Which posters are RIABNs?

[Sbane]

Sbane is definitely one of the biggest DIABNs here.

I just don't like the Republican party. Don't see how that makes me a Democrat.

Also I am literally registered as a decline to state voter, also known as an Independent in California.

[Sbane]

Many "independents" like sbane are really Democratic hacks. He's most certainly a DIABN.

Hey, I know Sbane. He is a friend of mine. He is not a hack about anything. He is a very intelligent, insightful and informed young man, with moderate instincts, except when it is right not to be moderate, such as with respect to matters regarding one of our favorite "medicines."    He's also very affable to boot.

I meant the above seriously actually. I admire Sbane.

Thanks.

[Sbane]

I just don't like the Republican party. Don't see how that makes me a Democrat.

(no, I'm sure you're very much an anti-Republican hack, but that pretty much means you're also a Democrat)

I don't consider myself to be democrat, thus I am not one, correct?

I voted for Tom Campbell in the primary and I certainly would have considered voting for him in the general. The national Republican party really scares me though, so maybe not. Definitely would have raised the level of discourse in the senate if he had been elected and Boxer defeated. I would have most likely voted for Campbell for the governor's race, if he had stuck with it and won the primary. The problem is that the Republicans never nominate a candidate I can vote for. And many of their candidates in other parts of the country really piss me off. If that makes me a Democrat, then so be it.

[Sbane]

I just don't think she would have been a good governor. She would have been a clueless outsider like Schwarzenegger. Tom Campbell could have actually dealt with the legislature imo. Brown can do that too. Or he can sell out to the unions, not cut spending and try to get voters to raise taxes. That is not going to end well.

[Sbane]

I just don't think she would have been a good governor. She would have been a clueless outsider like Schwarzenegger. Tom Campbell could have actually dealt with the legislature imo. Brown can do that too. Or he can sell out to the unions, not cut spending and try to get voters to raise taxes. That is not going to end well.

I'll bet you any amount of money you want that is exactly what he'll do.

You're probably right. And now that you can pass a budget with a majority vote, the blame will fall squarely on them. California already has some of the highest taxes in the nation. Except for maybe repealing Prop 13 for businesses, I don't see any new taxes the legislature can convince voters to implement (and even prop 13 is basically untouchable). Spending needs to be cut, there is no other option.

[Sbane]

I don't consider myself to be democrat, thus I am not one, correct?

I voted for Tom Campbell in the primary and I certainly would have considered voting for him in the general. The national Republican party really scares me though, so maybe not. Definitely would have raised the level of discourse in the senate if he had been elected and Boxer defeated. I would have most likely voted for Campbell for the governor's race, if he had stuck with it and won the primary. The problem is that the Republicans never nominate a candidate I can vote for. And many of their candidates in other parts of the country really piss me off. If that makes me a Democrat, then so be it.

Yes, it does. There's a reason why you're criticizing only the Republican party. That's why I'm not buying into your being an "independent". You may not be a Democrat on paper, but you have too much in common with them, so I can't really consider you an independent.

The Republican party annoys me/ has way more disgusting personalities within it than the Democratic party. Doesn't mean that everything the Democratic party does is golden.

 I am an independent because I don't wish to identify with either political party. Though I realize the two party system traps you with two false choices. I vote for who I think is the best candidate who also has a chance of winning. And if I view the Democrats as the lesser of two evils in most cases, so what? It is quite possible that in the future the Democrats will go hard left on economic issues, like trying to create universal daycare or something. And if Republicans at that time are more moderate, for example realizing that healthcare is a right but it can be delivered more efficiently, I can certainly entertain voting for them. I actually did vote for a moderate Republican this year, but it was for state legislature. I doubt he could win a Republican primary in California, especially due to the crazies in the central valley and OC. Or at least he would have to go hard right. And therein lies the issue.