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Special Report
The American Association for Retiree Plunder
The House Ways and Means Committee brings AARP to book for betraying its members.
For those of us who toil in the vineyards of health care finance it has long been obvious that the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) is, for all intents and purposes, an insurance company disguised as an advocacy group. Thus, it was something of surprise when AARP announced its support for ObamaCare in the fall of 2009. Why would a financial conglomerate so dependent on insurance-related revenue endorse a bill that promised to wreck the health insurance industry? Then, the penny dropped. One of the ways the Democrats proposed to “pay” for their health care law was by cutting the Medicare Advantage (MA) program by $200 billion. This would inevitably drive many carriers out of the MA market and herd millions of seniors back to the more expensive coverage of traditional Medicare.
How would that benefit AARP? Traditional Medicare imposes much higher deductibles and co-pays on its beneficiaries than does MA, and the vast majority of AARP’s revenue derives from sales of “Medigap” policies that purport to cover those out-of-pocket expenses. In other words, the AARP endorsed a law that does real financial harm to seniors in order to reap a crop of new customers when ObamaCare guts Medicare Advantage. And it gets worse: Most of the victims of this cynical strategy will be low-income and minority seniors. According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), nearly 60% of MA beneficiaries have annual incomes of $10,000 to $30,000. Moreover, nearly 30% of Medicare Advantage enrollees are minorities, compared to about 20% for traditional Medicare.
The unholy alliance between AARP and the Democrats on ObamaCare has not been lost on the new Republican majority in the House. Two members of the Ways and Means Committee, Rep. Wally Herger (R-CA) and Rep. Charles Boustany (R-LA) have announced a hearing to be held this Friday: “AARP is known for being the largest and most well known seniors’ organization in the country. But what Americans don’t know is… that the AARP brand dominates the private Medicare insurance market.” As Rep. Boustany phrased it, “In light of AARP’s dependence on its income from insurance products, there is good reason to question whether AARP is primarily looking out for seniors or just its own bottom line.”
Indeed there is. Only about 20% of its $1.3 billion in annual revenue comes from membership dues. In other words, AARP earns nearly $1 billion per year by endorsing various products and services sold to its members. More than 65% of that tsunami of cash arrives in the coffers of this “seniors’ lobby” in the form of royalty payments “for lending its name to policies sold to its members by private insurers.” Thus, it seems reasonable for the members of the Ways and Means Committee to ascertain how AARP’s financial interests affect its ostensible mission of “enhancing seniors’ quality of life.” Curiously, when Charlie Rangel (D-NY) was the Chairman of the committee, neither he nor his fellow Democrats showed any interest in such apparent conflicts of interest.
In fact, when they held the majority in the House, the Democrats were so sanguine about AARP’s motives that they awarded the organization a huge grant in their infamous “porkulus” legislation. AARP received “an $18 million grant in the economic stimulus package for a job training program that has not created any jobs.” More to the point, the Democrats granted AARP a long list of special dispensations from the most onerous features of ObamaCare. As Chris Jacobs of the Republican Policy Committee has noted, AARP received exemptions from the prohibition on pre-existing condition exclusions and the $500,000 cap on executive compensation for insurance industry executives.
Jacobs also points out that the Democrats exempted AARP from the tax they imposed on insurance companies in general, “even though according to its own financial statements AARP generated more money from insurance industry ‘royalty fees’ than it received from membership dues, grant revenues, and private contributions combined.” And, although ObamaCare requires MA plans to spend 85 percent of premium revenue on medical claims, the Democrats lowered the bar for AARP’s Medigap policies to a mere 65 percent. This is perhaps what the “advocacy group” was getting at when, in response to the announcement of the upcoming hearing, it posted the following statement on its website: “AARP has a long-standing and good working relationship with Congress.”
AARP has also enjoyed a “good working relationship” with the “news” media. Stories about the organization almost invariably refer to AARP as “the nation’s leading seniors’ lobby,” with no mention of its billion dollar endorsement racket. And, predictably, MSM coverage of the upcoming Ways and Means hearing portrays it as a partisan attack on a GOP enemy. The New Republic, for example, covers the story in an article subtly titled “Republicans to AARP: Payback Time.” Its author implausibly claims to be unable to see “that the Affordable Care Act means better sales of AARP plans,” then devotes the rest of his column to red herrings involving the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and President Bush’s Medicare drug law.
But the usual progressive weapons of mass distraction won’t be sufficient to obscure AARP’s brazen conflicts of interest. The organization’s press release says it is “committed to transparency,” but it has historically resisted congressional attempts to acquire details about its multifarious insurance deals. And little wonder. If America’s seniors ever figure out that AARP’s endorsement of ObamaCare was a cynical strategy to bilk the elderly, the seniors’ group will begin hemorrhaging members as quickly as its fellow Quisling, the AMA, has lost physicians. So, Friday’s hearing should be an interesting study in evasion.
About the Author
David Catron is a health care revenue cycle expert who has spent more than twenty years working for and consulting with hospitals and medical practices. He has an MBA from the University of Georgia and blogs at Health Care BS.
Letter to the Editor View all comments (138) | Leave a comment
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Intelligent Design| 3.30.11 @ 6:26AM
AARP is a subcommittee of the DNC.
richard ryan| 3.30.11 @ 8:11AM
Anyone know of a more conservative alternative to AARP?
Teaghan| 3.30.11 @ 8:14AM
Beck talks about one on his radio show. I can't remember the name of it, but i bet if you go to his website, there would be some reference to it or an ad.
jharp| 3.30.11 @ 11:43AM
"Beck talks about one on his radio show"
Hmmm. A Glenn Beck listener?
