Locked out...unless I pay for Premium! Why?

[JPTL]

I'm being forced to pay for a Premium Membership in order to post. The first time, I was never approved...even after a year. I tried to contact moderators several times with no reply...
Then I paid for a Premium membership, and what do you know, I could post.
But then when the paid year was up, I was locked out again.
Seems unfair to me.
I see hundreds of Users on this forum who can actively post. When did the policy change?
I'm members of several vbulletin forums and nobody else forces you to pay in order to participate in the forums.