Independent Voters are the Invisible Miracle We Need Now
- Independent Times News
- 5 days ago
- 4 min read
Updated: 6 hours ago
"The greatest good we can do our country is to heal its party divisions and make them one people." — Thomas Jefferson, in a letter to John Dickinson, July 23, 1801.
Image Courtesy Library of Congress
In 1913, a quiet engineer named Fred W. Wolf Jr. walked into a Chicago kitchen with a simple wooden box that hummed. It was not flashy, pretty, or sleek. It was a utilitarian mechanical add-on designed for the traditional iceboxes of the era. This plug-in unit, known as the DOMELRE (short for Domestic Electric Refrigerator), sat atop the icebox and did the unthinkable: it maintained consistent temperature control without requiring a single drop of external water. For the average family, it was nothing short of revolutionary.
At the time, the world was gripped by a silent health crisis. Households relied entirely on the established ice industry, which delivered massive blocks via horse-drawn wagons. If the "ice man" was late or a summer heatwave hit, food spoiled instantly. According to historical health records and later CDC reviews, thousands of children, infants in particular, died each year from diseases linked to contaminated milk and spoiled meat. The DOMELRE did not just provide convenience; it provided a barrier against disease.
Fred’s unassuming invention changed the math of human survival by slowing bacteria and saving lives through prevention. While the traditional icebox had served Americans for generations, the DOMELRE was simply superior. It did not scream for attention; it simply worked, saving families money on wasted food at a time when every penny counted.
The impact was permanent. A 2005 assessment by the New York Times concluded that the technology pioneered by the DOMELRE was so effective it led to the total collapse of the traditional ice-delivery business in New York by 1950. While progress and discovery can be disruptive, they move our nation forward. This is the heart of the American spirit: taking the old way of doing things and making them better, safer, and more advanced for everyone.
Cooling the National Temperature
Today, we are seeing a different kind of spoilage. Our political system is failing to keep our democracy stable, and the breakdown of the status quo is leaving us in a dangerous position. Andrew Yang, a former presidential candidate and founder of the Forward Party, has noted the severity of our current divide. He argues that political stress has reached Civil War levels, suggesting that the current two-party system is designed for polarization and is effectively turning us against each other.
John Adams warned of this exact moment in 1780:
“There is nothing which I dread so much as a division of the republic into two great parties... This is to be dreaded as the greatest political evil under our Constitution.”
When political tension reaches these heights, the status quo of the two-party system acts like an old, melting ice block. It is no longer capable of maintaining the stability of our democracy.
Independent voters are the DOMELRE of this era.
Independent voters are the DOMELRE of this era. The latest Gallup data for 2026 shows that a record-high 45 percent of U.S. adults now identify as political independents. This group is in a unique position to lower the nation’s temperature by voting thoughtfully, advocating for reform, and encouraging dialogue. Because they do not care who scores the political point, they can focus entirely on fixing the nation’s issues.
Being politically homeless does not mean you lack a roof; it means the walls of a party headquarters do not confine you. As an independent, you are the tie-breaker holding the balance of power in a polarized world. You are the logic-checker with the freedom to demand results over rhetoric. Most importantly, you are the innovator. You are the only one capable of voting for the best idea, regardless of the party jersey the candidate is wearing.
The Quiet, Sacred Work
Our mission through this blog, newsletter, and podcast is to empower independent voters to do the vital, quiet work of political renewal. Like a refrigerator, this work is not glamorous. It will not grab sensational headlines or scream for attention. However, it is precisely this kind of persistent, quiet effort that will lead us toward a more advanced, healthy, and prosperous future. Your voice as an independent could be the silent force that changes everything.
If this resonates, come along for the ride. Subscribe to the Independent Times News newsletter for weekly insights delivered straight to your inbox, or listen to our podcast as we dive deeper into these stories with honest conversations from independents making change happen. You can also join our growing community on social media by following us @indtimesnews—where we keep the conversation going daily.
Let’s cool the temperature together and prove that the New Majority is ready to lead.
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