I personally feel that a non-partisan can be as politically engaged as any one who chooses to belong to a political party. I vote just anyone else. I look at party platforms. I have yet to find one that suits me well enough to become a member, but I may at times like one more than the other. It will almost always be a third-party because, in my experience, neither of the two major national parties is at all interested in representing the people of the United States. They’re about getting reelected.
The sad truth is that even if we kicked out the two major parties in favor of some now-third parties who would eventually become the established parties and then, they would no doubt stop representing the people and start representing staying in power by any means necessary.
So, while my pragmatic nature recognizes that we’ll probably replace the Democratic Party or the Republican Party with a third-party that for a while will represent the people, my ideal political climate would have no parties whatsoever.
aurorawatcherak 
“…neither of the two major national parties is at all interested in representing the people of the United States. They’re about getting reelected.”
Do you see the irony in that statement?
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Yes, it drips with irony and it is an absolutely true statement.
The 40% of voters who self-describe as conservatives have voted with the GOP for more than 30 years now. Has the federal government shrunk much in that time? Has regulation been substantially rolled back? Can you start a business easier in the US today than you could in 1980?
The answer is, of course, “NO” on all counts. The GOP controlled all three branches of elective government at the federal level and didn’t do anything about those issues. Why? Because the GOP was pandering to “independent” voters — the mushy middle who says they want fiscally conservative policies but then demands prescription drug benefits and an expansion of the military. The GOP has convinced itself that conservatives are so wedded to the Republican Party that we will continue to vote for them as they give amnesty to illegal immigrants and expand government programs that most of us don’t want or need.
Until we deny them the power of our vote, they will take us for granted.
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Yes, but here in our little very conservative corner of West Texas, 17 of the 21 eligible voters voted for Ross Perot when he was on the ballot for President, and what did that get us? Clinton! Unfortunately it’s been true for several election cycles that we have had to vote AGAINST a candidate, instead of being wildly enthusiastic for his opponent. So although I consider myself a Tea Partier, if there is not a really good electable alternative, I will vote Republican again. Anything other than Billary or Biden-his-time.
Lady Texan
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While I agree with you on some levels, Lady Texan, but our vote means nothing if we throw it away on someone who is only a little less progressive than the Democrat.
I’m not all that focused on the presidential election. Unless the GOP comes up with a Reagan or an American Lady Thatcher, Hillary or Joe is going to win. Conservatives stayed home in small numbers in 2008 and in significant numbers in 2012. I think conservatives have already lost faith with the GOP. If they put up another progressive in 2014, conservatives will either find a third-party or become the silent majority again.
There’s hope in Congress and at the state level. Some states have conservative GOP, but here in Alaska, the progressives locked the duly elected conservative GOP officers out of the office, so our choice is to vote third-party. Since about 56% of us are already registered non-partisan, it’s not hard for us to wrap our minds around it.
Imagine what would happen if the states sent enough conservative third-party or independent candidates to Congress that it upsets the two-party system. Some major changes would become possible at that point. And the president becomes a whole lot less central when Congress stands on its two legs and challenges him with the idea that they are in charge — because Constitutionally, they are.
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We can only hope — and pray.
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I believe in prayer!
Hope? … Not so much …. 🙂
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I was just reading this dialogue and realizing that this conversation is from three years ago. I didn’t see Trump coming. I don’t think he’s a conservative. From his rhetoric, I’d say he’s a progressive populist. I didn’t vote for him, although I considered him a better choice than Hillary. But I also don’t think he’s right for the country. We need someone who will shrink government and use the budget surplus to pay down the debt. I don’t think that’s what got is headed to the Oval Office in January.
We’ll see, I guess, where the next four years takes us.
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