rsallen,
"Hassle of the Process....?
The only obstacle in obtaining a Leader Member status is the experience and EFFORT it takes to obtain it. A Leader Member has demonstrated that he/she has the knowledge to LEAD in one of the following three categories:
Administrative—requiring administrative model club experience and ability.
Scientific—requiring a model aviation background of a scientific nature.
Industrial—for those with principal income from the model aviation industry
Would you really want someone running for a major office in the AMA that has no experience at all or, or does not have any leadership ability? Leaders lead by example, not by saying what they can do or change. If someone will not make the effort to fill out a simple application for themselves, do you really expect them to make the effort to support their membership? Seems to me that there is enough of that going on already, as J_R has pointed out many times. In most cases, being a member for three years does not give you the experience to be a DVP or President. It is very easy to criticize something without having the knowledge of the subject. If you are not part of the solution, then you may be part of the problem.
This is not a popularity contest, and the only way to make changes is to get involved. Granted, there are many problems that need to be looked at and addressed, but it is not going to happen overnight. It will take the efforts of the entire membership, to make changes, not just one thread or post complaining about everything that is wrong with the AMA in one members mind. The solutions sound very easy on the surface, but trying to implement them and keeping everyone happy is a major task. Someone made the statement that Leader Members were "the good ole boys", I can assure you that I am not one and I am a Leader Member.
If you refer to this application:
http://www.modelaircraft.org/templat...-Files/907.pdf
You will notice that you can be signed off by an Associate Vice President not just the District VP.
This is purely MY opinion....