If you have a military backround you could get a job working for the CAA, seems like a job for the boys type organisation, run by people who have no understanding, knowledge or respect for the commercial operators or pilots.
As for the FAA Cpl written exams, all the questions are their in a question bank, so technically yes you could learn them all, but realistiaclly you have to know what is going on, if you don't and manage to fluke a pass it will show in the oral portion of the test.
As for eliteism, I have been through both systems, and think the FAA while it does have its short falls is a far superior system, and will go on to make a safer pilot, so many people can go on to get an Instrument rating in the FAA system and may even have a bit of spare change, to further taining, that is unheard of in the JAA system.
Boycotting the CAA would be great but they really got us by the balls. Hopefully one day it will regulate itself out of exsistence.