I have called out a lot of stupid here but Glenn Beck? Are you effing kidding me?
God you Spectator posters are stupid.
Deborah D | 3.30.11 @ 12:56PM
Yeah, Beck listeners are "stupid." But, those who pay attention to Bill Maher and Chris Matthews are so brilliant -- right? Stupid.
jharp| 3.30.11 @ 1:01PM
Yes, Beck believers are stupid. Good one for recognizing that.
And I have no idea of the intellect of Maher and Matthews listeners.
I do know that Maher and Matthews are reality based. Which is exactly why the teabaggers want nothing to do with them.
Teaghan| 3.30.11 @ 1:28PM
Thank you for your kindness Jharp. I wouldn't expect anymore from a slimy liberal such as yourself.
Stephanie| 3.30.11 @ 1:33PM
"I do know that Maher and Matthews are reality based. Which is exactly why the teabaggers want nothing to do with them."
Wow, you are so brilliant! Time for you to get back to your mama's basement. You're TV dinner is ready.
JmsA| 3.30.11 @ 4:01PM
"And I have no idea of the intellect of Maher and Matthews listeners."
That's because you're as stupid as they are.
wodiej| 3.30.11 @ 8:22PM
Well you're certainly putting on a brilliant display of stupidity. Congratulations dipshit.
Michael Tomlinson| 3.31.11 @ 12:13AM
jharp thanks for the joke about Maher and Matthews being reality based. I really appreciate your sarcastic sense of humor.
JF| 3.31.11 @ 12:57PM
What reality are you talking about? The one where Dennis Kusinich sees UFOs at Shirley MacLaine's house? And if you don't "know the intellect of Maher and Matthews listeners" (n.b. - they are on TELEVISION, not radio, so they have viewers) yet you state as though it were fact that they are reality-based, one would have to conclude that YOU are one of the "listeners." And if your blanket statements that lack facts to back them up are any indication of YOUR intellect, I'd say you need to go back to your Mom's basement.
BillB| 3.30.11 @ 1:06PM
jharp - typical lib. He/she/it has no facts to present so descends to name calling and calls others what he/she/it knows he/she/it actually is.
borninsocal| 3.30.11 @ 1:13PM
Don't get upset Grasshopper. You'll still be able to sit on your ass and leech off the worker ants for some time to come.
ds80| 3.31.11 @ 12:31AM
God you Spectator posters are stupid.
... says jharp, a Spectator poster.
You have the wit and sarcasm of a prune.
ONTIME| 3.31.11 @ 12:28PM
Wow! Another compliment by a genetically superior condescending superior...tell us more smarty pants.
Darin| 3.30.11 @ 8:26AM
American Seniors.
VBMax| 3.30.11 @ 9:27AM
generationamerica.org
Teaghan| 3.30.11 @ 1:35PM
Thank you VBMax.
JmsA| 3.30.11 @ 9:39AM
AMAC, Inc. (The Association of Mature American Citizens): http://www.amac.us/
grethel| 3.30.11 @ 1:13PM
Generation America
Frank| 3.30.11 @ 3:11PM
Yes. AmericanSeniors.org
I just called AARP to cancel my membership. Asked the lady I spoke with, "Anybody else calling today to cancel?" She said, "No, you're the first one this week."
Total B.S.
vtwin| 3.30.11 @ 4:43PM
Three facts you might want to consider before jumping:
1) American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) is a non-profit organization not a For-Profit insurance company.
2) Medicare Advantage (MA) was a $200 billion taxpayer giveaway to the For-Profit healthcare insurance industry.
2) David Catron is paid by the For-Profit healthcare industry to spread disinformation.
Nunya| 3.30.11 @ 5:53PM
AARP is a liberal organization that is in the Democrap's hip pocket. They are as disingenuous as Obozo himself.
Ray| 3.30.11 @ 9:11PM
For a "non-profit," they sure do seem to make a lot of money from the use of their name, called "endorsements." As a matter of fact, they've made BILLIONS of dollars of pure profit from those endorsements over the last few years alone. I wish I could make those kind of "non-profits."
jharp| 3.30.11 @ 10:58PM
Ray,
You are a f*cking idiot.
Go learn what "non profit" means, and the rules they operate under.
And just who the f*ck is "they". The non existent shareholders?
God you people are stupid.
kevin| 3.30.11 @ 11:46PM
again i was in aarp for 10 years. They use private companies and get royalties and very big ones for going through AARP since they do not use but one PRIVATE FOR PROFIT company for each type of insurance.. The hartford is auto insurance. I had it through them and it was awful. United health is their life and i believe their medicare. I must respectfully say you are another probably young progressive shill who better do their homework. Aarp gets most of their money from insurance and they use it to lobby for democrats mostly and not for profit is loose at best. You are spreading not disinformation but propoganda.
JF| 3.31.11 @ 1:01PM
AARP is a liberal lobbyist group. It was pegged as such nearly 15 years ago in an article by Michael Barone. Its support of Obamacare - in tandem with its obvious crony-capitalist incentive to do so - is just one more reason not to support the organization.
Larry| 5.24.11 @ 2:39PM
vtwin -
(1) As someone who is familiar with how AARP does business (I used to write contracts for PPOs and other health benefits for the City of Dallas), your first statement, though marginally correct, is a ridiculous half-truth. Since AARP does NOT provide its own insurance product, but does use a FOR-PROFIT insurance company (United Health Care) to provide its services, it is clear that it is not only AARP trying to feather its own nest, but United Health Care as well. AARP, I am quite sure, gets sizable rebates from United Health Care and other carriers for using these contractors, and is clearly not a disinterested observer.
