AARP faces Revolt

[AmericanDem]

By MARTIN FINUCANE, Associated Press Writer

BOSTON - Senior citizens angry over the AARP's endorsement of the Medicare bill are ripping up or burning their AARP membership cards and flooding the lobbying group's Internet message board with complaints in what could be the biggest revolt in its ranks since the 1980s.






Many fear the Republican-backed bill approved by Congress on Tuesday will harm senior citizens, and they say the AARP — the nation's most influential retiree lobby, with 35 million members — sold them out.

The bill "destroys one of the most successful programs in the history of this country," Isaac Ben Ezra, president of the Massachusetts Senior Action Council, said as he led a demonstration of about 40 people here against the bill Monday. "Shame, AARP."

AARP chief executive William Novelli said Wednesday that between 10,000 and 15,000 members have quit over the bill.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=519&e=19&u=/ap/medicare_aarp



The senior vote this upcoming election is going to be much needed. Seems like the repukes shot themselves in the foot on this. At least I hope its reported by the media that way.

[Deja Q]

1. Medicare isn't evil and they are overhauling the wrong aspect

Allowing privatization, as we currently know it, will likely lead to disaster - for the people, the corporation will just get wealthier like the pigs in a trough they are.

The problem is, the medical industry's prices are so overbloated that one heart attack could bankrupt them.

And with more companies opting for part-time only jobs where they don't need to provide benefits...

corporate america is evil. pure and simple.

As for the AARP: Piss on them, they deserve no less.

[Don_G]

3. AARP Is Under Reporting The Numbers

The figures are 150,000+ members that have quit plus local offices aren't forwarding the cancellations to the call center in Virgina. AARP also has an income of approximately 150 Million a year; half from insurance-related income and the other half from membership dues.

I think that the leaders of the AARP saw a chance to cash in on the pharmacutical aspects of the Medicare Bill and underestimated the furor of the rank-and-file members who will bear the brunt of this POS legislation.

This includes the Senators and the businesses/organizations that set 6 lobbyists per Senator to get this Bill passed.

[silverlib]

5. you are absolutely correct -

I emailed cancellation and refund requests from me and my husband on Thursday. I got an automatic reply saying my "request request for information concerning my membership" might not be answered for days because of the high volume of email they are receiving at this time.

JUST IMAGINE!

[Noordam]

2. But the votes are not in Mr Novelli

this article was on the front page of the normally Repug loving Tampa Tribune with the above picture. This was on Thankgiven Days paper with all the sales ads.

No Mr. Novelli you members may have not all cancelled yet.

[maxanne]

4. some senior friends of mine

Have written nasty letters to AARP, cut up their cards, and demanded a refund on their dues paid till 2006. One of them is 84. She is fit to be tied.

I've offered to drive a busload of rowdy seniors to protest. I hope they take me up on it.

Busholini is crazy. The one group NOT to piss off is seniors - they vote!

.....assuming votes still matter, that is....

[NJCher]

6. yep, absolute worst group to tick off

They have the time to devote to civic causes, they talk and read a lot and they never forget or forgive if you try to shaft them.

I knew this was going to backfire on the repukes and AARP. You would have to be so dumb not to figure that out.





Cher

[no_hypocrisy]

7. Would the Gray Panthers be a valid alternative to AARP?

http://www.graypanthers.org

[Eric J in MN]

11. another alternative to consider is the Alliance for Retired Americans

http://www.retiredamericans.org/

The Alliance for Retired Americans is against this bill, and it has millions of members.

[BlueJazz]

8. I was talking to my Grandmother

this morning and she asked me what is so bad about the new bill.

I just said:
"Grandma, have you ever, EVER seen an action that was liked by the
Insurance Industry in this country that also benifited the general public?"

She just said: "Oh, I see what you mean" (and she's 93 years old).....She get's it now!!

[Baconfoot]

9. My mother said yesterday that the AARP was just a "Magazine"...

Just thought I'd share.

[SuffragetteSal]

10. pissed

at my own Democratic representative for supporting this bill.

I am very disappointed in you Senator Wyden (http://wyden.senate.gov/)

[Capn Sunshine]

12. They face more than THAT

They screwed the pooch big time. Over half of the next generation of their members will NEVER have anything to do with them since they outed themselves.

There's a huge bump of people my age (just turned 50) that are going to view them as part of the problem, not part of a solution.

HUGE boost for the Grey Panthers.

[Pastiche423]

15. A yup

Their timing is lousy - just when the middle baby boomers are turning 50.

[dmr]

16. I agree, but not according to Novelli

I'm a boomer, and he's not speaking for me. I guess he needs to justify and place the blame somewhere other than his and AARP's bank books.

- snip -

The message was clear. "Boomers," Mr. Novelli declared, "are the future of the AARP."

Indeed, baby boomers are a big reason AARP, the retiree lobby, decided to endorse the Republican-backed Medicare bill, a move that people on both sides of the political aisle say ensured its passage.

During the past decade, AARP has moved aggressively to expand its membership by focusing on people 45 and older. In polls and focus groups, the organization learned boomers would support an experiment with private competition in the government-run Medicare program — a contentious provision that many elderly people, AARP's traditional constituency, bitterly oppose.

more ....

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/26/politics/26AARP.html?th

[neverforget]

13. My parents aren't renewing their membership which ends next month.

They are pissed!

[oasis]

14. kick

[T Bone]

17. I'll be damned if I EVER join the AARP

I wonder how many other potential future members they have lost over this. Still no one in mainstream media points out how AARP is:

1. an insurance company more than anything else.

2. led by a guy who worked for BOTH Richard Nixon and Newt Gingrich.

The organization has been borged by the GOP and corporate interests.

[goforit]

18. These wipper snappers are more gutsy than the rest of America!

A White haired Revolution!!!

Outstanding!!!