Registering independent is largely symbolic. In the past I've made spreadsheets with data from Project Vote-smart on positions on issues and my own multipliers for the importance to me on those issues. The calculation gave me who to vote for with total disregard for party. It doesn't work so well when they vote in lockstep with what their party "leaders" push so they can have a majority. That potentially makes every candidate a pawn for their party royalty. Democracy is a bad joke.