by J.M. Schell

Created on: August 04, 2008

"I Vote for the Person, Not the Party!"

In any political season, you hear them. Over the top of the cubicle, at backyard bar-be-que parties, and anywhere you hear people talking politics. Such is their pride in their position they are usually willing to offer their opinion up to anyone they can rope into listening. "I vote for the person, not the party!" they proudly proclaim.

They wear this proclamation as a badge of distinction and honor. It is, they believe, something that sets them apart from the herd and lifts them, head and shoulders above the ho polloi milling about the cocktail party or office canteen. They'll peer pityingly at you around a wry grin, and cluck about how they, unlike you in your state of benighted ignorance, eschew party affiliation. They are, they'll beam "open minded," and as such listen carefully to individual candidates, weigh what they have to say, and make their voting choices based upon the candidates' promises, not his or her party affiliation.

Americans are lucky in that we are free to align ourselves or not with a particular political party. Many Americans who take seriously their duty to vote are nevertheless not interested enough in politics to register with either of the two major parties. Others are simply unsure which party best represents their own views. By far though, most of these "unaffiliated" voters simply don't care and don't know enough about politics to align themselves specifically. And while these voters typically fall into the "I vote for the person, not the party" trap, they do so by default. Most, typically, will find themselves in the voting booth voting for whoever's lawn signs and bumper stickers they've most often seen.

Those who more proudly and specifically wear the badge of "Independent" and who loudly and proudly proclaim "I vote for the person, not the party!" are another issue. These are typically people who believe themselves politically aware, but who refuse to be pigeonholed as a D or R. They certainly won't be going to the polls on Election Day and, like a wind-up automaton, checking all R or all D simply because that's the letter behind the name! They believe their view-and loud proclamations of it-demonstrates their political sophistication.

Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, such voters, rather than demonstrating their political savvy, are wearing their ignorance and naivet on their political sleeves.

Party trumps person. It's simply a reality. And the higher up the political

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