Originally Posted by Taichiliberal
Independent isn't supposed to mean neutral. Independent means that you are NOT a partisan hack, and can vote for Dems, Repubs, a third party, or a write in vote. Independent doesn't necessarily mean conservative....but then neocons are NOT your daddy's conservatives.
I don't think being a registered Independent precludes one from being a partisan hack. One can be an independent and be more to the left of the Democrats or more to the right of Republicans or they could vote straight party line as if they were a member of that party. I am a registered Republican but have voted for non-Republicans. I can't imagine I'm the only one. I've also wanted to switch my registration to Independent and Libertarian at various points in time but never did because I was too lazy to do so.
All of which doesn't change my initial statement one iota. You were claiming that the OW folk were predominantly (if not all) hard left wingers. That is not the case when these people are polled....and remember it was the Independent voters that carried the swing vote that put Obama in office as well as the GOP in the House when they DID NOT vote in 2010.
But after visiting two different occupy camps and watching others on the news I don't think it is a stretch to say there is a more liberal than conservative lean among those who are occupying.