From Political Party to Social Network Affiliations
Unite Blue, tcot, OWS, Tea Party, Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, Greens, Conservatives, Progressives, Americans Elect, Independents, and so on and so on. By the way, if you join the “No Labels” organization, isn’t that in itself a label? The growing dissatisfaction with political parties has led to an increase in loosely affiliated grass roots organizations, AstroTurf created special interests groups, and the ubiquitous ‘unaffiliated’ Independent voter. Between 2008 -2012, 2.5 million voters left political parties to become independents raising the number of independents to 40% of all registered voters, larger than both primary political parties. Of course, assuming Independents are a monolithic bloc is naïve and all too convenient. So why the political diaspora? Have people connected with an inner Groucho Marx: “I don't want to belong to any club that would accept me as one of its members.” The recent debate...