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processes. Both parties still have the same defined, and distinctive platforms as ever, whereas independents have no platform as a group, and there lack of a firm set of ideals as a platform generally accept by all in the group is that which dilutes them in political discourse, and thereby dilutes the party platforms of both Democrat and Republican to the point where it is sometimes difficult to tell the two apart. This is not meant to say that independent singularly don't have ideals, it simply means they don't have a unifying core that a party offers. Cancer patients, as but an example, certainly have ideals, and ideas about cancer, but until they form an association they do not have a unifying core. In this example they could let others in with differing terminal illnesses, but that would be of no help toward their cancer. And this is just as obviously true in the democratic party (liberal), and the Republican party (conservative), in regard to independents (not particularly either).

Twenty-five states hold closed primaries, and six others hold a mixed-lot in details of their primary process that include differing forms of open and closed voting processes (source: FairVote.org./includes caucuses). Now, I'm just waiting on the other twenty-five to get it right. Both party's and their officials need to stop pandering for the independent voter in this fashion. Let the independents, of course, have their say in general elections, but honor your particular party's members in keeping primaries secularly closed as they obviously should be.

Learn more about this author, G. A. Hazelwood.
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