Here is another version -- shorter, softer, outlined:

VOTE YES
I strongly support the proposed constitutional amendment which will restore the chapter member dues-paying rules to what they always were. Please vote "Yes" and mail in the ballot, which just came in the Jan-Feb-March club magazine.

WHAT THE AMENDMENT SAYS
The amendment deals with whether the individual members of a chapter have to eventually join and pay dues ($20) to the national. The proposed amendment (1) requires new chapter members to join the national within a year of joining a chapter; and (2) requires current chapter members who are not national members to join the national within a year of the passage of the amendment.

WHAT EVERYONE AGREES ON -- NOT AT ISSUE
Everyone in this debate believes the national (CCGTCC) is worthy, should grow and prosper, and that all chip collectors SHOULD join it. They also agree that INITIALLY individuals may join just a chapter and not the national. The bone of contention is whether chapter members MUST eventually join the national. I am sure that everyone in this debate has the good of the hobby and club at heart.

SO WHAT IS AT ISSUE? WHAT ARE THE SIDES CALLED?
To repeat, both sides will allow and encourage individuals to join chapters without initially paying national dues. Then they disagree:
(1) the side supporting the amendment can be called "must-join-national-within-a-year."
(2) the side opposed to the amendment can be called "optional-to-ever-join-national."

WHY I AM ON THE "MUST-JOIN-NATIONAL-WITHIN-A-YEAR" SIDE.
I feel new chapter members should be REQUIRED to join the national within one year for two general reasons:
(1) One reason has to do with morality and propriety -- that through their affiliation with a CCGTCC CHAPTER, chapter members now can attach themselves to the prestige, recognition, clout, respect and benefits (progress and popularity of the hobby; many club benefits, too, like discounted hotel rooms at the annual convention) of the CCGTCC without paying dues to the national (CCGTCC). I know of no organization in the world that permits individual chapter members not to be national dues-paying members (note, I am not speaking of member clubs, but of chapters); and
(2) The other reason has to do with money, and that will be the theme of the remainder of this post. I think thousands of dollars of national dues is at stake.

DETAILED ARGUMENTS SUPPORTING THE AMENDMENT ON THESE TWO WEB PAGES:
Many of my thoughts are contained in these two web pages that I prepared long ago just before the proposed amendment was finalized:
http://www.antiquegamblingchips.com/amend.htm
http://www.antiquegamblingchips.com/goodrecp.htm

THE OUTLINE OF MY REASONING:
(1) long ago the national with its quarterly magazine was the "sine qua non" (essential passport) for anyone interested in buy, selling and trading chips.

(2) then with the introduction of the chip collector web sites, chapters' across the table buying, selling and trading; Chequers online magazine, various chip bulletin boards, eBay, etc., chip collectors could fill their chip collecting time very well without being national members and ever looking at the club magazine, which they could borrow from various sources if they so cared.

(3) the national was still very important, but mostly in long-term public service things like (a) using its clout to lobby (Hobby Protection Act, etc.), (b) standards (code of ethics, etc.) and (c) education. These things boost the hobby, create national interest and heighten values of our collections, but are looked upon as CHARITY by many collectors.

(4) the problem with charity is that it is less dependable and forthcoming than dues which must be paid to participate fully in a hobby. There was recently a terrible earthquake in India -- 30,000 killed, 55,000 injured, $billions lost, thousands homeless. To be honest, I didn't contribute to the charity there; not $20, not anything. Chapter chip collectors will think the same about national dues: "Not me......later maybe..... let someone else....I'm too busy," etc.

(5) if the optional-to-ever-join-national side wins (defeats the amendment), I am afraid that newbies will look upon national dues as charity, will not join the national, will look at someone else's club magazine and could still attend the convention at discounted rates. This could become contagious. Older members will see this and decide not to renew. It would be a "downward spiral." The national might grow, but it will grow less than otherwise, and it would lose thousands of dollars it otherwise would gain.

(6) if the must-join-national-within-a-year crowd wins and the amendment passes, we would be calling the bluff of the chapter members. After a year is up, they will be forced either to pay national dues ($20), or drop out of the chapter. No serious collector will let $20 stand in the way of pursuing his hobby. They will see it as just part of the cost of chip collecting. They will pay it. That will be the end of it. Contrary to what you read elsewhere, there are many easy ways to enforce it. All it takes are gentlemen, reasonableness and common sense. The national Board is empowered to enforce and interpret the constitution. I think the must-join-national-within-a-year is an inclusive rule. People can be guests of a chapter for a while, then join just the chapter for a year before being bothered by the national dues issue. (If some student or whoever is too poor to pay $20 national dues, I am sure the chapter officials would be discrete and overlook the fellow. Who cares about an exception here or there. Also, no one will care if a member's helper, spouse, child, etc. comes to meetings as non-members.)

FINAL THOUGHTS
It would "kill" many dealer-collector chapter officials to see one potential buyer or seller of chips walk away because of the requirement that he has to join the national ($20) within a year. Out of 100 new, serious collectors walking through the chapter doors, it is hard to envisage more than one or two dropping out of the chapter because he has to pay a mere $20 per annum beginning a year later. Yet that is the mentality of opponents of the must-join-national-within-a-year amendment, so intent are they with their empire-building, their attempt to enlarge their treasury and membership at the expense of the national. That is probably too harsh a statement; some are probably too overworked to bar non-national-dues-payers. (But why should it be any different than handling the situation of non-payment of chapter dues?) (Also, it could be arranged for the national to collect all renewals (chapter and national). Or the national could review the chapter's membership roster........)

Let me end by quoting from the end of a Letter to the Editor I was once planning to get into the club newsletter: "Let me end on this note. The Club is a non-profit, public service organization. It is a work organization. It preforms work that benefits all chip collectors whether they join the Club or not. That is the way it should be. Fine, some benefit who don't pay for it. With a large population, that is to be expected. BUT ONE WOULD EXPECT THE CLUB'S OWN CHAPTERS TO BE A HELP AND NOT A HINDRANCE. That is the way I see it. I say to the chapters, have your fun, but help the Club. And don't grow at the expense of the Club. "

Robert