Well, GA has a fundamental problem: every year less and less people join our ranks. You look at the statistics it's been a yearly decline since the post war years.
Mostly due to regulations and a general nannyficiation of everything and in all fields (not just aviation). Barriers keep getting raised constantly.
Only 20 years ago, I soloed after exactly 10hrs and had my PPL in my hand after about 43 hrs, and I was an average student. Today, it's probably closer to 70hrs for the average pilot. What's changed? Nothing. If anything, airspace classifications and navaids are easier today then they were then. It's just nannyficiation and angst from regulators to teachers.
Case in hand: Medical. Why even have a medical? What is the point? If you can see reasonably and hear reasonably, then that should be enough. Nobody can predict heart attacks anyway, so it's a feeble exercise. Again, nannyficiation, angst and self importance from vested interest groups.
We have to find a way of making the entry into the club easier. The LSA thing in the US is a good start, and I hope EASA's equivalent will be similar. But I would argue that even lessening the standards a bit for the PPL should be looked upon. 40-50hrs should be plenty, if it takes 70hrs then they're held to too tight standards, I think. I understand it's individual, but those last 20-30hrs probably scare away more than 50% of the potential students. That's a loss we can't afford. It's a license to learn, after all.
As for this forum, when I joined a couple of years ago it was (and still is) rather hostile. I'm tough-skinned now, so it doesn't bother me as much, but it can be very daunting for a new member. I'm also a member of a cinematography forum (as that's my business) and there mandatory registration with displayed name was the key to making that forum civil. I think it's a great idea that would work wonders here. I have nothing to hide and I'm also one of the very few who post under my own name. It's very easy to be derisive, arrogant and lecturing when you can hide behind anonymity.