1) How and why did the Independent Party of Delaware (IPoD) form?

     A sufficient number of people decided that they were thoroughly fed up with closed-loop, special interest-driven "Delaware-politics-as-usual" - and they registered as IPoD members.  On August 29, 2000, the party achieved ballot status in Delaware after the required number of valid signatures were submitted.

2) What makes the IPoD different from the Democratic and Republican parties?

• We are free from corporate money, special interests, and financial conflicts of interest
• We are free from the tribal politics that value winning over truth
• We're volunteer lead and citizen owned, with our core focus on YOU
• The IPoD believes in fixing the system - the government reform policies needed to heal our broken politics are ones that the Democratic and Republican Parties have not, are not, and probably will not implement - because these policies are detrimental to their maintenance of power, and the interests of their donors.
• The IPoD is Between the Extremes.  We are an inclusive, creative, centrist, trans-disciplinary, post-political approach to problem-solving.
• We do not charge exorbitant fees for candidates to get on the ballot.  (Our filing fee is $0). 

3) What is Free Ballot Access?

    Not having to pay a “filing fee” (or legalized bribe) to a political party to get one’s name on the ballot in a primary or general election. Currently, the Delaware Election Code (15 Del. C.) enables political parties to set filing fees as high as one and one-half percent (1 ½ %) of the total salary of the term of office. The State of Delaware actually collects filing fees for the parties by requiring a check to be stapled to candidate filing forms. In contrast, the IPoD filing fee is set at $0.00, enabling a wider range of candidates to participate in the electoral process.

4) What is the basis of IPoD’s political ideology?

    The IPoD prefers dynamic, open-ended, creative and innovative methodology over rigidly defined political ideology. Instead of telling people what to think and how to think, the party actively encourages people to think freely, inventively, practically and constructively in search of solutions to our common problems.

5) What is IPoD’s major purpose?

    To place more power in the hands of the People, in contrast to insiders and special interests, through a post-political paradigm shift of major government reform in the greater public interest by preserving constitutional rights and extending civil liberties.

 6) What is a paradigm shift?

     A paradigm shift is the realization of keys to new knowledge, enabling conceptual advancement and forward development. Just as the former American Colonies declared their independence from the British monarchy and formed the United States of America as a constitutional republic, modern Delawareans can declare their independence from dysfunctional bipolar politics-as-usual by changing their voter registration to the IPoD.

 7) What would be the major result of a paradigm shift in Delaware politics?

   If just 5% of DE registered voters (28k more) choose IPoD on their voter registration, for the first time in history the First State would have a third 'Major Party'.  Per current Delaware law, instead of being required to choose 'Democrat' or 'Republican' to participate in the primary elections, voters would be able to choose 'IPoD' and vote for the Independent Party Nominees to be placed on the general election ballot.  Overall, this would curb the inordinate amount of special interest influence in our politics, and fundamentally change the relationship of the People and the state, making it more responsive to the electorate at-large.

 8) Does the IPoD charge annual dues?

     NO.

9) How does IPoD choose its candidates?

Even though the IPoD is the 3rd largest and fastest growing political party in Delaware, we are classified as a 'Minor Party'.  So, the IPoD nominates and certifies its candidates through a convention process, as it is currently legally precluded from primary elections. 

11) Is the IPoD nationally affiliated with other parties?

      NO.  A unified national independent party has not formed.

MYTH BUSTERS

"I can never vote for candidates who are not the same party affiliation as me"

FALSE.  In the November General Election, your Party Affiliation doesn't matter.  You can be a Democrat that votes for a Republican, a Republican that votes for a Democrat, an IPoD member that votes for a Democrat/Republican, a Democrat/Republican that votes for an IPoD member, etc.  

America has a two-party system.

NO.   Two-major-parties are not enshrined in the US Constitution, per se.  There is no law, and nothing "physically" blocking the emergence of a third major party.  We the People, and our choice of voter registration, is the only action that's needed to bring a 3rd Major Party to Delaware.  The right of other parties to form is covered under First Amendment Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Assembly.  However, the two major parties have sought to monopolize their hold on power by making it difficult for other parties to get on the ballot in a number of flat-out corrupt and exclusionary ways. 

