A recent post (sorry, I forgot whose) led me to this compromise suggestion, which
we could try for a while:

(1) Chapter members must also be national members. I won't bore you with all the
reasons. They have been discussed elsewhere.......... [I'll give you just ONE reason
here -- it is ridiculous for someone to be kicked out of the national for bad ethics, but
continue to be a chapter member and advertise himself as a member of the chapter of
the national, like having this tag on his letterhead -- John Doe, member #123, Ohio
Chapter of the Casino Chip and Gaming Tokens Collectors Club. (I know that very
few people are expelled from the national and that those expelled from the national
would also probably be expelled from the chapter. As I said, this is just ONE reason,
and I think it typifies all the other more practical reasons.)]

(2) Let those few members (and I trust there are just a few) who want to "join" the
chapter but not the national (for financial or political or whatever reasons), be
disallowed from officially joining the chapter but allowed to participate in chapter
meetings, trading, etc. They could pay dues to the chapter, but would not be allowed
to advertise themselves as being a member of either. (An alternative idea is to allow
chapter members one year's time after joining the chapter to become national
members.)

Robert