Chess federations cost money and all chess players are broke except for Illumzhinov.

They've tried that. There was this guy who started the Kentucky Federation for Chess (KFC), but in the end he chickened out.

Kasparov tried to organize outside FIDE a couple of times, first with the GMA to work with FIDE, then forming the PCA to play a title match outside FIDE auspices.  All it ended up doing was introducing confusion.

Too many national federations are tied up with their FIDE affiliations to get anything going outside the existing structure.

USCF has never led, only chased trends from well behind if they bothered at all.  Right now they are recovering from the financial hit the Polgar lawsuits cost them, as well as the economic downturn.

Thanks everyone. Thank you Estragon.

nice

Well you guys really take the gravy. 

   I can go for some biscuits and gravy right about now with a nice hot cup of coffee. It might clog up my arteries and all but it'll be good. I actually thank the heavens that I CAN'T eat stuff like that. I don't have a cast iron stomach anymore.

   -Mark