(Des Moines Register.). While there is a lot of freedom that comes with being an independent contractor, there is also a great deal of responsibility that comes with it. Colorado: Young Voters Flex Political Muscles. Ho, Inside Portlands City Council reform process While its true change happens slowly, we can make that change by being willing to stand up for the working lower class. In some states, the information on this website may be considered a lawyer referral service. Some people were still waiting in line to vote after the polls closed -- and even after the election had been called for Trump and Clinton. Primary elections are for electing the candidate the party would like to represent them in the general election. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); The benefits of being a registered independent. We recognise there are many creative and dedicated Christians working for and lobbying on a range of causes, but we would like to see more of that energy and commitment working on the inside of politics too. Earlier we discussed some of the benefits of working as an independent contractor, like setting your own hours and making your own rules. But as an independent consultant, you can choose your own hours, projects, and location. Even if that candidate represents the ideals that they want to see implemented, it doesnt matter because theyll never win anyway. The 5 Most Successful Independent Presidential Candidates in History. ThoughtCo, ThoughtCo, 3 July 2019, www.thoughtco.com/most-successful-independent-presidential-candidates-3367561. (The deadline for new voters to register was more recent, in March.). The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. I Shouldnt Have to Change for Love Really? Nearly 40 percent of voters in the United States identify as independent, yet there are only four independents serving in Congress. "Estimated Taxes. (There are actually two different physical ballots, one for each party.) An unscientific observation: New Yorkers who are concerned about being disenfranchised by voter roll problems and by the closed primary system appear to be more likely to be Bernie Sanders supporters. Here are the basic pros and cons of becoming an independent contractor.#. Original, Education ought to be for everyone Applications of super-mathematics to non-super mathematics, Is email scraping still a thing for spammers, How to choose voltage value of capacitors. Over 60,000 Democrats in Brooklyn alone disappeared from the voter rolls. If you're not the most self-driven person, then being responsible for your own schedule may be somewhat detrimental. But no matter where you stand on closed primaries, it's clear that millions of New Yorkers who fully intended to vote in the primary and believed they were correctly registered to do so are realizing they can't. The Independent Planning Commission (IPC) held its public hearings last week over two days, with commissioners hearing from organisations and residents on the negative and positive impacts from holiday letting. Read our, How To Succeed as an Independent Contractor, The Differences Between Employed vs. Self-Employed, What To Know About Household Employee Taxes, How the IRS Determines Independent Contractor Status, What To Do With an IRS Backup Withholding Notice, What You Need to Know Before You Sign a W-9 Form, Hiring and Paying an Independent Contractor. For more, check out the Kicker site, like their Facebook page, or subscribe to their email newsletter. National Politics. 1. Way to go #NewYork. For some of us, independence means being able to make our own significant financial moves, such as buying your own car or your own house without the assistance of others. I mean sure, its great you have enough for you and perhaps enough for others, but if youre only ever living it out in an independent fashion, your reach will only be as far as your own reach can go. Another difference between employees and ICs is that employees receive wages or salaries subject to withholding taxes like federal income tax. If, for example, a majority of the voting population are registered to a candidate's party, they'll more likely consider your vote as "in the bag" without working hard to earn it. Yes most definitely. Statistically, it doesnt even make sense. As a 14-year registered Democrat and 1-year registered Republican, the only advantage I see as registering as an independent is that you don't get bombarded by phone calls and mailers when it comes time for the Primary. That's because the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has only two distinctions: an independent contractor or an employee. Thanks Gerard! So a group called Election Justice USA filed an emergency lawsuit. They set their own hours, determine where they'll perform the work, and control how they'll get the job done. Why? John Steven Niznik writes about careers and other job-related topics. Advantages of being an independent contractor over being an employee include more control since you're your own boss. If its all about you, you are the ceiling on the organization or on the investment. Being independent means you no longer have to explain away the crazies in your party, or explain rampant corruption, or sleazy behavior among party members. Independent voters in numerous states are struggling with the system. Here are 6 pros and cons of being independent. Why was the nose gear of Concorde located so far aft? There's even a Facebook group called "Voters whose registration was changed without their knowledge in NY." "As a 14-year registered Democrat and 1-year registered Republican, the only advantage I see as registering as an independent is that you don't get bombarded by phone calls and mailers when it comes time for the Primary." The willingness of Independents to shine a light on issues that might otherwise not have been considered contributes to a broadening of the national conversation. "It seems primaries are won by being the one that your hard-core party types like the best" - you seem to be watching different primaries from me? Considering we're generally in a 2-party system, the fewer voters who are registered as one or the other, the more likely candidates will try to appeal to the larger population, rather than just their "base". As you get older, youre trying to find your footing in other areas, like friendships, education, dressing yourself. At 21 (many years ago) I reasoned that no one party could always have the best candidates or have the perfect plan/platform at every given time. The information provided on this site is not legal advice, does not constitute a lawyer referral service, and no attorney-client or confidential relationship is or will be formed by use of the site. Independently decide if you really want to continue with Governor Bentley and have your children be last in education among the states. There's a lot of disagreement over whether closed or open primaries are fairer and better. One of the main reasons given by Independent candidates for participating outside the traditional political parties is that it gives them greater freedom to speak their minds, as they are not constrained by the official position of a political party. Plurality systems tend to underrepresent small parties in parliament. We honour all those who are willing to invest time and energy in the political process. The spectrum of political opinions is far too diverse and wide-ranging to be isolated to two groups that essentially represent the same issues, goals and policies. While employers don't need to pay taxes and social contributions, the duty thus falls on the contractor. #Provisional Ballot, here I come. I love it. Only 7% of Americans overall don't express a partisan leaning, while 13% lean toward the Republican Party and 17% lean