If someone considers themselves as an independent with no specific loyalty to either party, and on election day there are only 2 choices, they obviously can only vote for one. Whichever way they choose to vote does not necessarily make them partisan.
When I was a kid there were no Jews in Oswego. The first Jew must have moved into Lake Oswego which didn't come into being until very nearly 1960. In the beginning of summer 1959 we moved to Portland where I suddenly experienced a lot of Jewish kids most of whom I still remember. I could name them all or nearly all right now.
Of course not. What would make them partisan is if they always tend to vote for one of those two choices. And that's the behavior of the vast majority of "independents." Not every single one so, again, if that doesn't reflect your (anyone who's reading this) behavior then you aren't included.
The DNC & RNC do all they can to prevent a legit third option. The media is also biased as to one or the other. Bernie even knows he's must align with dems even though he's an independent. If the networks would promote the viability of a third party and some donors get behind it, you never know.
It's not the DNC and RNC that make third parties not viable, it's the "first past the post" voting system--one election and whomever gets the most votes wins. That forces people who might consider a third (or fourth or fifth) party to choose between "give an extra vote to a party you like most in their bid to reach 1% of the vote" or "give an extra vote to one of the parties that might actually win, allowing you to have some voice in who's in charge." If, for example, we used a run-off vote, that choice would be eliminated. In the first vote, you could vote for anyone your heart desires. If you really like the Constitutional Pirate Party, vote for them and get excited by their attempt to pick up a percentage point or two. Then, in the run-off between the top two vote-getters, you can have a voice in who actually runs things. That would allow parties aside from the Democrats and Republicans to slowly build coalitions and popularity and maybe one day challenge to be among those top two vote-getters. Beyond that, a parliamentary system also tends to be more friendly to smaller parties, but we aren't completely restructuring our form of government any time soon, so it would be better to advocate for something like run-off voting or ranked-choice voting. Some states have begun experimenting with those types of systems--maybe one day there will be enough support for it at the federal level.
No that's not what I am implying. And for me, it's not "they" its "we." There is a Jewish-American point of view, whether you like it or agree with it or think its insulting. Generally speaking, we are left-leaning and socially conscious. We strive to help the marginalized and the underdog. It stems from Jews being ostracized, the Holocaust, our teachings. We believe it is our job to engage in Tikkun Olam, literally help "repair the world". @crandc might be able to add more. I'm sure you have Jewish friends and that's great. One of my best pals is an evangelical Christian. When I say you are not of Jewish thought, what I am trying to say is that the far right of today is about as un-Jewish as I can imagine; the Trump loving, each man for himself, mean-spirited, rude, demeaning, invective-filled rhetoric of the right, especially these days, is an anathema to Jews in my opinion.
Not a lot to add, except commitment to equality and to church/state separation. Also, Halacha states a human life begins when a baby is born and draws breath, and that in a conflict between needs of pregnant woman and fetus, the woman takes precedence. I would add a commitment to education and except for ultra orthodox, scientific viewpoint. So not too many Jews could support Trump.
I have struggled for decades over the abortion topic. One religion says it is a human life when conceived, another religion says when it is born and takes its first breath. I also spent decades trying to find the true God by investigating many religions. I failed. Religions are run by people that get tempted and corrupted by the power it gives them. They all have set up rules that support their agendas. I did find God, in nature. And found the answer to the abortion issue. If you stop the heartbeat of any living creature, you kill it. That is the law of nature. A human fetus develops a heartbeat from as early as 5.5 weeks, and almost always by 7 weeks. Therefore, if a heartbeat can be detected in an unborn human. And you stop that heartbeat. That is murder!
So I gather than you are against assisted suicide, heart transplants and any disconnection of life support, even for the brain-dead? barfo
He'll never win. A:The electoral college is what thrust Trump on us and it can happen again. Bernie would not get the Mid west and South demographic areas. B. People think Bernie is over 80 and too frail. C. NY accents never win over the clueless citizens in the rust belt and deep South of the country. D. Elizabeth Warren will remind all of us about his opinion of female presidents. E. His own party would not whole heartily support him due to his personality. I would actually like to hear a Trump Sanders debate.
Which is all great and I would be on board with people who felt this way within the conservative group of people if they didn’t treat everyone else like shit.