Independents Want Boring Politics: Real Progress, Less Noise
- Independent Times News
- 14 hours ago
- 6 min read
The Architecture of Compromise
In the years after World War II, much of Europe lay in ruins. Cities were destroyed, economies were shattered, and millions of people were struggling to survive. President Harry Truman, a Democrat, believed the United States had both a moral duty and a strategic imperative to help rebuild those nations and prevent the spread of communism. He knew success would require more than just a Democratic plan; it needed genuine Republican support. Facing fierce opposition from Senator Arthur Vandenberg, an isolationist-turned-internationalist, and a Republican-led Congress, many expected total gridlock. Instead, they took a different path. Vandenberg famously declared his bipartisan principle: “Politics stops at the water’s edge.” He quietly became a driving force behind the Marshall Plan, the massive American aid program that helped rebuild Europe. It stands as one of the most successful acts of bipartisan statesmanship in modern history.
That spirit of putting country before party feels like ancient history today. Reviving it will not be easy in our polarized political age. Yet as more Americans distance themselves from the two major parties, a new and growing Independent voter movement is emerging. This shift is creating a meaningful space for a different kind of civic engagement. Whether this Independent surge can truly revive bipartisan statesmanship is the great question of our time and perhaps the greatest reason for optimism.
A Tradition in Need of Revival
For most of the 20th century, American governance worked because leaders found ways to cooperate. Social Security, the Interstate Highway System, labor protections, environmental safeguards, and the Civil Rights Act helped build modern America. All emerged from a messy but productive compromise.
However, this tradition of cooperation began to erode after the tumultuous 1968 Democratic National Convention. Reforms intended to democratize the nomination process inadvertently shifted power to a small but highly motivated group of primary voters. Roughly 15 percent of the electorate participates in these low-turnout elections. Candidates quickly learned that to win these primaries, they had to appeal to the most ideologically intense voters. As a result, taking moderate positions with the other side became politically dangerous. Compromise became a liability rather than a virtue. Combined with a fragmented media environment and a growing culture of outrage, these changes have led to the deep stagnation we see in American politics today.
The dysfunction is made worse by the flood of money in politics. House races now routinely cost millions and Senate races tens of millions, forcing lawmakers to spend more time courting big donors than solving problems for their constituents. Because politicians rely on ever-larger checks to stay in office, they have strong incentives to please their donors rather than reach across the aisle.
As Andrew Yang observed in his TED Talk, the system has reached the point where “a problem is now worth more as unaddressed than addressed.” Politicians can campaign on unresolved issues, raise money, and demonize the other side, all while having little incentive to actually solve anything.
Americans have certainly noticed. Recent Pew Research shows that majorities now view both parties as too extreme, 61 percent say this about Republicans and 57 percent about Democrats. Even more telling, 86 percent of Americans believe Republicans and Democrats care more about fighting each other than solving problems. This frustration has hardened into deep cynicism. Trust in government has plummeted to just 17 percent. As the noise grows louder, fewer Americans are listening. Today, only 36 percent follow the news all or most of the time. Millions have checked out.
This discontent runs especially deep among younger Americans. According to a study by the Johns Hopkins SNF Agora Institute, more than 60 percent of Gen Z say the political system needs significant change.
These statistics are not abstract. Behind the numbers, families feel the strain of our polarized and gridlocked politics every single day — in stagnant wages, rising costs, and the constant stress of living paycheck to paycheck. They see it when classrooms become culture-war battlegrounds and when they confront a national debt exceeding $39 trillion that will burden their children and grandchildren.
The Independent Opportunity
Out of frustration has come opportunity. Gallup now puts self-identified Independent voters at a record 45 percent of the country, the clear plurality. For years, Independents were dismissed as apathetic or disengaged. That view is outdated.
Since 2004, every national election except 2012 has seen control of the White House, Senate, or House flip. This ongoing volatility is driven largely by dissatisfied Independent voters. They have repeatedly acted as the decisive swing bloc, punishing the party in power and rewarding the alternative.
