"For our membership dues, the only thing we get for it is 4 magazines a year"

Thats $5 per issue. Not bad.
I take exception to "the only thing we get"
We belong to a fine organization and we get quality volunteers to run it.

"At one time, our dues included admission to the convention floor and a cocktail hour"

I am 1,300 numbers ahead of you and I don't remember the above.