us to our political standings and passions. My background is like many others. I'm a woman, wife and mother. I grew up in a family where my father and his family was Republican and mother and her family Democrat. I spent eight years in the Air Force and almost 20 years after that as a veteran. I've been broke and faced homelessness and have been blessed with being able to live comfortably. I've made my stands in public demonstrations before and have regretted not making a stand on other occasions. My husband and I raised a strong, intelligent and independent young woman, who is now in college and studying to be an OB/GYN. I've stuck by and helped my husband in his struggle with depression and have been known to even channel his thoughts (the risks of not signing out every window when you have one computer).
Alot of this has shaped where I'm at today. Where I'm at is a person who is tired of the last eight years of government. The one thing I do not want to see is business as usual in this next congress or, even, President. I know with John McCain, we have that. There's no need to remind me, (or anyone else on this board).
Over the past eight years I've watched our Constitution become degraded. Not just the fourth, but the first and fifth and...need I go on? I've watched them whittle away at reproductive rights, making it harder to get a safe abortion and just as hard to get responsible reproductive education. They tried to get into our bedrooms and tell us with whom we should have consensual sex with and how. They've changed the rules and treated Prisoners of War with the same techniques that they've claimed to abhor from other countries, they've lied us into a war and kept us there. Now, we have a chance to change that, or do we?
There's somethings I can compromise on and there are others I can't. When it comes to reproductive rights, women's issues, the Constitution, the welfare of children and our elderly, the treatment of veterans. These are no compromise issues to me. These are also issues that are usually championed by the Democratic Party and it's progressive members. I think most of us have that one issue that is a trigger issue, whether we may admit it or not.
Over the past eight years I've watched the Republican pundits and their followers demonize those who disagreed with their candidates. They beat their drums and spouted their meme. We know what their meme's were. Many called them kool aid drinkers for following blindlessly, not seeming to speak up against their candidate. Many could only attack those who disagreed with them without providing a reasonable argument against it. Why though do I hear the same drumbeat, different meme and though faint, the same drumbeat here when someone challenges the candidate? Guess it's the passion and pains that goes with politics. In the scheme of things, isn't it really just noise though? So we have individuals who won't compromise on a specific issue. Yes I know, we're purists, do you think if Obama didn't want to put an end to the war, he'd be the parties candidate today? Let's not kid ourselves, we all have that one issue. And of course, there are issues we're willing to compromise on for the bigger picture.
There's one thing that can be said about the Kossacks, you're a passionate batch that refuse to go down without a fight, regardless of which side of the issue you're on. Unlike the "zombies" on the right that repeat the likes of Rush Limbaugh, Bill O'Reilly and other pundits as if it was gospel, you're willing to pick your fights and make your stand. Sometimes those arguments are intelligent, insightful and passionate. For others, it's just a reason for bloody fist fight. Yet, when the "enemy" is common, you band together and take a stand, united.
In the general scheme of things though, the worries of how you're perceived by those outside the site perhaps may be a little over inflated. Yes, I understand the desire and need to bring unity back to your party. The thing is, in July, my 67 year old mother isn't worried about the bickering inside dKos or between Democrats. Her concern is how she's going to pay for her health insurance and rising prescription costs. My 19 year old daughter could care less whether or not someone is a purist or an apologist. She is concerned with the environment and what rising tuition costs may do to her college education. A mother in CA isn't worried whether or not we agree with Obama on the faith based initiative but if her son will return home from the war.
For alot of us, we do vote because of issues and what's important to each of us. In the end, it's not what goes on in July that will matter but making it through till November, intact, stronger, better, wiser.