Is that politician or pundit making valid economic arguments, or just distracting you with flashy, partisan talking points to gain ground for their candidacy or "team?"

Here are a few things that every Independent voter and thinker should look out for:

The Bait and Switch

All proposed legislation without exception be published on line, normally one month prior to vote but no less than 24-72 hours for emergencies, to include explicit geospatial pointers for all “earmarks” each of which must be publicly announced.

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Today, Republicans in Wisconsin, Maryland, and Washington D.C. will go to the polls to vote for one of the four remaining Republican presidential candidates. In what will likely turn into a showdown between Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum, Wisconsin is at the center of today's political discourse, with 42 delegates up for grabs in the winner-takes-all primary.

President Obama’s recent open-mic gaffe while speaking with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev prompted Republican presidential contender Gov. Mitt Romney to declare: