Originally posted by RCadmin
This poll assumes there will still be a column to write though. It supposed that given the fact that there is a column and something has to be written in it what should it be. 22 votes so far. I don't believe that the majority of members need VP's if the AMA turns into an entity primarily geared towards providing the benefit of insurance. They serve no purpose. I've never seen VP's at any of my fields or contests that I can recall. What is it that they do again? Other than go to muncie and vote on stuff that should never need to be voted on in the first place what is their function if the AMA became insurance only as it seems 2/3 at least would prefer? No longer is an EC council needed and no need now or later to have them traveling to contests (never understood what that was for anyway).
AMA could be setup like a real corporation without the weight on it of a non profit org status and all its quirky requirements which in the end cost us all more as the AMA tries to meet these requirements.
How many insurance companies out there are non profit? If AMA was a for profit company you could can the magazine and save money, can the VP's, sell the building, land and museum and run it as a service oriented insurance company geared to the true needs of the majority. End result would be lower cost to each member and every dollar being used effectively for all members rather than the majority paying for the desires of the few. Bring in a Harvard or Yale MBA (or seasoned CEO) and pay him/her a nice 6 figure salary to put the ship on course and run it properly. This isn't rocket science. Just common sense at this point.
Marc
For two days I have been trying to put this into words. I am going to cross post it a couple of places and it is my last attempt to make you, and everyone else understand what the AMA is and what it is not. Please consider it carefully.
If the AMA is not an insurance company, what is it?
The AMA is a non-profit, fraternal, service organization. It's guiding principle is: "Of, By, and For the Model Airplane Enthusiast".
It would appear that many do not understand what that means.
It means that the AMA is not chasing money as a primary function. Most businesses have the primary goal of making a profit. It means that the
organization is for a group of people with a common interest, a fraternal group. It provides services. Simply put, that means that you can not see
"things" that it does for you. You can not taste insurance. You can not touch the privilege of using a frequency. You can not smell the rules (well
maybe in some cases you can
). You can not hear the chartering of a club. Many of you are not even aware of the services that the AMA is constantly providing for you.
What you have joined is more closely akin to the Moose Lodge than Mutual of Omaha. We do, what we do, for each other, and for the good of our modeling community. The actual purposes of the AMA are set forth in Article II of the AMA bylaws. NOT mentioned in those purposes is insurance.
One of the services provided by the AMA is insurance. It is only one service. It also happens to have become the financial engine that drives
AMA. If what you wanted was to join an insurance company, you made a mistake. If your only question is "what is in it For me?", you missed the guiding principle of the AMA. Just as many Moose are surprised what is expected of them, after they join, many of you did not understand what you got into.
As a member, it is part of your responsibility to give OF yourself to others in the organization. The entire organization is run BY modelers. They give their time freely.
The "things" that the AMA owns are all to provide services for the membership. The HQ building, the Museum, the National Flying Site, and the
IMS show are examples. All provide service, nothing tangible. If you are looking to get "things" your looking in the wrong place.
If your outlook is "what can the organization do for me?", you are not going to be happy. If you are willing to share of yourself and give to the membership of yourself, you may find a great deal of pleasure in it.
JR