Before I start, can I make it absolutely clear that I am NOT commenting on either of the main complaints that this thread seems to be about. I merely wish to offer my thoughts on whether or not it is right to complain.
I dont give a damm, but I DO want to have a PFA to permit my aircraft next year.
nongpsuser, I would suggest that it is people with attitudes like yours that are the real cause of the decline. Your approach seems to be "I've got what I want so don't rock the boat" regardless of whether what you end up with is actually worth having.
I don't fly a permit aircraft but I was a PFA member, for quite a few years; I was also a member of AOPA. At one time I actually began to feel that the PFA was the future for light aircraft GA (at least in the context of PFA v AOPA), they seemed to take a users view of the world and be prepared to stand up and be counted. Then I started to get disillusioned - can't really put my finger on why, maybe it was the silly debate over moving from Shoreham - anyway, I did not renew my membership. I was not sufficiently emotionally attached to the PFA to fight for it but neither was I so blindly dependent upon it that I was going to turn a blind eye.
AOPA was a different matter, I was also disillusioned with them but I tried fighting. In the end, I gave up because one individual was not prepared to enter into a debate on what was wrong. I did not want to quit AOPA but I was not prepared to turn a blind eye and pretend it was OK just because I "needed it" to represent me (moot point).
All of which rambling is my weary way of trying to say that if people feel strongly enough about what is wrong with the PFA then they absolutely should fight for it. Burying your head in the sand and pretending the problem doesn't exist just so the association doesn't collapse is actually a sure way to achieve exactly that result.
Aiglon