That helps, thank you, but a couple of questions:
Why should "every American" decide, shouldn't it be actual party members?
It is a political party, why shouldn't the party itself and key elected members of the party have more say in the future of their party than random people who just self identify as a member of the party?
It seems to me that the inherent downgrading of the "others" including street level republicans has been part of the steady demise of the GOP. The leadership of just about every facet of the republican party demands too much from those that are not insiders. I for one share many of the "traditional" values of smaller government with fewer regulations aimed towards business but because I don't care that much about the so called "morals" agenda I have been kicked to the curb as to ever taking an active interest in participating in what used to be my party.
There are a lot more people like myself blowing in the wind than the religists care to acknowledge. Someone like Trump that rejects the death grip the christian fascists have on fiscal conservatism is real and it is refreshing.
I agree with CK that the rules should have been constructed more simple with less value weighted towards giving the insiders move clout and majorities less.
Gawd, another leftist who used to be a Republican. I don't get it, what is the attraction in that lie? I actually did used to be a Republican. But obviously I hate the Democrat party, it makes sense. Just I realized Republicans suck too, almost as bad.
What was this epiphany that the Democrats are right on every issue for you? Was it W like most of the rest of you? You know, before W, there was no Democrat party. That's why he was elected unanimously in 2000, you know, when he stole the election. LOL. That lie is so shallow.
I've said it before. I'm a registered Republican because my state has closed primaries. That's it. I'm a conservative, and right now, there's not another viable way to further my conservative principles. I yield to no one in my consistent anger at GOP politicians for getting into office, and then selling out the people and the country to feather their own nests.
BUT . . . there's a difference between an elected politician who actually IS beholden to the people BECAUSE he's been elected, and a political party deciding who they should present for consideration in an election, or a candidate asking to be considered in an election.
I choose to participate in the system for making those decisions presented by the Republican Party, rather than abdicating the whole thing and being left with whichever candidates others decide to present. In Arizona, that requires me to maintain current registration as a Republican, and to locate the appropriate polling place and determine the necessary dates and deadlines. If I lived in, for example, Colorado, then I would put forth the extra effort to find my caucus date and location, and probably put myself forward as a possible delegate to the next levels of the process. Doubtful I'd go as far as the state convention level, but I might. Because THAT is the system there to accomplish what I want.