Thanks for this, Justin. This was the key sub-paragraph for me: "The rhetoric has become a self-fulfilling prophecy on both sides. We are no longer, in either institution, looking to grow the message. We are only hoping to carve out the largest share of the carcass on which we find ourselves dining." That rang very true as someone who's looking at this largely from the outside. I follow the Hugos, but I campaign very little for my own work, so I tend to view it largely from afar, and it does seem that this sets the stage for constant one-upmanship unless rule changes are made to make the award more inclusive. I really liked your idea of making a supporting membership (or attending) a lifetime grant to nominate works. Why not, after all? If you claim that the award represents science fiction and fantasy, then let anyone who wants in in. Keep the barrier to entry low and see that you cast the widest net. Anyone know if the WSFS can actually do anything before next year's Hugos? I heard (though I don't know for sure) that the rules are essentially already set for next year's and the earliest new changes could take effect would be 2017.