Voices
move parties over time. Some voters focused on American-Israeli
relations moved to the Republicans
with George Bush 43rd and have
no intention of moving back. Others passionate about the military
moved over to the Democrats as
they saw greater support for veterans under the current administration than under the Republicans.
The voters who are truly independent seek to analyze candidates’ positions to determine
which candidate is most aligned
with their viewpoints. This group
is a rare breed, one that is likely
overestimated in many polls (just
ask yourself what percent of the
people you know haven’t already
decided who they are voting for).
Independent voters long for more
choices, yet America is currently
trapped in its two-party system.
These voters are starving for data,
information, meaningful dialog,
fact-based debates and intelligent
reviews of policies and proposals.
But with the polarization of
media coverage, objective sources of information are drowned
out by the shouting matches that
dominate the airwaves. Independent voices are quashed by
winner-take-all-elections, the
Electoral College and the Com-
HOWARD STEVEN
FRIEDMAN
HUFFINGTON
11.04.12
mission on Presidential Debates.
Independent voters suffer during debates that consist of well-rehearsed zingers and memorized diatribes. This Commission effectively
prevents third parties from participating by requiring a 15 percent
polling rate before a candidate may
join the presidential debates. Before
the Commission began moderating
the elections in 1988, the League of
Women Voters was in charge; the
league resigned as
debate moderator,
Independent
claiming that “the
demands of the two voters long for
campaign organiza- more choices,
tions would perpeyet America is
trate a fraud on the
currently trapped
American voter.”
in its two-party
Yet that fraud persystem.”
sists to this day
with little momentum to overturn the two parties’
effort to silence other voices.
Independent voters need information and options. They need to know
that democracy involves thoughtful consideration of candidates, the
present situation and the future.
If independent voters are not fed
these vital necessities, they will
soon become extinct, along with
the fading light of America’s democratic process.