Um, okay? I never implied it wasn't.
Not...really. I even gave you an example of how it could be confusing, especially for a new/returning player. There's a simplicity in the idea of loot being loot which badge gear completely circumvents. At least in SL, if you get a currency from doing one type of content, that currency is able to be used in that content. In WotLK there were many conflicting types of badges, all coming from similar content.
I'm glad you feel that way but the RPG elements of gear are obviously important to the developers. The bottom line is that if badges were the superior solution to the game's loot issues, they'd still be around.