Believe it or not, you don't need to be "labeled" independent to come up to your own conclusions. I , and I assume my friends on the left also, come to our conclusions based on a number of factors, our life experience, etc etc. I tend to lean to the left on most social issues, not exactly the type of person that the Republican Party would want as a candidate. Because someone says they are generally left or right, does not mean that they are brainwashed by either party. That's a very poor assumption to make.