ORIGINAL: Robotech
ORIGINAL: Hossfly
If AMA collects dues from the membership to provide operating funds AND THEY DEFINITELY DO SO and they sell any item including plans which does not refund some small amount of net profit to assist with said operating funds, then the AMA membership is subsidizing that particular function with dues monies. Dues are a certain fixed amount. No list of operations is provided for the individual member to check off how his fixed dues will be used in the various operations.
Emphasis (bold) added.
I not clear your train of thought here. Are you saying that if they "sell" an item and it does not provide a net profit then it is subsidized? Is "sell" the key word? If plans were free to members then they are not subsidized but rather a service provided as part of the membership?
Robotech, I think you are adequately clear in that you are searching for an off-topic arguement that someone monitoring these proceedings will not like. In my opinion, anytime a member-organization provides a service to selected members that comes out of the dues monies of all the members, then that group of selected members is "Subsidized". See the definitions below.
Robotech: Give me a break and ease up on the condescension. I'm fully aware of what a subsidy is. I was looking for Hoss to clarify his definition for a follow up question.
Thanks Robotech for the confidence. Here are definition/s that support my common usage of the term subsidy, subdize, etc., especially #1, 4 & 5.
1.) a sum of money allotted for a specific use by official or formal action
2.) a grant by a government to a private person or company to assist an enterprise deemed advantageous to the public
3.)Subsidy, financial assistance granted by a government or philanthropic foundation to a person or association for the purpose of promoting an enterprise considered beneficial to the public welfare
4.)
The term subsidy has had widely varied usage in the 20th cent. Subsidies may be granted to keep prices low, to maintain incomes, or to preserve employment.
(All above from AOL Search Dictionary)
5.) Any financial assistance afforded by ONE INDIVIDUAL or government to another. (Reader's Digest Great Encyclopedic Dictionary)
One can defend almost any organization's action that does produce good things for a certain few as a subsidy. Now I would love to debate national subsidies at this time, however Mr. RCKen would have me hanging by my toes again. I do not need for that AGAIN.
[sm=confused_smile.gif]Ya'll have a great day. I see no need for me to post here any more. Bye Bye!