AARP: Seniors' old friend turns foe, for some

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/1121/p03s01-ussc.html

Many retirees criticize the AARP on Medicare - a sign that the advocacy group's clout is under new scrutiny.

By Gail Russell Chaddock | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor

WASHINGTON – Senior citizens in the cavernous Senate Caucus Room - once the scene of hearings on the sinking of the Titanic - this week heartily booed the organization that is arguably the flagship in Washington's fleet of powerful lobbying groups.

The meeting, while focused on a controversial Medicare deal making its way through Congress, also revealed a growing rift among seniors over the AARP - once known as the American Association of Retired Persons - as well as the strategy for improving healthcare for seniors.

More than 500 seniors hissed at the mention of pharmaceutical companies and at another backer of the proposed prescription drug plan: former GOP Speaker Newt Gingrich, who once called for an end to the Medicare system altogether.

But when the AARP came up, they roared disapproval. "Down with the AARP!" the crowd shouted. "I'm shocked and outraged and I want to give up my membership," says Bill Toto, a retired teacher from Huntington, Long Island. He added, repeating a claim by Democratic lawmakers who organized the rally: "They're in the drug and insurance business and they stand to gain."

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[bleedingheart]

1. Republicans have always resented the AARP's Democratic

leanings....creating strife in that organization gives them an opportunity to divide a once heavily Democratic base....

This is a win win scenario for the repubs.

[NNN0LHI]

2. It may have been better had AARP not collaborated with Bush & his minions?

[dusty64]

14. They were infiltrated by

newt minions and the payoff is about to begin. Reading the LBN today I guess they got their moles in big time in the Democratic party, I'm about to completely wash my hands of them.

[0007]

20. You mean you haven't?

[thebeaglehaslanded]

3. I'll not be renewing my AARP membership.

This organization no longer seems to be acting in my best interest. Their reasoning that "this is better than nothing" isn't acceptable when "this" could break the whole Medicare system and hurt the very seniors it should be protecting.

[Born Free]

10. Just cancelled my membership- told them why

It was a long wait but I managed to cancel my membership ( prevously good tili 11/04) and she asked if it was related to the bill, I said "Yes". I also cancelled my membership in the AARP Premier Motoring Plan; that representative was very nice, asked about the bill and said she didn't understand why the AARP peopel changed their minds. I had a copy of the email from Move-On and was able to fill her in. I told her about Newt Giugrich's book and how he said he wanted medicare to "wither on the vine" , she told me she never liked Newt Gingrich. She told me about other motoring plans under the General Electric umbrella and gave me the number for the Amoco plan. Apparently GE runs them all, they just have different names and benifts/prices.


I lost some money, there are no refunds, but AARP will not do it to me again, I am free from them now, and any future money will be donated to Move-On. I really didn't want to be a "liberal" really didn't want to support "Dean" but damn it he is the only one that refuses to back down to te bush team.

[annagull]

17. Congrats, and a word about the "agreement"

the fact that the AARP agreed to a bill that had not yet been argued or vetted struck me as a strange development. I mean, there Novelli was, taking a side for a supposedly non-partisan organisation. And the bill had not evn been agreed on! Dump the AARP.

[Tansy_Gold]

4. Not renewing membership

Hubby and I got our renewal notice for AARP about a week ago. I called the local office this morning to register my protest. Had to wait on hold for almost 20 minutes, due to unusually high volume of calls regarding the Medicare legislation. When I finally got a real person on the line, I politely told her we would not be renewing, uon request gave her our name, membership number, address, etc.

I live in the Phoenix area. There are LOTS of AARP members here. The 20 minutes on hold (at about 9 a.m.) gave me a feeling there are LOTS of AARP members voicing their discontent.

While I was on hold, I flipped through the latest issue of the AARP Magazine. I noted about five or six full-page adds for drugs -- Vioxx, etc. -- and several for insurance. :puke:

[pinkpops]

5. why doesn't someone start a competing organization?

There should be plenty of members who leave AARP.

