Mr. Independent?

...And it appears to be a long - no, it has been a long time. That said, I'm going to get right down to what's on my mind. I notice that CNN's Lou Dobbs has adopted the monicker of "Mr. Independent." I've watched his show in the past, and he did appear at times to be breaking out of the strictly right-leaning mode of thought that seemed suitable for his "Moneyline" persona. I had hoped that his views would have continued their course of moderation, and that the new "Mr. Independent" would be what he was promising to be. Voices of reason in the mass media are rarer than white tigers in the wild, and I hoped to be able to add Lou to the short list of these voices. Unfortunately, Lou is no more "independent" than Bill O'Reilly. He's just as right-leaning as Bill, but he sounds reasonable rather than maniacal. Sorry Lou, but simply denying political party loyalty or adherance to an ideology does not qualify you as "Independent". I do, however, remain open-minded and will reserve final judgment until I've watched a bit more. My initial impression remains an unfavorable one.

Independent American: One Bereaved War Mother Arrested. How Many More?

The lady I wrote about in this article has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. Independent American: One Bereaved War Mother Arrested. How Many More?

What A True Independent Is

True Independents are a rare breed. Many people who call themselves Independent are nothing of the sort. Some believe that being labeled "Independent" will mean that others will have to perceive them as being objective, non-biased, and judging things based solely on sober analysis. Often, all people like this are really doing is trying to create a smoke screen for their own partisan hackery. Or they're just trying to find a way to weasel into an election they already lost.

Anyone who has a shred of integrity and actually does soberly analyze things objectively comes to understand the detrimental effects of party politics on society in general. George Washington spoke of this in his Farewell Address in 1796:

"I have already intimated to you the danger of parties in the state, with particular reference to the founding of them on geographical discriminations. Let me now take a more comprehensive view, and warn you in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of the spirit of party generally.

This spirit, unfortunately, is inseparable from our nature, having its root in the strongest passions of the human mind. It exists under different shapes in all governments, more or less stifled, controlled, or repressed; but in those of the popular form it is seen in its greatest rankness and is truly their worst enemy.
The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge natural to party dissension, which in different ages and countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism. But this leads at length to a more formal and permanent despotism. The disorders and miseries which result gradually incline the minds of men to seek security and repose in the absolute power of an individual, and sooner or later the chief of some prevailing faction, more able or more fortunate than his competitors, turns this disposition to the purposes of his own elevation on the ruins of public liberty.
Without looking forward to an extremity of this kind (which nevertheless ought not to be entirely out of sight), the common and continual mischiefs of the spirit of party are sufficient to make it the interest and duty of a wise people to discourage and restrain it. "

Two centuries of party politics in this country appear to have played out as Washington predicted that they would.

True Independents are to party politics what atheists are to organized religion. We are outside of it because we have seen inside of it, and have seen it for what is really is, stripped of the rhetoric and symbolism. We're not actively trying to destroy it, however, because we realize that it's not going anywhere until enough people discover what's happening for themselves.

Interestingly enough, a true Independent Mind tends to lean to the left side of contemporary political thinking modes. True Independent thought is Godless, but not it the atavistic way implied by certain partisan political hacks who will not be named. It is Godless in that it does not worship systems, groups, organizations, political parties and the like. Liberalism and modern Conservatism both claim to place the worth of the individual over that of the collective. Only Independents correctly view individualism as NOT an enemy of community, but rather as community's most vital pillar. Valuing individuals as the people they are and understanding that no community can stand strong without this perspective as a guiding principle is the basis of true Liberty as well as successful democratic government.

Conservatism seeks to "conserve" the old order of monarchies, oligarchies, and plutocracies where one group of people seeks to constitute themselves as an elite ruling class over all others. Life as a non-elite in a conservative-run society is miserable to say the least. This is nothing that true Independents want to conserve.

Independence IS democracy. Independent of a ruling class, people can live free.

I'm not undecided. I'm not an apologist for some political party's beliefs. I'm Independent.