A great many Americans, of all political flavors, seemed to be very confused about how political parties function. Parties are not a part of the federal government. They aren’t actually a part of our government at all. To put it as simply as possible, they are clubs, like Chess Club or Glee Club. As such, they can run their club any way they like.

For example, if the Republican Club wanted to choose the person they will run in the national presidential election by having all the candidates draw white and black stones out of a velvet bag, they could do just that, if that’s the way the elected club leaders decided to do it. If the Democratic Club wanted to select their candidate by seeing who can stand next to a Corvette with one hand on the hood and one foot off the ground the longest, they could do just that, if that’s the way the elected club leaders decided to do it. The constitutional mandate that all eligible voters be allowed their vote, and that this vote must count, does not apply to clubs or the selection of the candidate those clubs decide to bring to the national election arena. They are completely, and legally, allowed to come up with any cockamamie plan they so desire to come to that decision. The only constitution that matters in the club’s own constitution, which has been written and amended by club members.

“But wait,” people say, “that doesn’t sound fair!” Well, if people don’t believe the way a political club makes its decisions on club matters, then they need to get involved with the club and vote new club leaders into office or run for these offices themselves. All you have to do is become a member of the club.

I believe this misconception, that political club primaries are a function of our government, is most prevalent in states which hold open primaries in which anyone, no matter club membership, can vote. It does make it seem like a government function, what with the polling places being the same, using the same machines to vote, and often the same people staffing the polling location, but it isn’t. It is a club function, not a federal and governmental one.

This is why I am a big fan of closed primaries. Primaries are club business, and as such, the only people who should be able to vote and decide on club business are the members of that club. Should Glee Club members have a say in how the Chess Club plans its tournaments? Should Chess Club members get to vote on who they would like to be the Glee Club’s treasurer? Of course not, but that’s what happens in states with open primaries, and that then leads to the misconception the primaries are a national, federal, and governmental issue. Open primaries muddy the waters, and they also lead to things like strategic voting (i.e. I’d rather my favorite candidate run against Option A from the Republican Club this fall, so I will vote for them instead of voting in my own club elections — a practice I personally find disgusting).

Yes, closed primaries would mean that people, like myself and my husband, would have to decide whether or not we wanted to join a club so as to be able to vote in club primaries and be involved in club business. This would, I believe, make more people aware of the fact that primaries are not now and never have been a function of the United States government. They are just a bunch of club members taking care of club business and following club rules. Don’t like it? Then go join the club and do something about it.