They're using the AMA as a vehicle to supposedly "educate" the throngs of non-modeler, non-compliant drone operators who have no intent or desire to join the AMA, and no intent or desire to fly at AMA sanctioned fields.

The AMA has likely incurred expenses in doing programs and pushing awareness upon its members, who already get it. Our dues are rising. Someone tell me this has nothing to do with it. Then prove it.

Pushing awareness on the aware doesn't improve safety. It just makes compliant people mad. If congress really wants to make a difference, they should institute regulations barring the sale of any UAS prior to AMA registration. Not force already AMA registered pilots to obtain more registration. Its pointless overreach.

The non-compliant idiots who do stupid stuff with drones are just causing us to be further burdened.

"It has everything to do with prosecution for violating regulations, it identifies operators and informs them of safety regulations, this in turn improves safety. Membership in the AMA is not required, so you have 800,000 operators out there with no guidance from the AMA. There are three groups outside the AMA right here in San Antonio with a combined membership of about 1,000 operators/pilots, compare that with about 250 members in all AMA clubs in the area with only about 50 of them being active flyers. "

Your statement contradicts itself. Remove the first sentence and you'll have made my point for me. Unless the first sentence was /sarc? The authorities don't need a registration number to identify a violator and prosecute them. The whole problem is that membership is not required - and beating on us until it is? That isn't fixing anything.