Sleepy18: Your attempts at explanations are so weak as to barely deserve a response. They are simply excuses why you and the rest of the LEC/MEC have to go.

ALPA got outflanked and allowed its stance against Age 60 changing by a very small minority of older airline pilots. Just how effective are we to judge ALPA PAC is if it can't even outgun a bunch of retirees? I know the answer, ALPA PAC wasn't even trying to, because Capt Prater and all the other old guys at ALPA National and most MECs it appears, were actually trying to backdoor the legislation all along. Thanks for that, kiss any hope of every receiving any PAC money from this pilot goodbye.

2.Nice job of politics and blaming the impending change on President Bush. Yeah, he is the guy to blame for the US caving to ICAO idiocy. That is really rich.

3. We lost some support on the hill. Too fng bad. You still have to fight for what is right and what the majority wants. You guys just decided it is time to quit so you can continue to line your pockets with the future earnings potential of those of us unfortunate enough to not have had our chance to upgrade yet.

4. The legislation, if passed, will have nothing negotiated about it. All the details will be done after the fact and between the various MECs and the companies at contract time. You say we can only have a voice if we cave on our principles, and then you say that we must stick to our principles on as issue we can't even win (retroactivity) because all of a sudden we are worried about doing the right thing. You can't have it both ways.

What makes you think you will have any say in the legislation if you fight against the principal feature of the change (retroactivity) but not if we fight against the change itself? That makes absolutely no sense and destroys any credibility you might have had with the membership.

5. Probably true, but with the representation (er, lack there of) that you are providing for the membership I would rather take my chances with the FAA reauthorization bill. If you guys get involved with the NPRM you will only continue to cut my legs out from under me. No thanks.