I was thinking about the upcoming New York State election and all the leaders of the past. A really smart candidate who campaigned on tough negotiations with the teachers unions and other public uniions would get a lot of votes. The best jobs in New York are corrections officer,teachers and State government employees. (out side on NYC of course) seems in the past 20 years Upstate job growth and advancment has been in Government unionized jobs and no longer private sector.
Cool, I hope they mentioned that if you decide to move here, don't say "But that's not the way we do things where I'm from." Yep most likely and stay there if you don't like the way we do things. Might be out 4% un-employment or our balanced city budget.
Yes the article was about your 4% UE and balanced budget. Also about modest realistic housing values during the real estate baloon and now the lack of foreclosures. Very flattering article about level headed leadership and a population who is not too keen on following the latest craze. It portrayed a very stable economic and political engine.
Yep that's us and the vast majority will welcome you till you make a comment about how we do things, then many of us including me (I've done it several times) will tell you to pack up, get on I-80 and head either east or west and don't let the "Leavin' Newbrassky" sign hit you in the arse on the way out.
"According to the latest Washington Post-ABC News poll, 39 percent of Americans identify themselves as independents - compared with 32 percent who say they are Democrats and 26 percent who are self-described members of the GOP..." [Source]
ound:
It's always interesting to watch how much those numbers move. Before the Republican Revolution in the early 90s, no one identified themselves as Democrats (or they used an alternative like "progressive"). Then no one wanted to be called a Republican (people were libertarians). Now, I guess calling yourself an independent is in style."According to the latest Washington Post-ABC News poll, 39 percent of Americans identify themselves as independents - compared with 32 percent who say they are Democrats and 26 percent who are self-described members of the GOP..." [Source]
Well at least 39% can rest easy tonight, knowing they're not quite as dumb as the rest of us
And there's some research (can't find it right now, sorry) that suggests that when you look at issues along Republican/Democrat lines, and people's actual voting behaviors, only a tiny minority of people (like less than 10%) are "true" independents. A lot of people like to call themselves independents (maybe so they can pat themselves on the back in Internet forms for how much smarter they are than everyone else), but that label is at odds with how they actually behave.Wow, that would be some crazy strategy. I'm admittedly not a fan of the tea partiers or most Republican social issue stances, but this seems like the wrong way to go about things. Not that politicians haven't been doing underhanded and dastardly things since the beginning of time of course.
"According to the latest Washington Post-ABC News poll, 39 percent of Americans identify themselves as independents - compared with 32 percent who say they are Democrats and 26 percent who are self-described members of the GOP..." [Source]
Well at least 39% can rest easy tonight, knowing they're not quite as dumb as the rest of us
I don't doubt that at all. I'm speaking purely anecdotally (is that a word?) here, but it seems a lot of people I know that call themselves independents vote pretty reliably with one of the two major parties. It's like they believe that by calling themselves an independent, their masking what would otherwise be considered pretty ideological behavior. If I call myself an independent and still vote for Republican/Democratic issues, then somehow my opinion is more valid because I'm just an independent and not just supporting a party (even though that's exactly what "I" am doing).
I don't think anyone said all self-proclaimed moderates are "fakers." I think the point was that there are a lot of people that like to think of themselves as moderates, when in actuality they're quite partisan. I didn't read Nathan's link, but I'd suspect that it's a growing trend. It seems like more and more people assume and expect you to vote a certain way based on your party affiliation. There is a perception that if you're affiliated with a party, you vote that party and if you're an independent you're more deliberate and neutral in your decision. On top of that, more people will say independent to a pollster right now because they don't want to identify with either party. It's not that they're really a moderate. I'd suspect, as of this snapshot in history, that a significant percentage of these new "moderates" are Republicans that are just disenchanted with their party right now. I have a hard time believing the collective ideology of American voters shifts as significantly as that poll does over the years. I think people tend to form their beliefs and largely stick to them (maybe adjusting on a few issues).
Its the same here, and wish it would change. I always figure it gets rid of some of the menucha, then I can concentrate on whats leftover ; )
Same here, been registared since 1975 and that's the way it's always been, I vote for the one I like, no matter who's party it is. If anyone don't believe that, no skin off my arse, don't know what others do and think and really don't care.
