"DDOS" for MONTHS on end with no resolution UNACCEPTABLE

[AlienDiplomat]

wouldn't a vpn still get around that

A VPN only changes YOUR IP and route to the authentication server. By putting authentication in the cloud, there is no single physical server location to target via DDOS. So all using a VPN would accomplish is changing the route and specific entry point on the cloud network that client used to authenticate.

This would vastly multiply the cost of running a bot net capable of any significant disruption as it would need to simultaneously track and attack all points of entry on the cloud.

Further, automatic load balancing on the cloud network would offload further log-in attempts to a bogged network entry point to another route creating a spill-over effect that would dilute any concentrated attack over the larger network. These cloud providers are HUGE. The likelihood of some no-life pimple-faced losers having enough of mommy's credit card to afford to compete with such a provider by running a large enough attack network would be significantly reduced.

EDIT: Also using a VPN to mask your IP doesn't change your SE user account. So banned accounts would remain banned regardless of what IP they tried to use them on.

if the attack isnt directed specifically at SE.. how would that help?

It would eliminate static routes that allow attackers to isolate specific physical network segments to attack as much as it would avoid targeting SE servers. So they wouldn't be able to hit weak points in a physical route knocking out service to entire regions cut off by that failure point. The cloud network would simply offload encrypted authentication requests to another access point on the network and automatically balance the load.