I guess many people get or have the wrong opinion of amateur radio. During an emergency, "... every radio operator wants to be like FEMA and take charge ...", just isn't correct. I know many who are not involved with FEMA, or EOCs, etc. They may monitor the ham bands, but generally the AM band radios or TV stations if power is still on. Out of the many hams I know only 3 are involved with the Polk county EOC management.
Rules and regulations have a place and rightfully so. I personally don't want to see the amateur radio band to operate like the CB band! If the rules are too strenuous, then amateur radio isn't the hobby for that individual.
Complicated? Sure, there's many things about amateur radios that are complicated. The frequencies, SAFETY, the laws, what all those dials do on the transmitter and or receiver, etc. If they are too complicated, then it isn't for that individual to be a hobbyist.
Amateur radio was and still is a hobby to experiment. I build many different types of antennas, small transmitters, receivers, etc. You can do all that with the CB radio, except the transmitter side. I've heard some say that the amateur bands have become appliance operators or something of that nature. Will yes to some degree. They are usually the 2 meter and 70 cm operators. BUT I don't have any adverse feelings toward them, because they have found the place to be and are usually a benefit to the rest of us.
"The internet and smart phones pretty much eliminated the need." The need for what? To communicate with others? We've had regular phones for ages and that's where many folks find the best way to communicate. But amateur radios aren't for calling you mom, sister, neighbor, or who every. The radio was used to contact a stranger some where on the earth and get signal reports, radio info, etc. To see how well your newly built transmitter is operating. You don't pick up the phone or smart phone or get on the internet and call randomly to ask how your phone sounds, etc.
The amateur radio has it's place. If you're not satisfied with the rules, law, equipment, etc., then that is not where you belong.
And the amateur radio isn't dying. That's my opinion. If you think other wise, then that is your opinion and you have the right to believe what you want.
Just read mmckenna and Gene's above post and agree with them.