There is not a
> registry cost in changing a registrar tag, but the current 
> policy implies
> that there will be, this is where I feel the policy fall 
> down... it forces
> each record to be new.. regardless of wheather it really is or not.
> 

The marginal registry cost for any transaction is the same.  create, update,
renew, transfer.  The registry is fully automated.

The registry needs to receive enough revenue in aggregate to operate.  A
registry could quite legitimately charge the same amount for all such
transactions.  

There is no forcing a new record.  A renew and transfer are both updates of
an existing record.

Regards,
Bruce