One thing this election will do: Grow more Independents.

[Orrex]

34. Of course, it's not that simple, is it?

Sanders' "Independent" supporters seem to think that New York's closed primaries were a serious blow to his chances in that state, and "Independents" didn't help him much in Pennsylvania's closed primary, either. So tell us the value of being an Independent in a closed primary state?

Also, I've known a great many so-called "Independents" in my life, and every single one of them was a voter in lockstep with one party or the other. Yes, I'm sure that you are a different kind of Independent, carefully researching every candidate and deciding on a person-by-person basis, just as I'm sure that all of DU's noble Independents do it. Of course.

In real life, however, every Independent with whom I've ever discussed the matter has in fact been a solid Democrat (or more often a solid Republican) who wanted to imagine that they were more sophisticated than any silly ol' party-affiliated voter.

Even Sanders, the anointed archetypal Independent, was a Democrat in all but registration (until he decided that it would be convenient to campaign as a Democrat, of course). His supporters here famously declare that he's "the real Democrat" and that he's always caucused with the Democrats. So what makes him Independent, exactly?

But, hey! If the goal is to effect an air of incorruptible electoral responsibility, then I guess that it makes sense to claim to be an Independent after all.