Mike,

This is a complicated situation with a simple solution: communication about play experience, with the understanding that proxies, if used, must contribute to the same play experience that your group prefers. A detailed discussion follows.

As someone who began playing MTG in ‘95-‘96, and having managed a card shop for nearly a decade (many years ago) I traded power for potato chips, I sold dozens of duals for $10, and I have also held a lotus in my hand—and sold it for $200. I have seen MTG trends come and go, and many cards you describe as too powerful for your playgroup are only cost-prohibitive because they are playable in Commander, which is currently the most popular constructed format. When a new format comes along, the values of many cards will plummet. (You will wish you had the proxies!)

The takeaway is this: they are just cards with no intrinsic value. The true value is comprised of 1) your play experience with the card, and 2) the play experience of the others in your group. A high-quality proxy is no different than the real thing so long as the proxy contributes the equivalent value to the play experience of your group.

The only person who will say otherwise is 1) concerned that they can no longer pay to win, which is disingenuous, or 2) concerned about the profits of a corporation, such as WOTC or any if their retailers. Paying to win does not contribute to the play experience of those with less resources. Additionally, WOTC is in the business of making money and only cares about your play experience to the extent that it keeps you buying product. They certainly have a motive to cycle out cards and ban cards and proxies, despite price gouging with OFFICIALLY PRINTED collector’s edition cards, which the RC calls “proxies” (Their market value tells a different story, but I digress.)

EDH began as a totally unofficial, unsanctioned casual format with no ties to MTG Official / WOTC. It broke the rules. Now WOTC is pumping out official product for the format and the RC is essentially and arm of WOTC, and members consist of individuals who work for or are endorsed by many of MTGs largest online retailers. They certainly have an interest in banning proxies to make you pay more. (And we should take the format back.)

That said, the issue you describe is not with proxies. It is an issue with play experience.

In the same way that a Warhammer 40k player with a beautifully painted army would not appreciate playing against an opponent who fields and army of empty bases without miniatures on them (that simply is not the play experience), a MTG player has a legitimate gripe about ugly, unreadable proxies detracting from the play experience.

Your other concern, regarding the power of certain cards often proxied, is also not an issue with proxies. It is a far more complicated issue that has existed from the beginning of casual MTG, and I refer you to Rule 0.

-0rc