jtr - Yes, it should be in the rank and files' hands, but continually we see this incredible voting apathy whereby the leadership and their policies are elected or approved by a majority of an ever diminishing minority of those more militant members who choose to vote.
I personally don't understand the mentality/psychology of this situation? Why pay good money month-after-month to be a member of an organisation and then show apathy when it comes to voting on what amounts to very important issues?