Liza: You make very good points.
Here is my reasoning. I have voted in primary elections before, but I generally want to vote for the person from one party for one office, and somebody from another party for another. In Michigan you are required to register as one or the other (at least in the presidential primary), and the lists are sent to the national party. It isn't just a verbal selection. That is what I object to. I consider myself an independent.

Also, after thinking about it quite a bit this year, I realize that the primaries are for the sake of each party being able to choose its best candidate. If I don't consider myself as one or the other, and want to be free to vote for the person I see as the best one for the job, then maybe I have no business mucking up the waters for those that are actual party backers. Does this make any sense?

Anyway, I see it as a very imperfect system. Not that there is a perfect one. I really get sick of the "my party is right and the other party is wrong, no matter what" attitude that the government seems to have. The finger pointing often gets in the way of doing the right thing.