Independents are so hot right now — and will be for the foreseeable future.

According to a major survey commissioned by CNN, nearly half of all Americans — 44% — call themselves independents while only 28% and 27%, respectively, identify as Republicans or Democrats.

I have a theory as to why. But I have to throw some fancy terms to explain it.

“Independent” is what students of semiotics call an “empty signifier,” a term that has very little, if any, substantive content. If you describe yourself as an independent, I still have to ask you additional questions about what you actually believe. All you’ve told me to that point is that you reject a party label (believe me, I sympathize).

It’s hard for young people to believe today, but Republican and Democrat labels used to work much the sam

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