[sujan]

7. http://www.retiredamericans.org

[pinkpops]

8. That looks interesting

[annak110]

9. There is at least one, the Gray Panthers. Maggie Kuhn started

that group but when she died it sort of faded from sight. I finally found it again just yesterday and found them to be, in the fine fighting spirit of Maggie Kuhn, opposing the Medicare fiasco, etc.

I briefly belonged to AARP some time back and found that they, in general, put out bs so I quit.

I offered this link last night. Go there to read the history of the Gray Panthers.
I'll be joining them.

<http://www.graypanthers.org>

[pinkpops]

11. I like this one too.

[BigLed]

12. Why not take over AARP?

I've been a member of AARP a few years. They are much more conservative than their membership, I think. I joined because it's cheap and I get discounts.

I figured it had to be a progressive organization, at least in terms of health insurance, medicare, social security, pensions.

In my experience, they are not. But they still have a huge membership. It might be easier to take over the leadership of the organization than to build an alternative from scratch.

How to do so? I frankly don't have a clue. Isn't it some sort of democratic organization? If so it certainly can be taken by the democratic process. And it could be hugely influential as a progressive power. An organization to rival labor as a progressive power. How do I get to ceo or prez of AARP?

I'm gonna start looking. I may not resign the organization after all.

[many a good man]

13. Good Idea. Strategy Anyone?

I consulted there for a while not long ago. Found most of the employees there are very liberal. VERY muliticultural organization, benefits for "partners", etc. After a long period of harassment from the right they became gun shy over the attacks. Tried very hard to appear non-partisan.

Things changed noticeably when Novelli arrived. Big push to become more "business-like." Downsized staff for the first time in its history. Many left voluntarily after seeing the writing on the wall. Big push for membership increases and business partnerships. Never knew till this week Novelli was chums with Gingrich.

Board members were always excellent, good hearted people. I don't know the current board, but many of same people must still be on it. I think they got sold a bill of goods when they picked Novelli.

Maybe targeting board members with your complaints would be the most effective way to bring back the old AARP and bring out the best in the people working there. They would probably appreciate it.

Can anyone find email addresses for their board members?

[treefrogjohn]

6. I sent a protest email to AARP

As a member I used the website for member communications. I got back a form letter email outlining all the good things that the Medicare Bill was going to do for me. :puke:

I just used this site http://www.ourfuture.org/issues_and_campaigns/medicare/11_20_03.cfm
which I found on Josh Marshall's TPM. It has a place to autosend a protest email to your Senators and Representative. I don't feel any better but at least I did something other than pout.

[Erika]

15. The RNC Has Taken Over AARP

My husband and I have both terminated our memberships.

[farmboxer]

16. I Will Resign Also!

I called them today on their 800 number, but it was so busy that I could not get through! Lots of people are fed up with the AARP, nothing but Republican and drug supporters! It's to Hell with the membership, we don't count, only the drug companies, big money, OK, let them have their drug companies, Bush & Cheney, etc., but I won't be a member any longer! Hell no!

[NNN0LHI]

18. kick

[0007]

19. On c-span this morning, Brian Lamb had a 'call only' for the republicans..

asking if they were for or against the medicare bill. I was truly amazed that most were not for the medicare bill.

About the only ones for the bill were the real young (probably repukes shills) ones that had no idea why they were for the medicare bill, after being questioned by Brian Lamb.

[0007]

21. My letter to AARP

Dear Sir,

I'm grateful that I'm not senile and can see through your program. Years ago I quit your program because I could see the direction AARP was heading. And I'm not surprised at AARP being the friend of the Insurance companies and the GOP.

I am surprised that AARP believes that seniors aren't smart enough to figure out this bogus Medicare bill that you support. And why not let the folks that support AARP have a say? Isn't that the democratic way? The fact is that members of AARP don't have a say and only the fat cats that run AARP will dictate to their members, and use scare tatics like, "we have to take what we can get" or it's "better than nothing" -

Your not going to take Newt to lunch on my money!

Fie on you!!

[SOS]

22. AARP

rakes in $150 million a year from the pharmaceutical and insurance industries. Like everything else in the US, from Congress to television news, they've been bought.