Those wanting to gripe about AMA dues really should learn to use the search button. This thread has come up more times than I can count.

The fact is that AMA is cheap for what it does. They are going through a mission crisis at the moment, as the market has changed and they are behind the curve. They still provide all the good stuff they have before, but many modelers now don't see the need. I am in church work and the same crisis is going on there. Society is becoming less institutional and more independent minded. Instant gratification is the order of the day, and we have two whole generations of Americans who don't know the meaning of the word "sacrifice." All of this works against the AMA whose work may never directly benefit the individual member who pays dues. I give my $60, and I will never attend one of their big events, I will never visit the national headquarters, I doubt I will need flying site assistance, and I will likely not ever use the insurance policy. You could easily argue that I am throwing my money away because I don't get anything for it. But I am happy to pay because AMA benefits aeromodeling where they can, and that promotion of the hobby does trickle down to me in product availability, new club membership, and new product development. My club was started with AMA assistance. The leeches among us might argue that I shouldn't donate because it's already there. I say that I should support the organization that helped us so that others can be helped similarly.

Show me any other organization that does as much work advocating for its hobby, organizing activities, helping grassroots efforts to keep facilities available, and covering its hobby through its magazine? The NRA is the only one I know of that comes close, and it doesn't do nearly as much to directly benefit its members as AMA does. The AMA has some superflous activities, but you can't argue that their focus isn't on model aviation and promoting the hobby. As long as they are helping to keep the hobby organized and promoting it, I will remain a member.