In 2024, Independents also emerged as the largest group of split-ticket voters. They were far more likely than partisans to support candidates from both parties on the same ballot.
Their electoral power is undeniable. Yet swinging elections alone does not create lasting progress. That is why Independents now have both the opportunity and the responsibility to step into a more constructive role. They must demand real bipartisan solutions and greater collegiality in Washington. Above all, they want steady, results oriented governance, not perpetual partisan combat.
The Architecture of Compromise
The good news is that pragmatic solutions are not impossible. They are already happening in quiet corners of Capitol Hill. As Benjamin Franklin once put it: “When a broad table is to be made, and the edges of the planks do not fit, the artist takes a little from both and makes a good joint.” Each side has to give a little so the country can gain a lot.
Bipartisanship isn’t exciting. It rarely produces viral moments or champagne-popping victories when one party defeats the other. But that’s exactly why so many Independents want it. They are tired of the endless fighting in Washington. They want civil discourse, steady progress, and real solutions to the problems that affect their daily lives.
Unlike committed partisans, Independents are not locked into one side or the other. A Unite America study from 2024 found they tend to trust Democrats more on abortion, healthcare, and climate change, while preferring Republicans on foreign policy, crime, and immigration.
Free from rigid partisan platforms, Independents are uniquely positioned to take the best ideas from both sides and turn them into practical, results-driven solutions. Here’s what that can look like:
Economy: Safeguard American jobs and support the businesses that create them, while enacting smart regulations that protect workers without stifling innovation.
Safety net: Expand aid where it is truly needed while aggressively rooting out the billions lost to fraud each year.
Immigration: Secure the border and enforce the law while creating workable legal pathways and guest-worker programs to meet real labor needs.
Fentanyl and addiction: Crack down hard on cartels while dramatically expanding prevention, treatment, and recovery programs.
Defense and veterans: Raise military pay, improve care, and finally demand a clean audit of the Pentagon.
Voting and elections: Protect election integrity with secure voter ID while ending partisan gerrymandering through independent redistricting.
These are not dreamy ideals. They represent what is possible when both parties choose to work together. While such cooperation remains rare, there are promising signs of progress.
Bipartisanship in Action
Recent examples include the VISIT USA Act, a bipartisan effort led by Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Dan Sullivan (R-AK), alongside key co-sponsors Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) and Jacky Rosen (D-NV). This legislation aims to restore critical funding to promote American tourism abroad ahead of major global events like the World Cup and the 2028 Olympics.
There is also the CONNECT for Health Act, championed by a massive bipartisan coalition led by Senators Brian Schatz (Democrat from Hawaii) and Roger Wicker (Republican from Mississippi), which aims to permanently expand access to telehealth services under Medicare.
Most notably, the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act recently cleared the Senate by an overwhelming 89–10 vote before sailing through the House 396–13. This transformational legislation takes historic, bipartisan steps to protect the American Dream by restricting massive Wall Street private equity firms from buying up single-family homes and crowding out local homebuyers.
Small wins, yes, but they prove that meaningful bipartisan cooperation is still possible when leaders choose results over rhetoric.
The Moment Is Here
Just as Truman and Vandenberg put country over party after World War II, today’s Independents have a real chance to help lead the next chapter of restored trust, rising living standards, and a democracy that finally works for everyday Americans.
The machinery of government can hum again. The question is whether the rising Independent plurality is ready to step up and build it.
Politicians spend millions trying to divide us, but our numbers are our leverage. Don't let your leaders coast on partisan talking points. Contact your senators and representatives today, demand they prioritize bipartisan solutions like the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, and let them know that an independent electorate is watching.
PMake your voice heard. Use the Congress.gov Legislator Finder to contact your representatives today. Tell them you expect steady, results-oriented governance and that you are tracking their bipartisan track record.
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