toward the Democratic Party. Whoops. After Sanders suspension, online forums and social media exploded with political disagreement. Is it worth it or worthless? It seems primaries are won by being the one that your hard-core party types like the best, which is not always the same as being the one that stands the best chance of actually becoming president. You might earn more as an independent contractor, and the tax benefits can include deducting your business expenses. While the company gave event planner No. Gallup. Contributors control their own work and posted freely to our site. Fact Sheet 13: Employment Relationship Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), Self-Employment Tax (Social Security and Medicare Taxes). When youre a child, thats what you start out literally doing trying to get your footing. So often we view it as tying ourselves down, letting ourselves become co-dependent, or that other people are getting in our way. First off, you dont have to be pressured by one party or another to vote a specific way. Site design / logo 2023 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Not the answer you're looking for? It shouldnt be about party allegiance. Safety concerns. Involve others. To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. But there were problems. You have to vote, so minorities, workers, etc turn up and vote. NY Bernie voters are going to battle tomorrow. Sanders suspending his campaign additionally meant Joe Biden would be the Democratic candidate for the 2020 electionthough not officially, as Sanders is still on the primary ballots, but is unlikely to secure votes. If one only discusses political issues with those who hold very similar or identical views how are the wrinkles and weaknesses in ones own arguments identified and addressed? A poor economy has pushed some unemployed or underemployed Americans towards self-employment. The aim of Christians in Politics is to reverse this trend, and wherever possible to do so via relational engagement in parties as this is where most policy and decisions are made. I also wonder if the primary voting restriction rules were implemented by party politicians to improve their own reelection chances. But you should know there are a lot of local elections by which you could have a larger impact. The Department of Justice is investigating. The tendency of my state's voting doesn't really have anything to do with my independent views? If you're not registered either Democrat or Republican, you might be having a tough time voting. Elsewhere on this website arebrief summaries of the positions of different political parties, and somepersonal reflectionsof Christians who vote for and support them. How can I recognize one? List of the Pros of the Catalan Independence Vote and Referendum. We werent made to do it alone. By the way, not everyone agrees that open primaries are better and fairer. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). It resonates with me because, despite being independant to a fault, I feel that in many ways personal success is related to having the ability to be a part of a community, club or whatever. Many of Sanders supporters felt his chances at the presidency had been smeared and interfered with by liberal media and fellow former Democratic presidential candidates. I vote out of civic obligation only and am not that offended by not participating; but at the same time if I could better serve my civil obligations by choosing a political party (with a coin flip) I would do so. How is "He who Remains" different from "Kang the Conqueror"? According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, electricians get injured on the job more than other trade skill professionals. In this regard they are able to campaign for, and draw attention to, a strongly felt issue. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median pay for insurance agents was over $52,000 in 2020. ", Internal Revenue Service. Christians in Politics believes that wherever possible, membership of a political party is not only the most effective way to bring about positive change in society, but also enables the parties themselves to be challenged on issues with which we may disagree and undoubtedly this will involve building relationships with those who may not agree with us. Usually when we talk about our independence, we usually are referring to how good it is were able to take care of our own needs. You clearly recognize your bias, and that is not a bad thing, but you need to make sure that your bias doesnt alienate your readers (calling non-Independents lazy). Independent candidates in national elections often focus on a single issue, or a narrow range of issues. But the good news is that there's still time to fix your registration. Like other professions, being an independent consultant is one great roller coaster ride, with its many highs, lows, twists and turns. Typically, why voters lean towards voting for candidates that they This is undoubtedly true, but there are two counter arguments that need to be weighed carefully against this advantage: First, a pragmatic argument: an Independent candidate has rejected the advantages of being part of an established infrastructure and support network. BTW, the concept of super-delegates in D convention was specifically designed to address the concern of electing Mondale-like "party hardcore favorites" in the primaries. Which States Use an Open Primary Election?. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. There is something inherently problematic about voting for a candidate that doesnt back policies you support, expresses behavior that you find inappropriate or undesirable and may not even support your existence solely because of the party they belong to. Here are six advantages to being an independent case manager: 1. But if we use independence in the right way, we can ensure our lives are being taken care of, and also extend to help others. Setting up your own business as an independent contractor requires an investment of time and energy, but the risk can pay off handsomely. To help you network, gain expertise, and receive discounts on insurance and other self-employment expenses, consider joining professional organizations such as the National Association for the Self-Employed. So be real, most people haven't been to Comicon and don't even HAVE 13 costumes. As with many topics in the political arena, there are arguments both for and against. Want to read more content like this? Theres multiple benefits to being registered as an independent. Politics Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for people interested in governments, policies, and political processes. Which party actually caused the 2016 presidential election swing? Here we offer some initial thoughts on the pros and cons of standing as, or voting for, an Independent candidate. Zip Recruiters puts the average pay for independent insurance agents at a heartier $97,996. The truth is though that often we do need others to help us out. If its just your independent self, theres a good chance that youre not going to be able to generate enough to really make a lasting difference. The attorney listings on this site are paid attorney advertising. Employers are not required to pay the same sort of . Are there advantages to my being registered as an independent in the US? The spectrum of political opinions is far too diverse and wide-ranging to be isolated to two groups that essentially represent the same issues, goals and policies. So I'm wondering if there is an advantage to staying true to my actual political views and staying an independent, as opposed to picking one side at random to register as so I can have some sort of say in presidential elections via voting in the primaries.