Ratings. With a stipulation on # of rounds played, if you wish.
Thats what I figured. Not an unreasonable way of doing it.
One problem would be the increased motivation for ratings manipulation in the form of more or less comical DNF-ing to preserve ones eligibility.
Which of course should be met with reporting by the TD - but as far as I can tell, rarely is.
Or even worse: Motivation for not playing tournaments at all once the criteria is met.
I can also see why they want to use the points to reward a combination of skill and participation - even if has some issues with perhaps rewarding the latter at tad too much for some peoples liking. Does not strike me as a particularly horrible way of doing it - and given that it is, apparently, the first time that invitees have filled the list, it can't have been a big issue in the past? (Please correct me if that assumption is what assumptions usually are.
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And I think the "problem" also has to be viewed in the light that it took one month before the list was filled. I fully understand that some people could have financial reasons not register on day one, but out of those who wanted to partipate and met the points requirement or your potential ratings requirement - it seems to me that it would be a relative small group still left at the end of that month that would have a decent reason for feeling that they did not get a fair chance to sign up.
Just in the interest of full disclosure; Being a non US/CAN player I got my spot on the absolute weakest requirement (play one ranked tournament in 2011) and I would fail, this year at least, any probable requirement for points and rating. So read my comments in that light, if you think it might influence my opinion. (For the record I would have had no issue with the requirements ruling me out, given my stats at the time of registration)