We’ve been called liberals. Undercover Republicans. Progressives. Socialists. Communists. Libertarians. And even Anarchists.

And they’re all true.

It all depends on whose article you read and from what perspective you view us.

This is the Independent Voter Network. We are, to the best of our knowledge, the only “open platform” for journalists who are bound not by an ideology, but a simple etiquette.

About every few days, someone will send us a message that goes something like this: “I’ve been following your page and I’ve had it. You’re not independent at all! You're just a bunch of .”

The problem is, from the talking heads to the political consultants to our party-based elections, we try to define independents by an ideology: Centrist? Moderate? Libertarian?

Being independent is a mindset, not an ideology. It does not mean that you lack an ideology. It does not mean that you don’t have libertarian, socialistic, conservative, or liberal tendencies. Being independent means that you don’t believe so stridently in a perfect philosophy that everyone who doesn’t agree with you must be an idiot … or evil … or brainwashed.

Being an independent means you are grown up enough to think for yourself. You are confident enough to allow others to speak. And you are humble enough to think you might learn from someone.

We call ourselves the Independent Voter Network because the platform is open to anyone who wants to participate in a civil dialogue, including you -- whatever ideological tendencies you hold.

We will publish anything that follows our etiquette rules.

We have been told this approach to journalism is itself progressive and therefore we are progressives. OK.