Matt,
i can follow instructions (public forum or elsewhere) about this thread and many others (including reading and trying to partake in the debates that you also started).
You wrote "I ask my fellow PADI certified divers to submit constructive feedback to PADI about this change." and "I do care about PADI trained divers who may be motivated and interested in contacting PADI to elevate the standards for the MSD". I am a "fellow PADI diver" therefore surely my opinion and feedback is of the utmost importance to you (as you are shunning the other agencies in this thread), as i am in your target audience for PADI and MSD questions. Go ahead and dont care for my opinions, that is of no consequence to me.
I am motivated and interested in seeing something change with regard to this cert - it isnt going to happen, but anyway. I would say scrap the cert or make it have some meaning by putting in some dive time, specifying certain pre-req's that are diving related (like in AOW they put helpful things like deep and navigation - in the right kind of direction). IF they suggested putting other pre-reqs like the full specialization of those two, with say night, and possibly other diving and very useful specializations then that might help, then they actually taught you something for the cert, i think that would get a lot of people off you back about your flogging of dead horses ("flogging" and "dead horse" are what makes Matt not particularly "unique", but the words are getting synonymous with your user ID). BTW i would take the MSD IF these changes were made. IS that constructive enough for you?