How are AOPA/NRA failures?
Well Joe, they're failures in the same way that you feel ALPA is a failure. I have some personal beefs with both organizations. Although I have seen people argue that both of these large organizations do good overall for the entities they represent despite their tremendous flaws, they have failed ME personally over a couple on issues that concern ME.
For example, I think that every person should have the right to own a firearm, but when I was living in Chicago, it was illegal for me to do so. It's also illegal for me to own certain types of guns. They can't even defend my constitutional right to bear arms? That means the NRA is a failure. The AOPA, using similar logic, has definitely failed me as well.
Certainly, Joe, you can understand that logic?
In fact, Joe, your post #2 in this thread planted a great idea in my head. I get mail from the AOPA and very occasionally from the NRA asking me to join their respective organizations, and often they have postage paid, self addressed evelopes inside. I'll be sure to follow your fine example. Also, please put me on Ron Paul's mailing list and have him include an envelope soliciting donations in case he wants to run yet another Presedential campaign and waste more of his supporters' money. I want to "participate" like you do.