Commentary

Well, Tulsi Gabbard has done it, she’s left the Democrat Party after serving eight years in the House representing Hawaii and choosing to run for president in 2020 that never gained traction.

Her Monday decision to leave the Democrat Party didn’t really come as a surprise to me.  She was appearing on all of Fox News’ prime time programs, rationally commenting on the news of the day.

 I expected her to join Fox as a contributor, but I understand she will be on You Tube and have a podcast under the title, “The Tulsi Gabbard Show.”

She referred to members of the party as “elitists, driven by wokeness,” and was critical of the party for dividing Americans by “stoking anti-white racism by racializing every issue.”

“I believe in a government that is of, by, and for the people,” she said. “Unfortunately, today’s Democrat Party does not.”

Why declare yourself “Independent,” then head off to New Hampshire to campaign for Don Bolduc, the Republican trying to unseat Democrat Maggie Hassan in the U.S. Senate?

I had a sister who declared she had become an independent, claiming she was simply tired of both political parties, but in the end, she cast her vote for candidates in one party or the other.

Independents seem to have a low level of interest in politics, and like to portray themselves as individuals free to choose, but in reality, they generally lean toward one party or the other.  If they are true Americans, they will exercise their right to vote, even if they vote for the lesser evil.

Independents don’t believe in party allegiance, and will tell you politics is about choice, change and personal opinion as if you cannot express them by voting for one of the candidates on the ballot, even if they don’t see eye-to-eye on every issues.

A survey conducted by Pew Research prior to the 2020 election, revealed that about four-in-ten adults identify as politically independent, but most lean toward one of the two major parties.

Further, independents who lean to one of the two parties are often much closer to partisans in their views than they are to independents who lean to the other party.

Candidates of both parties will continue to read the thoughts of independents, hoping to prove that they really aren’t that far apart, but if they can’t move them from “leaning” to “likely” it will all be for naught.

People go independent to avoid being pressured by one party or the other with phone calls and mailed circulars, but if they want their positions on issues heard, they need to come of the closet, so to speak.

As I Have been Saying

“I think it is utterly foolish to commit my vote even ten seconds early,” writes Robert Zimmerman.  “Too much can happen in the next few weeks.  As a citizen it is my responsibility to make these choices with the most information possible, and voting early for no reason but conveniences is a dereliction of duty.”

May God continue to bless the United States of America.