RSA, your comments above are all well and good. However they omit one BEEEG FACTOR, AMIGO! You seem to make the assumption that the current incumbents WANT a change. They got where they are with things as they are. THEY HAVE NO NEED FOR ANY CHANGE.

We can suggest and discuss AMA small changes up through Bylaws changes until the end of time and that is OK as we each get some feel for different ideas around the country. However when reality sets in, those suggestions are just that -- 'those suggestions'.

Now here is an example of just how non-bylaw changes can be made when changes are wanted.
Back, I seem to recall ( From 1985 - 1994 or so, I was bass fishing and mostly caring for an ill father when not working, so those are faded years.) in the early '90s when Don Lowe was President and Bob Underwood was either acting ED or TD as he served around there for a few times, I got a letter from AMA asking if I wished to continue as a Leader Member. If so, please explain how, when, where and so forth I ever received a leader member appointment. (From being a CD in 1963)

I called Underwood and in our discussion, he was out to stop the Contest Directors from being appointed Leader status. Bob said that He and Lowe were unable to determine why such practice was in force and they were unable to figure out how it ever got started.
I asked Bob if he had a "rule-book" handy. He got one and I guided him to a page in the General Section -- responsibility of the Executive Council -- and there it was that after a first contest with proper reporting, the Contest Director would be appointed tp Leader Member. Here are two main people at AMA and they could not determine such a simple answer. Yet, they did continue the purge of Leader members, and at the next EC meeting that Rule-Book statement was effectively withdrawn.

From the AMA Web Documents 907 and 303:
>>>>>>>>>>
LEADER PLEDGE:I pledge and agree that if granted LEADER MEMBERSHIP, I will, at all times, conduct myself as befits a Leader, will do all in my power to advance model aviation as a science and a sport, and will stress safe flying of model aircraft under the official regulations and Safety Code of the Academy of Model Aeronautics.

CONTEST DIRECTOR PLEDGE: I pledge and agree that if granted Contest Director status I will: At all times conduct myself as befits a leader, do all in my power to advance model aviation as a science and a sport, and stress the safe flying of model aircraft under
the official AMA regulations and Safety Code. I certify that I have already had actual experience in organizing and
conducting modeling events. I have read the section entitled Contest Directors in the current Competition Regulations,......

AMA Bylaws: III, 1. (c) Defines Leader Member as one having demonstrated above average interest and/or participation in AMA matters.
<<<<<<<<<

2 Points: (1)The CD pledges the SAME and MORE than the leader applicant. He definitely is ABOVE INTEREST when he organizes and manages sanctioned events. So why WAS HE DISCRIMINATED AGAINST AND REMOVED FROM BEING AN AUTOMATIC LEADER?
Quite elementary my Dear Watson: To eliminate the growth of Leader Members from the populace outside the ranks of the chosen few, as very few CDs bother to continue and do more paperwork for Leader. As Karl Marx said, "Three steps forward, two steps back, three steps forward," ... on and on. IT WORKS!

(2) Both Lowe and Underwood had at sometime pledged their reading of the Competition Regulations as I assume each is a CD.
They were not aware of all in it which is OK, but in the job of purging the Leader Members they should have reviewed
the book's General section.


Yes, a change can be made when THEY want it. Hell, look at the recent administrative change deleting the instant member thing and that was done without any council action. While administrative changes should NOT require EC micro-management, any change that effects the total operation among the Charter Clubs and the way we down here at grass roots do business then IMO that should at least have some warning.
So, IMO, any small change has to in some way benefit the bureaucracy which, regardless of the DC Kid's love, will not benefit the general membership.

Therefore, while I think the idea of gathering information is excellent, one must really have some general knowledge of the history of the unit to really do more than spit into the wind. In addition when there are logs across the road, it helps to have some tools to construct a path around the road block or better still remove the road block -- like use of the ballot box. [>:]


Edit: editorial change.