@Noqanky:
See, but that's where I disagree. I can understand if it affects polling data and how people perceive the shots of each party in anew election. Totally with you there.
But if somebody on a personal level wishes to identify as independent, wanting to not affiliate themselves to a party while believing overwhelmingly on one side… how does that affect conversation and discussion? Partisan discussion is often going to revolve around one side inherently going at the other and vice versa, and while there can be compromise, wanting people to be clearly defined as black or white, 1 or 0, leads to an environment in which no one can adopt views conflicting with the party they chose, thereby polarizing the discussion further.
Not only that, but it's also a personal thing that some people just don't like party affiliations or the way politics happens in this country. Myself, my views align most with the Democratic party, but I strongly strongly dislike being associated with it. Why? Because I don't like or enjoy my views and ideas being summarized under a category that could also lead to assumptions on several others perspectives. In that sense I don't find it justified to want to pressure people into picking a side even if they agree with it.
It can affect the conversation by building a false image of a group or person who would be easier to compromise with and who is willing to accept bipartisanship. Just like assumptions with Democrats and Republicans the views and ideas of an Independent are also summarized under a category brought on by assumptions. Albeit, a more vague and broader idea of "independent" but they're are presumptions nonetheless. Again, I'm not saying all independents are actually super partisan pretenders hiding behind a fake label. I'm talking about independents who only claim that they are "rational" but in reality would rather a stick a needle in their eye than compromise on any of the values with the party they lean towards. As an independent you would be willing to compromise on some things. Hell, many moderate Democrats and Republicans would be willing to compromise on some things. And, you would think, independents would be the most willing to accept compromise and bipartisanship but it comes in to question, is that true?
I don't want to lean too heavily on this one article and I could find a bunch more talking about this exact same issue but it notes it down nicely here:
_In our study, we gave people actual scenarios of political compromise. In some cases, compromise follows a long, contentious debate. Moreover, in some cases compromise means that one party has to make numerous concessions. We found that people who say that they are independent and only admit that they “lean” toward a party actually don’t support compromise that much. They are especially opposed to compromise when the party they “lean” toward makes concessions after a long debate.
What’s more, these independents who only lean toward a party actually like the party better when it doesn’t compromise — and produces gridlock — than when it makes concessions to actually pass legislation.
Independents may talk a good game about bipartisanship, but when faced with scenarios of actual bipartisan compromise, independents behave just like partisans._
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2016/04/04/why-are-so-many-democrats-and-republicans-pretending-to-be-independents/
But overall I can understand claiming independent or any party affiliation is a personal choice. Well, that's something I always understood but to dive a little further. On one hand, it's definitely ok not wanting to be associated with the label Democrat or Republican when you don't want to be. It's definitely not ok to try and force someone to claim a specific label based on what you believe they fit under. On the other hand, there are more than enough studies out there showing that despite more people apparently claiming independent status partisanship is actually widening and people are increasingly split into the main 2 different camps. Loyalty to party is increasing which contradicts what it means to be independent. The growth of Independents and partisanship can go hand in hand of course but the data brought in over the decades is also showing that a lot of these independents are so partisan it begs to wonder what's the difference between them and the party they lean towards?