It has always been this way and it will never change.

George Washington despised political parties and was elected President by acclamation.  The first major American political parties were known as the Whigs and Federalists. The Democratic and Republican parties replaced them in the mid 19th Century, when the former parties no longer represented the will of the People.  We the People, and our choice of voter registration, is the only action that's needed to bring a 3rd Major Party to Delaware.

"I can never vote for candidates who are not the same party affiliation as me"

FALSE.  In the November General Election, your Party Affiliation doesn't matter.  You can be a Democrat that votes for a Republican, a Republican that votes for a Democrat, an IPoD member that votes for a Democrat/Republican, a Democrat/Republican that votes for an IPoD member, etc.  

People have to register as Democrats or Republicans in order to vote in primaries.

TRUE, under the current electoral scheme; however, the IPoD will be eligible to participate in primary elections when it reaches five percent (5%) of total Delaware voter registration.  (This raises constitutional questions of equal protection under the law, as the State of Delaware has taken over the cost and management of primary electrons from major parties, thereby affording them a major political benefit at public expense).

Third Parties are less “respectable” or “legitimate”.

It ultimately depends upon the parties, their candidates and their commitment to public service and constitutional liberty.  Compare the IPoD’s platform to the platforms of other parties and see for yourself.

IPoD has political bosses just like the Democrats and Republicans.

This is a complete fabrication, as the IPoD has a rather flat hierarchy, based on talent rather than rank.

The IPoD must eventually choose to support one of the two major parties.

NO.  Under the current political environment of extreme left/right-wing polarization, duplicity and distortion, the IPoD does not wish to soil itself with an alliance with any so-called major party.  IPoD endorsements of other candidates are relatively rare and are made under extraordinary constitutional and/or public interest circumstances.

IPoD is too small to be effective.

NO.  While we value quality over quantity, we are steadily growing and have over 12,000 registered voters - that's DOUBLE a fully packed-to-capacity Frawley Stadium (where the Wilmington Blue Rocks play).  Voters are increasingly disgusted and alienated from the two ruling parties - we believe people can organize, and things can change.

A vote for a third party is a "wasted vote".

Voting against your conscious is a wasted vote. 

The "wasted vote" marketing stems from what is called the Spoiler Argument.  This peer-pressure suppression of independent thought is perpetuated by the two major parties anytime a viable third option emerges.  There is an easy, common-sense fix to the Spoiler Argument - it is called Rank Choice Voting.  It is an obvious and superior method of decision making when there are more than 2 options for any group of people, about anything. 

However, the same powers that propagate the "wasted vote" peer-pressure (aka the two major parties), are the same powers that could implement Rank Choice Voting - but they won't, because it exposes them to the threat of a new entrant in their marketplace.   

If this were the economy, there would be anti-trust litigation, as healthy competition is vital to the success of a free market.  But in power-obsessed politics-as-usual, neither party wants to decrease market share, and they write the rules.   

(UNLESS, you register for IPoD so we can fix it and bring the People the options they deserve). 

The IPoD is composed of space aliens whose real goal is to conquer Delaware.

LOL. Some amateur hacks from an opposing party posted this one some years ago and we are still chuckling. The truth is that the IPoD is composed solely of carbon-based human lifeforms.  Unfortunately, the Delaware political landscape has long been conquered by special interest groups at public expense and will continue to be occupied as long as people keep on electing the same politicians from the same old parties.


The People are powerless to stop the political parties.

Nothing is further from the truth!  If the Democratic and Republican parties no longer serve your best interests and the greater public interest, you have the power to withdrawal your good name from their ranks and join a party more responsive to your political will.

Persons registered with a given political party are legally obligated to vote for their candidates.

NO.  Voters can vote for their preferred candidates, regardless of party affiliation and there is nothing that their party bosses can do about it.