(2) I fail to see the point in your second observation. Is it better and less expensive for Federal dollars to to subsidize an offer of direct coverage options to seniors, providing them real choices in quality of care and coverage, or to have the Federal government as a direct payer, with the massive and rampant fraud in the Federal system, as well as draconian price controls on doctors and hospitals that result in bankruptcy or these providers abandoning Medicare patients altogether? This point is random and absurd.
(3) While I don't know Mr. Catron, neither do you. I suggest that you and your fellow trolls are the ones spreading disinformation. Especially the one called "jharp," who hasn't yet found invective he doesn't like.
Robin| 3.30.11 @ 9:45PM
I am married to a physician and many of his patients have dropped AARP because of their support of Obamacare. You will be shocked and pleased to know that many are democrats who have done so. AARP have long been connected to the democrat party and supporters of it. They are very liberal in every way. This whole healthcare mess is so unfortunate and is being used as a means to an end with the end being a public option. If you think you want a public option, I would encourage you to go visit a medicaid clinic one day. I have been in the medical field for nearly 20 years and they are without a doubt the worst excuse of "healthcare" I have ever seen.
jharp| 3.30.11 @ 11:01PM
Yeah, right. Married to a doctor.
What is a "Medicaid Clinic" you bumbling fool?
God you people are stupid.
Robin| 3.31.11 @ 10:52AM
You are really obnoxious. I worked a medicaid clinic long before I met him. If you don't know what a medicaid clinic is, you probably should not be replying to any posts and go get some knowledge concerning one or you could just check out the health dept in your area. Is it your desire to be such a jerk? Wow Educate yourself. You are the one looking extremely stupid here jharp but I think that is your desire unfortunately.
Chalkdust| 3.30.11 @ 6:33AM
Only a fool would belong to AARP, particularly after the sell-out to Obamacare.
Darin| 3.30.11 @ 6:49AM
Where to AARP political contributions go? If Democrats are the primary receiver (as I suspect is the case), this is also a case involving conflict of interest (much like how public unions support Democrats, who in turn give taxpayer dollars to public unions).
The media is very quick to investigate suspected ties between business/oil and Republicans. Will they be as quick to investigate suspected ties between unions/AARP and Democrats? Since the cozy relationship has existed for decades (at least for unions), don't hold your breath.
Nunya| 3.30.11 @ 5:55PM
Why would they? The media (in a general sense) is run by leftists who WANT Democraps to succeed.
Michael Tomlinson| 3.30.11 @ 7:07AM
When one of my family members turned 50 she was bombarded by AARP to join. Being a Republican (i.e., smart) she began scrawling across the letters RETURN TO SENDER and sending them back to AARP. She also wrote them a very abusive letter telling them to get their money from Obama and his whores. They removed the family from the mailing list.
Intelligent Design| 3.30.11 @ 7:09AM
Another technique is to write "Deceased" on their manure and mail it back.
Teaghan| 3.30.11 @ 8:15AM
It doesn't give you nearly the satisfaction though.
BillB| 3.30.11 @ 1:08PM
Actually send them conservative literature in the prepaid envelopes. It costs them $$$. Also, do not get off their mailing list as that costs them $$$ also.
Teaghan| 3.30.11 @ 1:36PM
We could print out articles from American Spectator and send them!
Michael Tomlinson| 3.31.11 @ 12:14AM
Good idea.
MOS was 71331| 3.30.11 @ 6:55PM
The trouble with your suggestion is that it gives the Ds another name to register as a voter.
LarryK| 3.30.11 @ 8:44AM
Actually I use their postage paid envelopes and weigh them down with junk and send it to them.
Tom Smith| 3.30.11 @ 12:54PM
This is what I do too. This way they have to pay the return postage. Junk mail out...Junk mail back
Ned| 3.30.11 @ 11:20AM
I just send them back all the crap they send me, in their postage paid return envelope, but with all of my identifying info removed... let them pay to sort through and dispose of it all...
Humorously, somebody, somewhere, fat-fingered some data input, and they have my son's DOB as 1940, instead of 1984... so he gets all sorts of insurance offers and AARP garbage... when I'm bored and feel like wasting their time, it's great fun to call them and get all excited about their programs for retirees... "Oh, by the way, I'm 26..." most of the time they don't even know what to say...
KyMouse| 3.30.11 @ 3:55PM
At the state fair, when I saw that AARP had an information table, I went by again and again and let them give me brochures, pencils, tote bags. Lots and lots of them. Which I accepted with a big smile.
Nunya| 3.30.11 @ 5:56PM
I did the same thing, sent them a nasty-gram basically saying that they were a bunch of leftists and I wanted nothing to do with them. Haven't heard from them since. ;-)
MOS was 71331| 3.30.11 @ 6:57PM
You're lucky. I can't seem to get off their mailing lists.
andrewbell| 3.30.11 @ 7:21AM
The first new rule says you HAVE to have insurance. Both my husband and I have pre-existing conditions, and although the new bill says we can't be denied coverage because of it. So far, the cheapest health insurance we've been able to find is called "Wise Medical Insurance" search for it online if you are pre-existing conditions.
jharp| 3.30.11 @ 11:34AM
"The first new rule says you HAVE to have insurance. Both my husband and I have pre-existing conditions, and although the new bill says we can't be denied coverage because of it. So far, the cheapest health insurance we've been able to find is called "Wise Medical Insurance""
Not yet liar. And too bad for you that the republicans killed the public option which was by far the least expensive coverage.
