Well isnt that the idea of representatives? You tell them what you want, & they make it happen upstream. If folks dont tell them what they are doing wrong, they will just keep on chuggin away with doing wrong.

The odds of a candidate (with 3 or even 300 running) doing everything I want, without me telling them what it is I want, are slim. So, sure I'll tell them what they are doing in my opinion wrong. That is why I'm trying not to lose my right to complain. If folks couldnt complain, there would be no reason to grow old and cantankerous, and phrases like 'Back in my day...' & 'You call that xxxxx? I used to have to xxxxx in the snow....' would vanish from the american culture.

I'll post more later, I gotta yell at some kids to keep off my lawn

Well, yes but... In reality, they tell you whatever you want to hear, to get your vote and then do whatever they want.

Hoss

I don't feel like I have forfeited my right to complain. Just because I believe Charlie Bauer has done/is doing a good job in my district does not mean that I am happy with all the DVP's or things going on elsewhere within the AMA. You don't throw out the whole basket of apples just because there is a few bad ones in there. You pitch the bad ones and fill that space with more good ones.

No, not exactly. They tell you their ideas. If you like thier ideas, then you vote for them. Its more of a republic than a democracy. Once in office, they will listen to your ideas and complaints and weigh them in thier decision making process. You can provide feedback and information that helps your rep make an informed decision. But ultimately it is your reps decision and they may or may not decide an issue in favor of the popular opinion , (ie. the loudest and squeakiest wheels).

yup, which cant happen unless you tell them what you want.
And If you dont get what you want, tell them with a louder (more folks) voice, till you get enough voices that they do it.

And if they ignore too many voices, just give them the Gray Davis treatment...... You're Fired!

You certainly have a right to feel however you wish. OTOH as I read the voting records, the actions taken, the meeting minutes, then observe the actions taken and more so the LACK of action taken, along with the results thereof, I firmly believe that a little competition in any election race makes for the incumbent to at least pay some attention to the membership. As of now such attention is NOT required.

I do not think any EC member is doing adequately to institute action to turn AMA away from what I perceive as currently a self-destruction course. What defines a "good job?" IMO, anything less than Excellent, Outstanding, and/or Exceptional is simply below par. [:-]
In any district with an incumbent up for election, there just must be at least one person who will allow his name to be placed on the ballot. It's up to the members to find one.

Nothing personal here against Charlie. I flew control-line with and against him for years back in Chicago-Land. We do have different opinions, and some like opinions. Charlie is a good guy to talk with, even though no opinions will probably change.

As an AMA member residing in District VI, I have to agree with hossfly on this issue.Our DVP lives in the past with his 40 year old u-control antics. His district reports usually are not relevant to the modelling and flying that myself and most other district VI members do.
AMA desperatelly needs some new blood and leadership more attuned to the current memberships expectations. Nothing will change as long as the "same old crowd" runs things business as usual. Membership will decline until the interests of the majority of members is recognized and addressed.

John Richardson AMA 383141 IMAA 20816

Well, I spoke with the guy I was thinking of voting for....
Seems he is not a crusader for the causes I care about, but wants to be a man of the people- will do what the majority wants. But then he mentioned the few extremes are the being the most vocal, so its a silent majority that makes it tough to please them. Sounds reasonable to me... I just need to get my insane ideas to become what the majority wants then I'm in business.

Fortunatly, the internet is a great way to get folks to consider your ideas... like this forum for example.
To get more folks to want the elected guys to do something, complain about it here, and if enough folks complain we can show the thread to the elected guy as kind of a petition. It works as long as there are elections that force the officers to stay in line or get unemployed.... uncontested years are just throwing away your right to complain.... unless you tried & failed to get someone to oppose the incumbant, then you can complain about that. [8D]

I lived in District VI for many years, fly CL, and always take a nostalgic look at the Dist. VI column in MA. Most times it is about flying I don't do and people I don't know.

What does it really matter about what form of model aviation an elected official is into. I don't see it as being old fashioned just because you still enjoy Control Line, Free Flight, Soaring, etc. All of these forms of Model Aviation have progressed into something more advance as well, and all take talent to do well. I don't think you have to always be in the "hip" crowd to be an elected official. Moral fiber, passion for the hobby you represent, and being a good listener are three big quallifications that I look for. I don't care if a guys favorite part of the hobby is folding paper airplanes, just so long as he is in tune with what is going on around him, and has a respect for all forms of model aviaition. It is the closed minded people that I don't want to see in there that think that MA Mag should be 100% Foamy 3D fliers from front to back.

Actually I only know one of these nominees and that is not very well. However when someone tells me he will be all things to all people, I have no problem calling him a poor confused weak individual with absolutely NO ideas of what is happening all around him. OR, OTOH, he plans to satisfy that silent majority by doing as his predecessor and do absolutely nothing, as in this AMA case, nothing to promote the sport and/or assist the membership.

