In U.S. politics, the independents have it [View All]

Forget President Obama, House Speaker John A. Boehner and the less-interesting-than-their-name-suggests "Gang of Six." When the history of the Great Debt Ceiling Debate of 2011 gets written, the main character will not be a Beltway negotiator, or even a politician.

The only reason Washington is even talking about proposals to slow the growth of government spending, instead of robotically jacking up the nation's credit line for the 11th time in a decade, is that a large, decentralized group of citizen activists has spent the last few years loudly telling politicians from both parties one consistent message: restrain your own power or face our wrath.

Whether you conceive of the "tea party" as a heroic tamer of bipartisan big government or a diabolical hydra threatening America's very future, its success in precipitating a national debate over fiscal policy should give hope — and a tactical blueprint — to anyone who feels marginalized by politics.

It is now easier than ever for alienated ideological blocs to foist their single issue onto the table over the objections of politicians who perpetuate the status quo. It's becoming more and more clear to tea party activists and their analogues on issues from education reform to drug legalization that success in politics is directly proportional to independence from the two major political parties.

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-welchgillespie-indies-20110726,0,7982797.story