shortstripper
The "IFR crowd" (or whatever one wants to call them) is not in any way trying to push VFR pilots out. For starters, there are far more VFR-only pilots flying than ones with IFR privileges.
Speaking for myself, what I don't agree with is some people saying this and that cannot be done when there are technical solutions right now.
Unfortunately "anti Mode S" and "anti transponders" generally have become a sort of religion, often without any rational justification. One could argue that Mode S is pointless but the general concept of a Mode C (altitude reporting) transponder is pretty solid, except where genuinely technically impossible or just plain silly (like on a parachutist).