And why don't you simply keep the coverage that you have?
It couldn't be you are freeloading off the taxpayer for your healthy car? Could it?
God you people are stupid.
JP| 3.30.11 @ 11:42AM
Yeah, right. The GOP had absolutely no power to stop anything from Jan 2009 through Feb 2010. ObamaCare is and was 100% Democtratic boondogle. Check your facts before posting.
jharp| 3.30.11 @ 11:47AM
You are a liar. The GOP could have easily joined in support of the public option and gotten it passed.
And you are claiming the GOP wanted the public option but had no say?
We were two votes short you effing idiot.
So I guess I can expect Boehner and company to pass a new bill with a public option?
God you people are stupid
JP| 3.30.11 @ 1:07PM
Good grief, jharp. The GOP didn't have the votes to block anything. Thier support wasn't needed nor even solicited. Stop debasing yourself.
JP| 3.30.11 @ 1:10PM
The Senate was never short of votes. Thier version was passed before Scott Brown was elected. It was the House that was short -short of Democratic votes. The Democrats had a 41 vote majority, you moron. And they were short not 2, but 5 votes. If one party has a 41 vote majority in the House, but cannot get a bill passed there are problems with that bill. BTW, 4 of the 5 members of the Stupak 5 are now gone - includiing Stupak himself.
LiveFreeOrDie| 3.30.11 @ 3:35PM
You're wasting your time. The troll's intent is to derail the discussion away from a legitimate exchange of ideas. Every time you feed the troll you facilitate his intent.
borninsocal| 3.30.11 @ 1:13PM
Don't get upset Grasshopper. You'll still be able to sit on your ass and leech off the worker ants for some time to come.
mountaintoppatriot| 3.30.11 @ 11:59AM
What the hell is the matter with you? All you do is personally attack anyone who doesn't agree with you. Better head down to the nearest storefront Obamacare free clinic and get checked out. It seems one of your two brain cells is misfiring.
JmsA| 3.30.11 @ 12:12PM
It won't help, mountaintoppatriot; his proctologist still searching for his head.
Pineapple1| 3.30.11 @ 3:30PM
I really needed a laugh today and you surely did provide me with one. Thanks!
Dai Alanye | 3.30.11 @ 3:10PM
Am I the only one who wishes jharp would learn to punctuate?
I realize it's too much to expect him/her/it to argue rationally.
jharp| 3.30.11 @ 8:12PM
"Am I the only one who wishes jharp would learn to punctuate?"
Almost certainly you are. Being a punctuation police around here is like urinating on a five alarm fire.
We're lucky if we get complete sentences at TAS.
Larry| 5.24.11 @ 2:42PM
Very funny, jharp! But sarcasm and invective has never been a substitute for a good argument.
Go away, you contribute nothing.
martin j smith| 3.30.11 @ 7:54AM
AARP should be given NO TAX BREAKS- and it should be considered a political group- not an advocacy group for SENIORS.
Sophia Petrillo| 3.30.11 @ 8:08AM
Remember Harriet Christian! "G..D... the democratic party?" I hope every senior citizen who voted for the White Guilt 08 candidate is happy with their "change." And remember how in the 80's there was that horrible ad bashing conservatives, where the old ladys' social security check was late? Suggesting, of course, that this was Reagan's own version of Death Panels? To paraphrase Blanche Deveroux, just because some old people look like Yoda doesn't mean they're wise.
Sheila| 3.30.11 @ 12:28PM
Excellent comment, Sophia. Just as the "genteel" pseudo-conservatives at this site offer grief and compassion to any statist who dies, no matter how evil in life, so too they insist on respect-bordering on awe- for those who've managed to live past a certain age. Age is NOT synonymous with maturity or wisdom, and most of the gray-haired tea partiers were protesting FOR their own entitlements (particularly social security) as much as against anyone else's. Decline and fall.
LiveFreeOrDie| 3.30.11 @ 3:38PM
"...and most of the gray-haired tea partiers were protesting FOR their own entitlements (particularly social security) as much as against anyone else's."
Huh!??
Deborah D | 3.30.11 @ 8:31AM
During W's administration when he tried to privatized a portion of Social Security and the AARP came out against it, that's when my husband and I figured out that the AARP didn't give a rat's patootie about seniors. Rush doesn't call it the AALRP for nothing (American Association of Liberal Retired Persons).
jothepro| 3.30.11 @ 9:04AM
Deborah,
I think you are mixing this up with NAALCP (National Association for the Advancment of Liberal Colored People)
Deborah D | 3.30.11 @ 9:18AM
Nope -- Rush calls it the AALRP...and, yes, he adds the L to NAACP as well.
Deborah D | 3.30.11 @ 9:33AM
From, of all places, Media Matters ... Rush said that Reagan passed the Medicare Catastrophic Coverage Act in 1986, but the seniors "threw a fit" when they found out their premiums were going up, and it was repealed -- the American Association of Liberal Retired Persons (AALRP) "blew a gasket" about this, said Rush.
Here: http://mediamatters.org/limbaughwire/2009/07/22 You'll have to scroll down to "hour 3" -- apparently they review Rush each hour he's on!
