Re: paying more to be single (Maggie's post)

[Maggie Mieske <mmieske@netonecom.net>]

Barb,
I guess we will have to agree to disagree on this one... I don't know exactly
what it costs to produce EN or administrate anything AERC.  I can't dispute that
without any knowledge of their exact costs and frankly, I don't think it's
something worth arguing because I doubt that it is something that is going to
change.  If it is worth arguing about then somebody needs to propose a change in
the by laws and if enough people felt as you do, then it would be changed and if
enough didn't, then it wouldn't.  Until then, I plan to take advantage of the
discount without feeling guilty about it.
Maggie & Jonathan
P.S. I hadn't disagreed with you about the convention thing, I was only writing
in reference to dues and I guess I'd have to talk to some people more about that
to have a more educated opinion... I won't be going to any conventions that I
know of soon so the membership is safe for now (meant to be a humorous remark!).

"Thomas, Barb" wrote:

> Obviously, you aren't reading what I said.  Discount the kids memberships,
> I'm all for it, but NOT for discounting adult memberships!!  As far as
> convention seminars are concerned, EVERYONE should pay full price.  If you
> attribute the difference in membership to EN, then the membership discount
> is NOT fair.  EN does not cost $55 to produce and since the difference in
> membership between a single and a couple is only $10, that's what is
> implied.  With all the advertising backing they have, it costs even less
> than the $40 non-member subscription price.  So, I'm paying $65 for myself
> and you're paying $75 for you and your husband.  EN costs less than $40 to
> produce, so I'm paying a bit more than $25/yr for administration and you're
> paying a bit more than $17.50 per person (you and your husband) per year and
> that's fair??  Let's see, I bet you do get voting ballots for each voting
> member; what other mailings are there?  If I had kids, yes, I would expect a
> discount on membership, but not on anything else AERC itself does.  (note
> that AERC only sanctions rides, doesn't put them on, so ride discounts are
> not included in this statement)
> Barb
>
>         Maggie wrote:
>
> > I still don't see how YOUR money pays for MY family's hobby.... and I
> > regularly
> > see a dozen or better juniors on some of the rides I have attended here in
> > Michigan.  I just don't get where some of this reasoning comes from...
> > would you
> > all feel better is I sent the full amount per person?  What sense would it
> > make
> > for AERC to send us 3 EN and 3 mailings and 3 of whatever they send out?
> > I am
> > sure there is a built in formula that AERC feels is sensible and
> > reasonable in
> > allowing a family discount and I am sure that discrimination has nothing
> > to do
> > with it.  As far as perpetuating the sport, families or not, we all
> > perpetuate
> > it when we join, don't we?  I know ALOT of adults who have been doing
> > endurance
> > a great many years so I think the loyal people will stick with it,
> > whatever age
> > they are, kids or no kids!  Just my humble thoughts on the subject!  BTW,
> > if you
> > have kids, do YOU pay the full adult price for each of them???
> > Maggie
> >