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 Most registered Republicans are excited and delighted about the likely prospect of President Bush's re-election. Most registered Democrats are hopeful, but doubtful, that their candidate, whoever he may be, can unseat Bush. For the rest of us, this week's Iowa caucuses kicked off nine months of fun until November because we know we will decide who occupies the Oval Office. Neither party can win without us. A breakdown of them and us, based on figures from 30 states compiled by Ballot Access News of San Francisco and extrapolations to others: An estimated 201.5 million U.S. citizens age 18 or over will be eligible to vote Nov. 2, although many are not now registered. Of these, about 55 million are registered Republicans. About 72 million registered Democrats. About 42 million are registered as independents, under some other minor party or with a "No Party" designation. Here's how I graduated to that group: In 1940, as a junior in Alpena High School in my native South Dakota, I was a very "Young Republican," probably mainly because my mother was a Democrat. I hitchhiked 50 miles to the world's only Corn Palace in Mitchell, S.D., to hear Wendell Wilkie trying to unseat Franklin Delano Roosevelt. We lost. In 1948, as a University of South Dakota junior after overseas army service in Europe and the Pacific, I was a Truman Democrat, largely because he had dropped the atomic bomb to end World War II. We won. In 1952, I was an "I Like Ike" Eisenhower Republican. We won. In 1960, a John F. Kennedy Democrat. We won. Finally, in 1974, when I grew up at age 50, I realized that I wisely had been voting for the person, not the party, all my life. So, I made it official by registering under the "No Party" category in my adopted state of Florida. It's not a party, but it's a real bash sitting in the catbirds' seats every four years. |