For example, look at the few that post here, and consider that just maybe they constitute 1/100 of 1 percent (WAG) of the voters. There are almost as many differing opinions here as there are posters. With that in mind, how does any nominee have a clue as to what the "majority" wants? Not only does he NOT know the issues, but he doesn't plan to learn or he would be aware of the problems and be advising his perceived solutions.

There are many modelers that become well known only in one or two disciplines, yet they are well aware of plus respect what's happening in the entire spectrum. As 'roo70 said, it doesn't matter which the elected official likes as long as he also does as 'roo70 stated, it's being in tune and hearing the sounds that matters. The old adage, "I'll do like you tell me," is simply the sign of a weak mind and a weaker backbone.

well, before folks cast their opinions in stone about the guy
get some info from the source, not my hearsay. It might be I am paraphrasing his intent wrong...

but to serve the majority's desire seems like the thing to do... the problems with that mostly come from the extreme minorities & the silent masses that either want radical change or, well, we really dont know what the silent ones want.... kinda like all them silent types having uncontested incumbants in their districts

would be nice if we could use the internet to get more comunication between the Reps & the members... or even just the Reps & the Clubs. More comunication could forward more ideas and a kinda coarse polling of mass appeal to said ideas.

This would be a poor way to serve. Thinking like this would drive out anything or any part of the hobby that is not in the main stream. A leader is elected to lead, and not to just blow which ever way the favorable winds blow. You elect people based upon there strong principles, ideas, moral fiber, background, and then you hope if your guy or gal does not get elected that the guy or gal who did will at least be sympathetic to those who voted against him or her(The Minority). I want someone who is a visionary and can present new ideas, and have the backbone to move those ideas forward. What you offer is someone with no backbone who will just go with whatever is popular that day! Not good for AMA at all in my opinion.

Look what happened to the govenor of California
He was doing stuff widely supported by a few folks... so the majority got mad & fired hisbutt mid term and put someone else in.
That someone then gets accused of doing what shouldnt be done- letting the people vote on stuff. What better way to serve the people that to let the people vote on the issues rather thanmaking guesses about what silent folks want.

Majority rules.
Without that concept, we get a few leaders making decisions like the MuncieMoneyPit to pleasure a minority.
------warning: hypothetical example & numbers, dont throw the semantics flag-----------------
If 30% of the members wanted the moneypit, and 70% didnt want it... should a leader show that 'strong principles, ideas, moral fiber, background' and do it cause that leader likes it & will stand up for what he wants against the 70% of the membership? Is that showing Conviction & Dedication, or a blind eye to the people he is suposed to represent.

Again, California had a ballot that passed by a good majority: Marriage is only between a man & a woman. That is what the peoiple voted in.... then the next session the representative legislature ammended it: ....And same sex mairriages. Very strong principles of the legislature to stand up against what the people just voted in. But they did perservere and eventually defeated the will of the people. Yea! for the reps, they showed that no good voting majority who's who.

Why not have a district level ballot just after the election: Get a list of 20 or 30 causes the Leader wants to champion, and see which ones are not what the majority wants. Then have the leader move with great zeal on the favored causes. The bold and moral fibred ideas of the leader should take a back seat if the majority doesnt want that. Like taking down the MoneyPit, see if the mojority doesnt oppose that idea before you boldly leader crusade it.

Being a member of a minority microspecialty within the AMA, I'm not to hot for "tyranny of the majority".[]

Jim-
You think the Microsport Minority in ama is bad, try owning a gun in CA... then you get justified paranoia: Everyone IS against you . I took the easy route & left CA.... come to think of it, seems lots are leaving AMA too, go figure.

And that "leaving" is due mainly to the "tyranny of the majority" because the big majority that never voices an opinion doesn't inform itself and doesn't vote, allowing a few minority "groupies" to run the show by assuring highly qualified and motivated individuals with broad interests for the membership NEVER get elected.

To borrow a line from a song
As simple as a flower.... and that's a complicated thing.

The problem with masses is universal, in AMA, in civil elections, in society...
They dont inform themselves, they dont think for themselves, yet they know what is best for other folks.... so sad.
The complicated part is how they hold a tyranny without voting... as demonstrated by the number of districts running unopposed this time round.

Name one candidate in any district running on the Youth/PF/Electric/ShakeUp platform.... as I said, the guy I'm looking at doesnt suport my radical ideas, so I have to find the guy that is the least opposed to what I want rather than a champion of my causes.

hmmm, that last paragraph looks like I'm into the Youth/PF thing... My ideas are way to beyond reason to be in the PF/Youth clique. Maybe I should plan my posts better. Or maybe I should sober up before posting its my day off & I've been taking apropriate action

Naw. Owning guns in CA is like being queer in the military - don't ask, don't tell. BTW, do you happen to know who's got the best deal on L60 40mm Bofors ammo in SoCal? Got to get ready for the annual Turkey Shoot at Earl's club. Need to find my AMA card for that too........them ol' boys are sticklers for rules.