Paul Krugman on AARP

[spanone]

www.nytimes.com/2003/11/21/opinion/21KRUG.html Once again Krugman gets it right.

[dennis4868]

1. I agree, Krugy....

always gets it right!

[Spazito]

2. Good article!

I always look forward to his columns. Thanks for the link.

[Gin]

4. This bill is all about privatization....on medicare and social security..

the real problem is the cost of drugs in this country....we subsidize the drug companies for R&D...and then pay out the ass for the drugs.

That lobby is as powerfull as the NRA.

[Spazito]

8. I was listening on CSPAN-2 to Senator Dorgen and others...

at what I think was a committee hearing on drugs from Canada and the senators hammered the FDA guy, it was very interesting!

[rucky]

15. Same scam as the Energy Bill...

Privatize with for-profit companies, but still use taxpayer subsidies & ratepayers to foot the bill for infrastructure.

If we were treated as investors instead of cash cows, I may consider it an option.

[sandnsea]

3. It's always been tied to insurance

"Over the years AARP has become much more than an advocacy and service organization for older Americans. It receives more than $150 million each year in commissions on insurance, mutual funds and prescription drugs sold to its members." From Krugman's article.

It isn't "over the years", it's ALWAYS been that way:

Dr. Ethel Percy Andrus, a retired high school principal, founded AARP in 1958. AARP evolved from the National Retired Teachers Association (NRTA), which Dr. Andrus had established in 1947 to promote her philosophy of productive aging, and in response to the need of retired teachers for health insurance. At that time, private health insurance was virtually unavailable to older Americans; in fact, it was not until 1965 that the government enacted Medicare, which provides health benefits to persons over age 65. Dr. Andrus approached dozens of insurance companies until she found one willing to take the risk of insuring older persons. She then developed other benefits and programs, including a discount mail order pharmacy service. Over the years NRTA heard from thousands of others who wanted to know how they could obtain insurance and other NRTA benefits without being retired teachers. After ten years, Dr. Andrus realized the time had come to create a new organization open to all Americans. Today, NRTA is a division within AARP.
At a time when older persons could not obtain life, health, or automobile insurance easily, Mr. Davis found innovative approaches to solving this problem. In 1963, he founded the Colonial Penn Group, Inc., a major insurance company, which offered unprecedented health and auto insurance for the elderly. This became a model for subsequent plans throughout the insurance industry. While serving older Americans, his professional career flourished and his company became one of the nation's leading insurers.

http://www.aarp.org/leadership/Articles/a2003-01-13-aarphistory.html

As a friend and colleague of Dr. Ethel Percy Andrus, Mr. Davis was closely involved in establishing the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), and later served as its Honorary President. Mr. Davis's commitment to the cause of older Americans brought him to testify before Congressional committees on issues related to aging and he was a delegate to the 1970 White House Conference on Aging. Mr. Davis and Mrs. Andrus were closely involved in the legislation of Medicare by Congress.
http://www.upenn.edu/ldi/davis.html

[flpoljunkie]

5. Thanks for your post. Posted Krugman's article on AARP message board!

:dem:

[RobertSeattle]

9. Got Link?

Would like to see the responses.

[supernova]

12. I would too

:D

[RobertSeattle]

14. OK - Found it

http://community.aarp.org/n/mb/message.asp?webtag=rp-legislative&msg=2850.2&search=y

Links people - this is the internet!

[trotsky]

6. Thank you once again, Paul Krugman.

And we get this zinger as a bonus:

"...the other big piece of legislation marching through Congress, the energy bill, makes the Smoot-Hawley tariff look like a classic of good government."

Ha ha!

[Brucey]

7. Fantastic article...

everyone should read it.

[1songbird]

10. Krugman is one of the best

He completely nailed it.

[supernova]

11. Does Krugman read DU?

or at least somebody working for him? :tinfoilhat:

Just wondering because he took a gander at the AARP boards, just like we did this week:

Many of AARP's members feel betrayed. The message boards at the organization's Web site have filled up with outraged posts. A number of those posts say something like this: 'Now you're just an insurance company.' Indeed, that may get to the heart of the matter

I liked the Smoot-Hawley zinger too. Ha Ha. Classic. :D

[evil_orange_cat]

13. I <3 Krugman....

I'm surprised his talking points don't get more national attention.

[Wonk]

16. kick

:kick:

[Oracle]

17. Call AARP now 800 424-3410 and tell them how much you hate this republican

bullshit to privatize Medicare for the corporations, vouchers, bill (800 424-3410) Krugman has it right.