Data gurus and pollsters constantly overlook or ignore independent voters. This distorts our politics in numerous ways.
Imagine trying to understand the world by cutting it in half.
Everyone under 58? “Young.” Everyone 58 and older? “Old.” No nuance. No spectrum. Just two boxes.
This kind of oversimplification—called dichotomization in statistics—was once common in research. But it’s been largely abandoned because it distorts reality. It creates false differences, hides real ones, and makes it impossible to detect subtle patterns. In short, it throws away data.
And yet, this is exactly what we do in American politics.
The Binary Trap
Our political system insists on dividing Americans into two camps: Republican or Democrat. But just like the age example, this binary framework doesn’t reflect how people actually think or live.
It creates false oppositions. A voter who leans slightly left is treated as fundamentally different from one who leans slightly right—even if their views are nearly identical.
It hides complexity. Voters who are socially conservative but fiscally liberal, or vice versa, are forced into categories that don’t fit. Their nuanced beliefs are flattened into a red or blue label.
It erases individuality. People are complex. Their political views are shaped by personal experience, community, culture, and conscience. Reducing them to a party label is not just inaccurate—it’s dehumanizing.
Nearly 40% of Americans Say Neither Party Represents Them
That’s not a fringe group. That’s nearly half the country that say neither party represents them.
These are the independents. The politically homeless. The people who look at the two-party system and say, “There’s no place for me here” or “I want no part of this.”
And yet, our political institutions—from electoral laws to media coverage—continue to operate as if the only people who matter are those who fit neatly into red or blue. This despite the fact that people who do fit neatly into red and blue are becoming a smaller and smaller fraction of voters.
By forcing voters to conform to party platforms, rather than allowing parties to reflect the full range of voter beliefs, we’re distorting reality. We see differences that don’t exist and we ignore the differences that do.
Who Benefits from This?
Not voters. Not democracy. Not the country.
The binary model benefits the parties themselves. It simplifies messaging, consolidates power, and blocks competition. It’s not about representing Americans—it’s about maintaining control.
This isn’t a call for 300 million micro-parties. It’s a call to stop distorting reality. To stop throwing away inconvenient data. To stop pretending that two categories can capture the full spectrum of American political thought.
A Better Way to Human
At the Independent Center, we believe in seeing people as they are—not as the system wants them to be. That means embracing complexity, nuance, and individuality. It means building a political culture that reflects reality, not one that forces people into boxes.
We’re not here to push a party. We’re here to push for truth.
So let’s stop throwing away data. Let’s start seeing each other clearly.