JP| 3.30.11 @ 11:43AM
I remember that. Never believe that the Senate can't act quickly if thier jobs are on the line. It took them exactly 1 day to grease the repeal through the committe and a floor vote.
hunter| 3.30.11 @ 8:56AM
aarp has been taken over by a money grubbing bunch of shysters. What once was a association that had its members benefit foremost, now has openly not only announced they are in it for the green, but that they can be bought and paid for by the insurance industry and the president as well. I sent them a nasty letter telling them I will not be renewing my membership. I should have asked for a refund. The monthly rag (magazine) they put out is so full of insurance endorsements there is no room for any worthy news articles. SHAME ON THEM!!!!
jothepro| 3.30.11 @ 9:05AM
They are what they call "rich" people
GREEEEEEDY
David W| 3.30.11 @ 9:00AM
I joined it shortly after I turned 50. Needless to say I let my membership lapse after watching what they were actually doing. When they came out for the new health care law I knew something was fishy. I know other "seniors" who refuse to join.
they are like the rest of the political whores that surround the federal government money trough - "screw our members and those dependent upon us," they say, "just pass laws that will let us make more money. And if you do we'll herd the stupid sheep to the polls for you."
jharp| 3.30.11 @ 8:14PM
I turned 50 about 6 months ago and it never entered my mind to join. And I received no mail from them. None.
But I will check it out tomorrow. I like their politics and will likely join.
Thanks for the heads up.
jharp| 3.30.11 @ 9:02PM
I got that backwards. I mean that I turned 6 50 months ago. That makes me over 10 years old, so on my 10th birthday my Mom got me this computer, a dial-up connection, and she arranged an office for me with a desk made on top of the terrarium, and I can pretend to be a Huffington post writer using the grow lights from my big brother's pot garden.
Clint| 3.30.11 @ 9:12AM
Aarf !
Ain't Nuthin' But Hound Dogs !
Citizen Jerry| 3.30.11 @ 10:16AM
AARP will never get a nickel of my money, and they've tried. They spend boatloads of cash on advocacy advertising for Democrat policies and supporting policies that are destructive to seniors.
If they are, as they claim, a voice for seniors, they'd support policies that would actually help them, like elimination of the estate tax and drastically lowering cap gains.
Not going to happen in AARP world.
Anthony| 3.30.11 @ 10:25AM
We need a RICO investigation of this wholly owned subsidiary of the Democrat Party.
Clint Lovell| 3.30.11 @ 10:32AM
It's time someone put an end to this. I would propose Congressman Darrell Issa hold hearings and get into it, but he has turned out to be all hat and no cattle, so...
jharp| 3.30.11 @ 10:43AM
What don't you *ssholes attack the Girl Scounts? Or the Special Olympics? Oops, you already did that last one.
Worst economy since the depression and 3 wars and you effing retards go after a seniors organization.
God you people are stupid.
Oldefarte| 3.30.11 @ 10:50AM
Why don't you take your BILL MAHAR imitation and simply .........GTH???????????
LiveFreeOrDie| 3.30.11 @ 11:00AM
Don't feed the troll.
jharp| 3.30.11 @ 11:03AM
I'd be happy to. Right after you idiots get a grasp on reality.
AARP is now the cause of our problems?
It has nothing to do with the $ 3 trillion we p*ssed away in Iraq. Nor the hundreds of billions stolen by the banksters and Wall Street.
God you people are stupid.
JP| 3.30.11 @ 1:05PM
jharp, we "pissed away" $600 billion in Iraq, not $3 trillion. Get your facts straight.
BillB| 3.30.11 @ 1:12PM
Jerk harp? facts? Never the two shall meet
Teaghan| 3.30.11 @ 1:46PM
Don't you think the webmast needs to block this troll? His vulgar language is offensive and I don't appreciate being called stupid.
Though I guess it's better than being mentally ill.
LiveFreeOrDie| 3.30.11 @ 3:42PM
Tell them via email : editor@spectator.org
vtwin| 3.30.11 @ 4:58PM
A study from 2006-07 by the Milken Institute found the TOTAL cost of the Iraq war would be in excess of $2.5 trillion.
http://www.milkeninstitute.org.....83mr32.pdf
kevin| 3.30.11 @ 11:51PM
another very dumb progressive shill. Intellectually totally dishonest like jharp and young idiots.
borninsocal| 3.30.11 @ 1:13PM
Don't get upset Grasshopper. You'll still be able to sit on your ass and leech off the worker ants for some time to come.
Tyler Grant| 3.30.11 @ 3:06PM
Hey jharp . . . post your mailing address. I want to send you a big jar of petroleum jelly. Seriously! In fact, I'll send it overnight delivery.
When you've received it, I want you to coat your entire head with the stuff, from the neck up. Be sure to put a lot of it around your ears, nose, chin, and cheekbones.
Why?
Because it'll make it much easier to pull your head out of your a**.
SeattleBred| 3.30.11 @ 11:01AM
Lighten up, Jharp. I don't know what the "J" is for but the "harp" is appropos.
George True| 3.30.11 @ 11:49AM
So Jfart, as always, you engage in your infantile practice of calling everybody names. As long as you do this, you will not be allowed to take part in the conversation here at TAS. This childish behavior on your part automatically brands you as someone who has nothing to say worth hearing or responding to. If you were not such a dim bulb, you might realize that.
Sheila| 3.30.11 @ 12:30PM
The Girl Scouts are hand-in-hand with Planned Parenthood, and are diversity shills. Is that enough of an attack? Canned troll is sooo distasteful.
Decline and fall.
Teaghan| 3.30.11 @ 1:48PM
What a heartbreak.
