Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsNation’s Largest Seniors Group Is Using Conservative Scare Tactics On Social Security
AARP is promoting alarmism about the program and giving awards to Republican lawmakers who want to cut it.WASHINGTON ― Television viewers across the country have been treated to some scary advertisements about the future of Social Security. Our next president needs to take action on Social Security, or future generations could lose up to $10,000 a year, the narrator intones, as ominous music plays in the background.
Viewers might be surprised to learn that the ad is from the AARP, the countrys largest seniors group and a longtime defender of social programs for older Americans. Its part of the nonpartisan groups election-focused Take A Stand campaign, launched last November to pressure candidates to spell out their plans for shoring up Social Securitys finances. The Take A Stand initiative rankled progressive retirement security advocates virtually from the moment it started, because it focused on getting politicians to propose any detailed plan ― and didnt distinguish between reform proposals that would cut benefits and those that would not.
The new television ad has only heightened liberal concerns. Critics of AARPs approach say that the influential seniors group, which has 37 million members across the country and incredible influence in Washington, is making Social Securitys financial challenges seem much more dire than they really are. In doing so, the group is playing right into the crisis framing favored by conservatives, who want benefit cuts to seem inevitable.
AARP is aggravating a political situation that allows the right, and even Democrats on the center-right in Washington, to portray Social Security as a problem rather than as a vital resource for working people, said Eric Laursen, author of The Peoples Pension: The Struggle To Defend Social Security Since Reagan.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/aarp-conservative-social-security_us_57fbe10be4b068ecb5e0d0f3
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
6 replies, 1009 views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (8)
ReplyReply to this post
6 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Nation’s Largest Seniors Group Is Using Conservative Scare Tactics On Social Security (Original Post)
milestogo
Oct 2016
OP
central scrutinizer
(11,648 posts)1. This is why I throw all their mailers away
And I get about one every week
longship
(40,416 posts)2. Maybe if retirees bought more life insurance everything would be okay.
AARP is an insurance scam. That's all they do; sell insurance.
Just ask Alex Trebek. Or maybe his accountant.
radical noodle
(8,000 posts)5. They don't sell ME insurance!
dflprincess
(28,078 posts)3. AARP has been in bed with UnitedHealth Group for years
maybe it's looking to strike some deal with one or more Wall Street firms for private retirement accounts.
radical noodle
(8,000 posts)4. Maybe I've missed something but
I get AARP mags, etc. I've felt that their push is towards raising the caps and keeping it solvent before it gets to a more critical stage. Perhaps I'm just projecting my own opinion onto their articles.
Panich52
(5,829 posts)6. I shunned AARP when they backed big pharma in 90s
Not very senior-friendly at all