The recent history of the SSA suggests that neither its Directors nor
its employees have done a very good job of handling the SSA's business
aspects. However, the SSA apparently has done quite well handling the
soaring aspects, which includes badges, records, contests, talking to
the FAA, etc.

This suggests that the ideal model for the SSA might be an affiliation
with a larger organization that could handle the business aspects, while
the SSA (or it successor) handled the soaring aspects. Basically, the
SSA could "contract out" its financial and management matters, while a
few employees at the SSA could put out the magazine, process badge
requests, etc.

I have looked at the EAA webpage, and am unclear about the
relationship between the EAA and its Divisions and Affiliates
(Aerobatics, Vintage, Warbirds, and National Association of Flight
Instructors). Are these basically autonomous organizations that are
listed on the EAA webpage, or are they solely run by the EAA, or are
they somewhere in between?

There have been some opinions on this forum that affiliation with the
EAA or AOPA would not be in the best interests of the SSA. That may be
true, if affiliation is compared to an independent and well run SSA.
However, in the real world, soaring pilots don't seen to do a very good
job of running the SSA. Therefore, the real choice may be between a
dysfunctional but independent SSA, and a functional SSA that has given
up some of its autonomy to the EAA or AOPA. Looked at in that way,
affiliation may be something that should be considered.