init4fun

I'd like to ask you a question or two . I thought I read somewhere that the AMA no longer hires an outside , independent firm to count the ballots . Is this true ?

And if this IS true , how likely is it that you think you'll be elected , if the "wolves truly have the key to the hen house door" ?

Also , if this IS true , will you , in the interest of preserving our elections appearance of fairness and honesty , be a voice for going back to the independent count if yourself are elected ?

In this day in age , where even Priests and Policemen are falling to the wrong side of the law , I trust NO man to personally count the ballots of an election in which he is a candidate !

Hossfly

I have not been elected since my last time when I was a DVP, District VI, and that was by write-in vote of the membership. The EC, which I was one, kept me off the ballot for re-election. The membership disagreed with the nominating committee. The Ex. Director hid those write-in votes, but the AMA President, Earl Witt, found them and demanded they be counted. I won re-election. Earl who also had been left off the ballot almost made it back by write-in, if I recall correctly just about 50 votes short.
That was in 1980 +/- . IMO politics are politics. Git muh drift thar Ol Pard?

IMO, it doesn't matter much, in-house or independent, in this day and age, elections can easily be "adjusted" to whatever the power players want. How much concern did you have when George Soros' Vote Counting machine counted the last U.S. Presidential election, machine built, paid for, and votes counted in Spain. News media never mentioned it. Rank and file still cannot imagine such!

[/QUOTE] In this day in age , where even Priests and Policemen are falling to the wrong side of the law , I trust NO man to personally count the ballots of an election in which he is a candidate ! [/QUOTE]

I agree to that. The only real problem is that the candidate usually has favors to repay to his friends and those friends may well be doing counting. The old $$$ count: 1 for you, 1 for me, 2 for you, 1-2 for me, 3 for you, 1-2-3 for me, etc.

init4fun

Thank You for the response Mr. Cain .

I have to admit being a bit skeptical of the AMA remaining a strictly hobbyist organization in the face of all the big $$$ the EC sees in Drones . That and the fact that nowadays folks don't seem to embrace organizations anymore makes me wonder what the future AMA would (and should) look like . Maybe it'll end up being distilled down to just an FAA mandated insurance policy that all are forced to buy no matter what they fly ? If they (the AMA) lumps Drones and traditional model aircraft together , and the FAA is completely in charge of Drones , Isn't that paramount to the AMA truly making itself no longer relevant except as an insurance policy ?

Hossfly

That is an excellent point there, init4fun,, yet I think that if the Executive Council, as being elected by AMA Members, can be maintained, there is a good opportunity that the modeler public can -- if they will -- keep some control over the AMA staff in-house growth. I do not believe in limited terms for elected officials, but I strongly believe in the strength of the voters if they will simply exercise that strength, and change the EC members when those elected officials forget just why they are in that Executive Council and who placed them there.
AMA has a lot more duties than simply maintaining an insurance program. Maintaining the various competition programs is a very big job. That job is constructed by AMA members, but the in-house staff maintains all those various programs. That maintenance for our competition programs is seldom recognized by the larger sport-flying public, yet the competitive groups are a big part of the true aero-modeling public. BTDT.
In addition, some sense of maintaining a Safety program also needs in-house staff along with the EC members to assure that both safety and keeping the program up with current situations of clubs, flying facilities, and sport fliers. Big Jobs.
The sport fliers, largest of the membership, also need an input to someone -- the Executive Council -- because without the EC, IMO the paid staff would quickly be the Paid Police. I have a real story there!
I believe in the Academy of Model Aeronautics and aero-modeling in both sport and competition. Therefore that is why I wish to be on the EC. What I do there will always be available to the membership. I also love member input, as those that do input are the ones that I learn from. Thank You.

Hossfly

Hello Friends of the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA)

As a member of the AMA and with a very important election coming up, I think you deserve to know just who this guy, Horrace (Hoss) Cain, might be and from whence he comes. Here is a history of this fellow and while a tad different here and in the mag. article soon to come, It does provide some character knowledge.
While we may have different interests, we have a common bond known as Aero-modeling. This common bond is now in real change. There are not only just the large changes into the technology of our sport-hobby, but the Federal government is moving into our freedoms to perform as we desire. Our national organization, the Academy of Model Aeronautics, needs elected leaders with experience, familiar with all disciplines, and not afraid to speak out to or for the membership and the organization. AMA Members, I, Horrace Cain, can do that.
My concern is not only the individual members, but also the Organization and definitely NOT simply my personal objectives. With so many years in this activity, and my work therein, I definitely wish to see said activity survive and grow in this active world in which we live. Time is growing short, so now it's do or not-do.
Modelers will always need flying sites, where they should be able to secure sites, feel secure in their labor to attain those sites, and to long enjoy those sites.
If you, the membership, will elect Horrace Cain, AMA L-93, AMA Leader since 1964 , New Caney, TX to the AMA Office of Executive Vice President, you and I together will petition AMA, Et. Al. to ensure flying facilities will exist and your welcome there will not go away without serious definitions.
There are numerous avenues to increase our publicity over the entire spectrum of model aviation. I will see they are continuously brought into the work place.
Long ago I attempted to get AMA into the use of a "Foundation". They finally have done so, however I find much fault with the current Foundation. Once in the position, I will, with your help, work to assure that the Foundation works for the membership. Foundations have numerous avenues, yet I want any AMA avenue directed AT and FOR the membership.

So who am I. I started stick and tissue models around 5 years old, then came spark ignition for CL, and then basic glow in Free Flight, into scale and stunt CL.

Age 19 brought entry into USAF Aviation Cadets, Navigator, 2 year wait for Pilot with the DRAFT on my tail. Age 20, Navigator, Instructor. Shortly sent into Bombardier school. Strategic Air Command B-47 Nav-Bombardier with Eighth Air Force Outstanding crew rating. (Maybe not the best Nav, but always found my targets and I was -- no brag -- a very good bomb-aim 'er. SAC tried to keep me out of pilot training but I got there and had a ball. I was retained as an instructor, T-33s.
Even then I created problems. Near my tour end, I was assigned F-4, Viet Nam. I was on cloud 9. More later. I took an action that caused a number of upper echelon officers get bad marks on their records, wing commander was fired. My assignment was cancelled and I was retained to assist the transfer of T-38s from T-33s. I was again an Instructor for another 2 years. Good times here but I obtained a job with United Airlines so end of USAF. Couple times in Guard and Reserve. I was asked to stay and offered some good machines, but the money future was better at UAL.
In 1972, the Navy canceled the NATs at Chicago. I got to several big boys and we got it back. I was Manpower Director at the 72 NATS and the Oshkosh '73 NATs. The AMA Executive Director tried to cancel out, but we locals got it back. Same for the 73 Oshkosh 73 Nats.
You see, Hoss has no problems with speaking up, when things are not what they should be. It's been a great life. AMA needs some help. YOU and I together could be that HELP.
As a very senior officer told me, "Horrace you are totally "Mission Oriernted". As a member elected AMA official, I will inform you of the AMA mission as I see it, and then listen to you. Your vote for H. Cain is a vote for YOU and AMA., so lets do it!