AN MD80 CAPT IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE NUMBER OF DEFERRED ITEMS ON THE FLEET AND THE TIME ELAPSED BEFORE A POSITIVE MAINT FIX.

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ACFT WAS MISSING A FLAP HINGE FAIRING. THIS MEANS THE FLAP HINGE JACK SCREW ASSEMBLY IS LEFT UNCOVERED. THE MEL PLACES A WT PENALTY ON THIS ITEM. ADDITIONALLY; IN WINTER OPS THIS ALSO MEANS THE HINGE WORKING PARTS ARE SUBJECTED TO ICE BUILDUP IN ICING CONDITIONS; AS WELL AS BEING WASHED OUT WITH DEICING FLUID. I CANNOT BELIEVE THE LUBRICANTS ON THE WORKING PARTS ARE NOT; TO SOME DEGREE; WASHED AWAY BY THE APPLICATION OF DEICE FLUID. IN SHORT; THIS CONDITION SHOULD ONLY BE TOLERATED FOR A SHORT TIME IN ORDER TO GET THE ACFT BACK TO A MAJOR MAINT BASE WHERE REPAIR CAN BE MADE. WHEN I FLEW THE ACFT; THE PLACARD HAD BEEN IN PLACE FOR OVER 30 DAYS. I REALIZE THE COMPANY LET GO TOO MANY MECHS IN THE EFFORT TO REDUCE COSTS. I REALIZE THE MEL SAYS THE ACFT MAY BE OPERATED IN THIS MANNER; BUT I KNOW THE MEL WAS NOT WRITTEN WITH THE INTENT OF JUST NOT REPAIRING ACFT WHILE ALLOWING THEIR CONTINUED OP. THE INTENT OF THE MEL WAS; IS; AND ALWAYS WILL BE TO ALLOW THE OP OF ACFT WITH SAFETY OF FLT MAINT ISSUES FROM AN ARPT WITHOUT PROPER MAINT FACILITIES TO AN ARPT WITH PROPER MAINT FACILITIES. THE OP OF THIS ACFT FOR A MONTH ON THIS MEL IN WINTER FLYING WITH ICING CONDITIONS ABUNDANT IS UNSAFE. IT MAY BE LEGAL; BUT IT IS CLRLY UNSAFE FOR EXTENDED OPS IN THIS CONDITION. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST LENGTHY MEL ITEM I HAVE SEEN; BUT IT IS THE LONGEST. 3 WKS AGO; I HAD AN ACFT WITH AN INOP FUEL GAUGE THAT HAD BEEN MEL'ED FOR AT LEAST 23 FLTS OVER A 5 DAY PERIOD. THE MEL IS QUITE CLR ON THE LIMITATIONS OF FUELING IN THIS CONDITION. I GUARANTEE THE REQUIRED 'MUST BE LEVEL WITHIN 1/2 OF 1 DEG WHEN READING THE STICK' WAS NOT FULLY ADHERED TO ON ALL 23 FLTS. THE MAINT PROC TO ENSURE THIS IS COMPLEX ENOUGH THAT OUTLYING STATIONS WILL NOT BE ABLE TO COMPLY.