What is with Mortgage Brokers that complain about NAMB not doing enough for them when they aren’t even a member?

I hear mortgage brokers say, "I'll sign up when they start doing more for me.  They should be more like the NAR is for their people."  To anyone that thinks this way I say:

If everyone took your view on it NAMB would not exists at all.  NAR is able to step in and do bigger and better things because Real Estate Agents get involved and sign up.  NAMB has been using their recourses fighting all the stupid bills that legislators have been trying to pass that would have already put brokers out of business.  You think it's bad now?  It would be much worse if NAMB wasn't doing their job.  You would know that if you participated and got involved.  If you want something to change then get involved.  Don't just sit around complaining that someone else needs to take care of you.  NAMB has high hopes and wants to do more.  It is made up of hundreds of volunteers and thousands of members that are actually willing to do something to protect their industry.  NAMB wants to do more but they need more support and people like you are the reason they can't.

If you want NAMB to have more money to do more for you, than you need to help support them.  NAMB is way over budget because it is very expensive to fight all the bad laws that are being proposed.  If you won't contribute financial with a membership fee (which pays for itself in free meals and trainings) then at least take the time to write your congressman and local representatives or are you waiting for someone else to do that for you too?  Actually, if you had signed up with NAMB they do write those letters for you.  When there is a critical issue you get an email with a letter already written out and they tell you where to send it.

Do you want to see NAMB doing public announcements and commercials to educate people on what is really going on?  Then do your part.  They have had a tough couple years and have done amazing things for our industry.  But there is no way you'd know that if you aren't a member.  All you know is what you think you know, which is a lot less than you think.

After saying all of this I want to point out that I am only a member of NAMB.  But I pay my fees and go to the meetings and I know what is going on.  How many of you do?