Stammon| 3.30.11 @ 8:28PM
What are you? 15? If you are an adult learn to talk like one. This forum is for adults, not children who whine how "it's not fair".
Oldefarte| 3.30.11 @ 10:48AM
AARP ought to be renamed DNC INSURANCE COMPANY! When CHOSEN/DEMOCRATS' gutted $500 million from Medicare in order to fund [transfer to] his/their WELFARECARE legislation, it should have been a red flag warning to seniors of their subversive intentions. The whole idea behind WELFARECARE is to destroy Medicare, and to replace same with WELFARECARE. The difference is that Medicare beneficiaries cannot collect Medicare insurance benefits until they reach the age of 65, whereas WELCARE'S beneficiaries can collect at mostly any age; Medicare's beneficiaries have PAID FOR their insurance coverages through their lifetime of work/payroll deductions, whereas WELFARECARE'S have not [can collect at age 20 if necessary] and in most cases have not paid for their coverages [many will be indigents whose premiums/benefits are subsidized by not only working/producing taxpayers but current retirees/Medicare reipients as well]. WELFARECARE and AARP are nothing but FRAUDS and the sooner seniors learn this fact, the better!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
jharp| 3.30.11 @ 12:43PM
You and might be in agreement here.
You like Medicare. Me too.
You don't like ObamaCare. I feel it doesn't got far enough.
Let's scrap ObamaCare and enact Medicare for all.
Fair enough?
borninsocal| 3.30.11 @ 1:12PM
Don't get upset Grasshopper. You'll still be able to sit on your ass and leech off the worker ants for some time to come.
Oldefarte| 3.30.11 @ 3:18PM
No way in Hades we'll agree. I've got a better idea....let's defeat all Democrats and deport their member-lawyers [including their typically frivalous lawsuits which constitute the reason for 75% of health insurance companies' rate/consumer premium increases] in the process; which will lower everyone's health insurance premiums/costs; defund Democrats' WELFARECARE and leave Medicare as is [with its lowering of costs as per above; and thus requiring all workers to necessarily work a full normal lifetime before becoming able to collect their PAID FOR health insurance from the government. But hey, that's not the welfaric-Democrats way [of screwing the taxpayers to pay for welfare to their indigent constituents], right?????????
jharp| 3.30.11 @ 5:14PM
You are a buffoon.
And unable to communicate in complete sentences.
The paragraph is your friend, dumbass.
Go back to school and learn how to use it. We'll all be better off.
And didn't you know that Medicare is unconstitutional in the teabag o'sphere?
God you people are stupid.
Nunya| 3.30.11 @ 6:06PM
Harp, maybe you should take your own advice--you state that the "paragraph is your friend" in a post of single lines. Genius.
BTW, if you can't stop insulting everyone with your childish rants, why not just STFU. Better to be silent and thought a fool than to open one's mouth (or in this case keyboard) and remove all doubt.
I'll explain that to you if I must.
jharp| 3.30.11 @ 6:36PM
"you state that the "paragraph is your friend" in a post of single lines."
Some would call those single lines paragraphs dumbass. Some being those who are educated.
God you people are stupid.
Nunya| 3.30.11 @ 8:35PM
Hmmm.... Yet another ad hominem attack by an obvious wordsmith--who OBVIOUSLY knows more than the rest of us; we stupid masses. I guess all my years studying were now wasted. Thank you for the enlightenment.
FUATHYRIO. Dick.
Ray| 3.30.11 @ 9:22PM
You are probably aware of this, being such an grammatical genius yourself ,but single line paragraphs are only used when the following sentence isn't related to the previous one. But that wasn't the case in your previous post.
Since all of your sentences are related to each other in that post, they should all be included in the same paragraph. But, of course, a wise person such as yourself, one that is well educated in grammar, so much so that you feel the need to belittle others for their apparent grammatical errors, should already know this.
Perhaps it would have been better if you used the "MS WORD double line formatting" excuse as that would have been far more convincing than nonsensical the one you resorted to.
jharp| 3.30.11 @ 10:34PM
"single line paragraphs are only used when the following sentence isn't related to the previous one"
No sh*t dumbass.
Welcome to freshman English.
God you people are stupid.
make my day| 3.30.11 @ 11:32PM
after reading your posts it is obvious you are not 50, you didn't even know that the house did not pass the public option because of democratic crossovers, 3 trillion for the iraq war is a joke. You are a shill for one of the far left leech blogs, and you really do more harm to your cause than good. Yoou are probably a young dumb ass because unfortunetely you all use the same technique and you cannot cover yourself. Anyone who says tea baggers is incapable of any civil discussion because they are bigots.If you and your ficticious husband don't have health insurance too bad because people who are gutter-mouthed ignorant bigots are uninsurable. So take your narrow -minded self back to the mike malloy show or one of the progressive blogs that the same 100 people go to everyday
seano| 3.30.11 @ 11:16PM
why I did not know Wile E. Coyote super genius could really use the internet. Gee you have been on this page all day you couldn't be a progressive troll never. Another independent who will not be voting for progressives next election because of people like you. Say wile you need to buy an acme made sign that says will be a progressive genius for food. How much are you getting paid to be an all day heckler,probably minimum wage because you are affiliated with the progressive sites or like the unions who last summer paid the protesters minimum wage to picket. That is fact because I saw it on msnbc.They need to get a more studious troll than you,your facts like the 3 trillion aren't even in the ball park, it was 900 billion up to nov 25,2010 and that is money actually spent by the u.s. government,not as reported by a far left wing blog which I know of but do not want to give credit by mentioning their name. Reputable liberal websites even site that figure because their boy Obama was in on the spending too.You give your trollness away imbecile. Your posts are comedy. I do not need to go back to school, I build things and did not learn my expertise from some self-absorbed progressive dork professor who like the liberal arts teachers I had knew nothing on how real business works,and I did just fine. I hear the Roosterrama is hiring you would fit in nicely. They need an english major to talk poetry to the cocks before they fight.
