Independents lost an opportunity by not embracing the Clinton's centrism of the 90's.

I found it surprising that most of the independent leaning candidates did not mention the Bill Clinton presidency of the 90's in their platform speeches. Bill Clinton reduced the federal operating budget the 8 consecutive years he was in office, and was the only president to do that in the past 80 years.

Bill Clinton is also the only president in the past 80 years to leave office more popular than when he arrived. Yet, all most independent candidates talk about is the constitution. The flaw with this thinking is the constitution was written before virtually any of the modern day amenities existed!

It becomes rather simplistic to say follow the constitution when during constitution tines there was no power grid, no gas grid, no sewage, no fresh water on tap, no agreed upon roadway standard and so on. It is unfortunate that republican leaning independents are above embracing what works, even if it comes from the democratic side of the political spectrum, and it is sad that democrats were too afraid to fight back against the Pelosi, Reid coup of 2008.