Alfa, you can be in the minority in congress and being in the right and have the majority backing of the nation. Inside the beltway is rarely seen as being an in touch group. As a republican I can say that many if not most republicans believe established republicans living for and inside the beltway as out of touch. outsiders with strong support come in most often as the minority.

That said, I have a hard time believing the MEC Chair is not in control of a lot more than just the MECs agenda. I think someone's analogy was it would be like only being allowed to vote for your House of Rep with the worthy candidates preapproved by the President and friends of the President and those Reps vote for the President. shock... the President wins. Or in our case, controls the agenda and the implementation an if you want to run on an agenda of change get read for all out hostility.

If you want to volunteer, have a great attendance record at ALPA functions, work on a committee, pay your dues and show yourself a ALPA team player than you can run with full approval. thats my experience at two different ALPA unions at two different carriers.

Gridlock may not have worked for the APA, but blame the pilots for that not the system. They had the right to vote for whoever they wanted. It's their call. That's freedom. That's self governance and it's a good thing in the long run. Otherwise, why have elections?