BG| 3.30.11 @ 10:51AM
Like usual, a little too little too late.
This article should have been published years ago when people then were awakening to the fact that AARP was little more than a liberal-progressive group which helped elect Democrats. Of course they're interested in their bottom-line, but much more importantly, their propoganda has always been laced with liberal lies....
They are more corrupt than you obviously know...., or it takes quite a while for your writers to determine what's really going on......
Michael L. Hauschild| 3.30.11 @ 11:07AM
My father passed several years ago, and I can assure you, the most difficult task in the world is to get off these leeches mailing list.
Anommynous| 3.30.11 @ 11:23AM
Back when George W. Bush was pushing for Social Security reform, the AARP ran a television ad where a couple called a plumber for a clogged drain, who then came in to demolish the whole house to fix the sink. I remember the ad distinctly, and I'm sure many of you will remember it, too. I can't find the ad on YouTube, but you can find a transcript of the ad here: http://www.factcheck.org/aarp_.....ecker.html
So the AARP, back then, was saying that you don't need to tear down a house (Social Security) to fix its "minor" problems. If the AARP were consistent and honest, they would have run that exact same ad for Obamacare. You don't need to tear down the whole healthcare system to fix its minor problems. But of course, they are dishonest hypocrites, so they fully backed the "bulldozing" of the American healthcare system to make way for Obamacare.
Hypocrites. I really, really hate them.
Anommynous| 3.30.11 @ 11:30AM
Ah, you can watch the ad right here:
http://www.factcheck.org/video/Kitchen_SinkLo.wmv
Now tell me, why would the AARP run this for Social Security but not for Obamacare?
George True| 3.30.11 @ 11:44AM
Folks, do not engage the childish leftist troll Jharp. As you can see, his posts are nothing but a combination of drivel and boilerplate leftist claptrap. But what is unacceptable about his posts is his standard "God you people are stupid" blanket insult at the end of every post.
Behavior this contemptible cannot be countenanced here. I would strongly suggest that you limit any exchange with him strictly to calling him out on this nasty penchant he has for calling everybody names. Do not engage him on his leftist claptrap talking points, as this is what he wants. Until he learns to behave like an adult, he cannot be allowed to take part in the conversation here.
VBMax| 3.30.11 @ 12:00PM
I second that...
Oldefarte| 3.30.11 @ 3:25PM
I see your well-reasoned argument, but personally I enjoy retorting morons like him. The more these idiots open their arsmouths, the more evident it is of their usual stupidity [similar to Napolitano's HARPING concerning how secure our S/W border is now, which is beyond stupid]. I say let them bring it on.....it just represents another step toward defeat for Democrats in November of 2012!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
PatriotGal2257| 3.30.11 @ 11:56AM
In my little corner of Western PA, I happen to know that Jason Altmire of PA-4 voted against Obamacare, or more properly *was allowed to vote no* by Nancy Pelosi, but apparently does not support its repeal. Why mention this? Because besides his being a Democrat, I also happen to know that Altmire's wife is a VP with AARP. My cynical compass says that Nancy probably let him off for the formal vote so he wouldn't have hell to pay from his many senior constituents, but he naturally wouldn't support repeal because he wants to maintain the more-than-cozy relationship AARP has with the Democrats. No doubt staying in his wife's good graces is a large part of it as well.
JeffT| 3.30.11 @ 1:33PM
The thing I love about the chatter is how brave people are in their anonymity. Calling people who disagree with you stupid is well, immature. In face to face communication, if you kept calling me stupid I'd smack your face silly.
Prester John| 3.30.11 @ 1:40PM
One other little tidbit. Back when Bush 43 was trying to "privatize" Soc Sec and give workers the choice to invest 2 of the 6% withheld in payroll taxes in private investment accounts, AARP went nuts because they said the stock market was such a gamble.
Now then, guess who was offering a whole line of mutual funds that invested in the stock market?
(Drum roll please) AARP.
NOTE: AARP got out of the mutual funds business Summer 2010.
Chuck The Beerguy| 3.30.11 @ 1:55PM
When AARP endorsed Obama, I knew it's time to not renew. They don't represent me anymore. I used to think they did.
Are you happy with your change?
George True| 3.30.11 @ 1:59PM
First of all, good article, Mr Catron. My only question is why did we not see any such articles exposing the real agenda of AARP prior to the illegal passage of Obamacare, when it might have made a difference?
Does anyone remember last year when AARP had their own townhall meeting, with a capacity crowd of members in attendance? Without exception, the members voiced their strong disapproval of Obamacare because of how it would strip $500 billion out of Medicare, and how it would greatly curtail seniors' access to Medicare Advantage. The board members of AARP who were present, a bunch of 30-somethings, basically told their members to STFU, and then they abruptly left their own meeting. If anyone had any doubt previously, that told all one needed to know about the AARP directors and their agenda.
As someone who has been in the life and health insurance field for over 20 years, I have arrived at a few conclusions of my own about AARP over the years. First, full disclosure: I am a member, but only for the purpose of receiving AARP's mailings offering various AARP-branded insurance. Every time a receive one of their offerings, I diligently compare it to other similar insurance products that are available in the marketplace.
