RE: Dissatisfaction with the AMA
That is a good question LCS. IMO, experienced in AMA politics for 40 years +, I have been labeled as an AMA HATER 1st Class. Now just why would I spend so much time trying to do things FOR AMA and for bringing the items I perceive that need serious attention to public attention if I hated AMA? I love AMA as an institution. I simply want model aviation to be a national sport and that can happen only through AMA.
Actually the answer to your question and to my question is simply that if the powers-that-be can discredit someone with such attacks, then that someone ceases to be of any significant danger to the power brokers. _ell, our national USA political system is this very day, week, month, a prime example of tear down, lie, cheat and steal to discredit the other guy. [:@]
One thing that has always been a bad apple in the political arena, especially in the AMA, is when a vastly experienced individual steps up and complains or volunteers to do something, then the in-place hierarchy gets threatened and will tie up every gate. In addition those out in the field that have never experienced any political activism beyond their arm's length immediately hammer in with those items they can see, feel, or smell, that is to mean that they have little perception of the big-picture, the overall good, thus they label the one that does have the vision a traitor or in our case an AMA hater. That makes the power-brokers very happy.
The big guys at the top really love it when the story for the new candidate or candidate wanna'be is labeled with, "He can't work with the other people." Such label seems to be the price of having a track record of getting things done.
Unfortunately such will continue. When I see those that haven't made a significant difference in the past 10-15 years give all the political double-talk that is happening now, I predict business as usual will continue at AMA.