I don't think you can break up the AARP - although it would be interesting to see if 30- and 40-somethings will want to join when they turn 50. But I hear you somehow get "automatic" membership on your 50th birthday, is that true? Perhaps it won't be so powerful down the road if fewer people join, but that's a long ways away.
I don't think they'll see reason unless AARP members somehow get outnumbered at the voting booths or see a dramatic increase in younger people voting. They're successful because their members vote.
I don't know if it is automatic since I think there might be dues involved, but yeah, you get a nice package with a free gift when you turn 50.
Okay cool. I'll shit on it and send it back when I get one. Happy 50th to me.
I kid, I kid. AARP is a lobby like any other lobby and they're doing what any other lobby does. I get it. But I'm still not a fan.
I don't think you can break up the AARP - although it would be interesting to see if 30- and 40-somethings will want to join when they turn 50. But I hear you somehow get "automatic" membership on your 50th birthday, is that true? Perhaps it won't be so powerful down the road if fewer people join, but that's a long ways away.
I don't think they'll see reason unless AARP members somehow get outnumbered at the voting booths or see a dramatic increase in younger people voting. They're successful because their members vote.
I don't know if it is automatic since I think there might be dues involved, but yeah, you get a nice package with a free gift when you turn 50.
I just checked. You do have to pay, but it's dirt cheap to join ($12-$16 per year) and you're entitled to TONS of discounts and member benefits. Old people love discounts. I bet their business affiliates pay AARP a fee to get access to those customers. Great business model.
I only skimmed but in response to whomever thinks this is about "taking away" senior entitlements, please stop and think about that for a moment. If all entitlements were to vanish tomorrow, who would be on the financial hook for the elderly? Oh yeah, the younger folks. X and Y can't win for losing.
Look, this isn't about throwing anyone into the street. This is about the need for shared sacrifice. This is about older voters not giving an inch toward ensuring that the entitlements we *all* pay for will be there for *all* of us. This is about incrementally increasing the age at which one is eligible for SS without people over 55 climbing onto the cross. This is about asking the elderly, who use more health care than any other group by a mile, to contribute a bit more to their own health care and to give a damn about the rising cost of care rather than behaving as though they deserve a hip replacement at age 90. This is about seniors taking SS and Medicare well beyond what they contribute or the system can afford without screaming about the young, in-debt, and can't-find-a-job-to-save-their-lives being a bunch of lazy, irresponsible mooches. This is about acknowledging that the entitlement crisis has been brewing for decades and that older voters failed to demand that politicians do anything about it. This is about older voters having the voting power to prevent the pain caused primarily by their own piss-poor policy choices over the past five decades from being shared equally and instead choosing to cast it off onto their children and grandchildren because GODDAMMIT, THEY EARNED IT!
If you can't see at least that much in this discussion then you are either deliberately obtuse or woefully ignorant.
Also, I'm kind of miffed that the discussion of lousy old drivers has bogged down part of the discussion here.
My mom joined AARP, but mostly because she likes her random discounts.
She is pretty active politically, and certainly isn't a typical "old" but thanks to the magic of two party politics, she's also unlikely to vote for anybody who really pushes overhauling entitlement programs because she'll never vote for somebody running under a party with an anti-gay stance in their official platform.
My almost-70 father hates the AARP. He thinks Boomers are a bunch of entitled whiners and is embarrassed by his own generation's efforts to filch from their children and grandchildren. He's also a die-hard liberal.
Post by Melissa W. on Jun 27, 2012 11:01:00 GMT -5
If you go to their website this is what they say: "AARP believes strongly in the principles of collective purpose, collective voice and the collective power of the 50 and over population to change the market based on their needs. These principles guide our efforts.
Learn more about our Advocacy efforts, Member Products, Services and Discounts, Volunteerism, and AARP Research"
If you go to their website this is what they say: "AARP believes strongly in the principles of collective purpose, collective voice and the collective power of the 50 and over population to change the market based on their needs. These principles guide our efforts.
Learn more about our Advocacy efforts, Member Products, Services and Discounts, Volunteerism, and AARP Research"
I don't think the politicians are my age. I'm early 30s.
I'm thinking at least some are in their 30's. In any event, they're not "elderly".
It's moved past this, but "The average age of Members of the House at the beginning of the 112th Congress was 56.7 years; and of Senators, 62.2 years."
Are you sure about that? Intelligent people walk a mile in the shoes of others. They don't make sweeping generalizations and assume things about a group of people and they don't bitch and complain about those people.
Are you sure about that? Intelligent people walk a mile in the shoes of others. They don't make sweeping generalizations and assume things about a group of people and they don't bitch and complain about those people.