Conclusion one: AARP's products suck. Every time without exception, I could offer similar products at a substantially lower price, or offer dramatically more coverage at the same price, with other carriers. This applies to ALL of AARP's offerings, including final expense life insurance, term life insurance, disability insurance, and Medicare Advantage. For a few years, AARP did offer about the best rate out there on their Medicare supplement plans (also called Medigap), but that is no longer the case. (Mutual of Omaha currently has the best prices on Medicare Supplement.)
My other conclusion is that AARP's branded Medicare Advantage plans (underwritten by United Healthcare) were never any particular bargain. There always were and still are MA plans out there that offer more enhanced benefits and lower premiums than AARP's plans.
Just as some background information, there were a few very large health insurance carriers who saw which way the political winds were blowing, and who subsequently cut a deal with the Obama administration to be largely exempt from the loss ratios in Obamacare, and to be the ones who would directly benefit from the insurance mandate in Obamacare. United Healthcare was one of these carriers. As AARP's fortunes were directly tied to UHC, they went right along with this deal. In other words, they sold out their own membership on Obamacare in the name of their own guaranteed future profits.
AARP is nothing but a for-profit wholesaler of overpriced, substandard insurance products masquerading as a seniors advocacy organization.
e cowan| 3.30.11 @ 2:21PM
AARP sure lost me as a member.
I read letter from poor suckers quoting AARP literature about how Social Security is just fine and the Fund is FULL of US govenment bonds. They trust everything AARP tells them. And I have this lovely bridge in Brooklyn ..........
Dai Alanye | 3.30.11 @ 3:19PM
It's truly good news to see that so many have wised-up to what AARP is, but you've got to admire their business model. They present themselves as a quasi-charitable operation with whom it is a privilege for the elderly to do business, and Congress to subsidize. It's a wonderful racket.
Anommynous| 3.30.11 @ 4:00PM
Ha. I find nothing to admire about a business model based on lies and deceit.
No No bomba kare| 3.30.11 @ 4:17PM
To me, the AARP appears and smells like the organization for retired hippies and left wing nuts. I would be dead before I even consider joining this leftist group.
bc| 3.30.11 @ 7:53PM
This journey we are on with Obama feels like being strapped to a sinking ship by a bunch of Jharps determined that we sink "communally" AARP is a fascist organization, much like GE, and in its day, Mercedes Benz. Nothing new, other than the names of the different power brokers.
Ray| 3.30.11 @ 9:26PM
AARP is making money from the endorsement of their name? That should exclude them from being listed as a non-profit. You can't sell your name to others and then claim it's not done for profit. Every dollar of income generated by this type endorsement is PURE profit!
niteowl| 3.30.11 @ 9:52PM
AARP takes our money and supports the Dems agenda. Same money laundering system the Unions use. I joined AMAC a year ago.
Nite| 3.30.11 @ 10:06PM
There is no question that AARP formed an unholy alliance with the Democrats, Labor Unions, Marxists, and radicals to get Obamacare pushed through, and actually sold Seniors down the river. Now, AARP is sending funding letters accusing Republicans of balancing the budget on the backs of Seniors. Actually, Republicans are trying to save Medicare and Social Security from being fully destroyed like the Dems were going to do. The reforms will not affect those retired or close to retirement. AARP needs to be investigated on some of their dealings.
Sowell Disciple| 3.31.11 @ 12:19PM
AARP doesn't stand for anything - literally. I saw one of their officials interviewed a couple years back. They deleted the "American Association of Retired Persons" because it's not just for retirees. So it's just AARP! Pathetic that they couldn't even come up with words that fit the initials.
ONTIME| 3.31.11 @ 12:32PM
There is more out there than AARP, I stopped dealing with this outfit after they put that communist Belafonte on their cover and praised him and then I was glad I did after they screwed their membership by siding with Barry and his ganstas...Your best bet is to get far away from AARP and vote against Barry and his ilk the Deemers.
figusja| 4.1.11 @ 7:17AM
We have to start educating the seniors and get them off AARP's enrollment list. The free market is still able to show corrupt businesses that if they provide a deficient product no one will buy it. Let us show this monster(AARP) that they cannot just take advantage of Americans to line their own pockets. That is why I joined Generation America. They are competing against AARP. I would take a chance with an honest fool than a smart thief any day!!!!!
Dee See| 4.1.11 @ 7:42AM
Are we the only ones realizing NOT ONLY
are the pensions gone ------BUT those FEMA
camps that don't exist are the Silver Towns
of the dawning A-MAL-GAME-MATED North
American franchise slum union.
How's the image of going down with RED Chinese
nurses assisting with efficient smiles and ABBA
softly playing on the PA sound?
IT IS COMING------------------------------------------
Ralph Novy| 4.1.11 @ 10:52AM
"the usual progressive weapons of mass distraction"
Beyond hypocrisy -- on to "projection."
Whatever valid points might have been made were nullified by that revelatory lie.
Richard Baker| 4.3.11 @ 11:14AM
United Healthcare, the Medicare supplement company, is just a small part of the insurance organization funding the lefties at AARP. As mentioned above about Harry Belafonte, I cancelled my membership via telephone when I saw who their "heros" were. The speaker on their end told me that they would return my money but AARP didn't really need me, after all, as they had thousands every month joining.
Creative Recreation | 8.10.11 @ 11:10PM
is good