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(image: Dean Mougianis)
AARP is very much open to supporting cutting Social Security benefits. AARP’s push back and non-denial related to the recent Wall Street Journal article was simply that they didn’t want people to infer that AARP supported Social Security being part of the specific deficit ceiling negotiations going on at this moment. Separate from those exact negotiations though, AARP will admit they have been quietly hinting at being willing to support cuts to Social Security benefits for months. From Politico:
According to [David] Certner, AARP’s legislative director, his group was never seeking this kind of publicity. He said that the policy director quoted in the Journal report, John Rother, had been speaking for “months” with the newspaper about the possibility of cuts to Social Security — far before the current debate over raising the national debt ceiling.
(emphasis added)
At least as far back as August AARP director of public policy, John Rother, refused to take a hard line against benefits cuts while the Simpson-Bowles deficit commission negotiations were heating up. From the Wall Street Journal:
“We’re prepared to be quite supportive of a real engagement on the issue,” said John Rother, director of public policy for AARP. Acting sooner allows for changes to be made gradually, he said, and will reassure younger workers that the program will be there for them. He dismisses those who said they can never support benefit cuts.
AARP might not technically be open to supporting cuts in Social Security benefits as part of current deficit ceiling negotiations but that is rather immaterial since those negotiations are likely to be concluded in just a few weeks and the plan wasn’t to deal with Social Security anyway.
The important take away is that the AARP in the very near future, is open to supporting a legislative package that cuts Social Security benefits.
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AARP, it turns out, is Dutch for ‘quisling.’
I see seniors and about to be seniors dumping all insurance policies they got thru AARP and burn their cards. What better way to tell the group to go AARP themselves!
Ha! I have a few better choice meanings for it. ;-)
AARP should change their initials to CGAFAYP – Could Give A Fuck About You, Pops.
They’re about as useful as their role model the Chamber of Commerce.
I do not believe that AARP is operating contrary to the wishes of senior citizens. There has been no effort on the part of seniors in this country to protect future generations. They are concerned with their own benefits. It is the same reason unions are going to two tiers of benefits.
Quisling may not be quite the right word. AARP is the right’s Tokoyo Rose to the over 50 – just another vehicle of propaganda.
I just saw a commercial by AARP insisting they don’t want any cuts to social security.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJz109SOguY
This isn’t the exact commercial but the message was the same.
I think this is what happens when you quit your low-pay job as a community organizer and get a great gig as an insurance salesman because of the connections you made in your last job.
It’s sort of like the revolving door thing, except for organizations. Amazing what money does to people.
I think this is what happens when the dynamic of neoliberalism bites ever deeper into social services, into the ways that–at bottom–we take care of each other, including as we grow old: an organization that might have once been non-profit (or even, god forbid, a part of government) becomes increasingly pressed to adopt a business model to survive. It starts selling (natural, in a way) insurance. Suddenly, its allegiances have shifted.
It’s a long way from a hug for an old person, or from helping them because they live in your community, or are your parent or your friend(s). Every step of the process becomes more alienated, every step that can be is pointed toward either profit or starved to get you profit. It’s not a way to run a human world.
I’ve never trusted AARP. It’s an Insurance company, basically. I’ve read some of their publications, and while the article titles appear useful and interesting, the articles, themselves, are mostly weak sauce and not worth bothering about.
I *think* at one time AARP may have more truly rep. the needs of Seniors, but that was a long ago & far away.
And sadly it’s true that *many* of those at least over 70 (if not younger) seem to have imbibed something that makes them utterly *indifferent* to the fate of those younger than them. I speak as someone who spends time with a number of aging relatives & their friends. It’s kind of shocking what some of them say, but it can be boiled down to: I got MINE and I don’t give a sh*t about anyone else.
No surprises that AARP has been ready & willing to cave on Soc Sec. They’re “in” with the IN crowd, and that’s how they roll….
Anyone who belongs to AARP should get the hell out & certainly I don’t recommend buying any insurance thru them. BAH!!!!
A good analysis of the situation with AARP, and I agree that’s what’s happened.
Layer on top of that the propoganda that’s been pumped out for years to be completely self-centered and forget about anyone else’s needs, and voila! That’s the new “model” for AARP.
It’s a feature, not a bug.
Sorry for the OT:
Al Gore Blasts Obama On Climate Change For Failing To Take ‘Bold Action’
Obama’s taking more and more of a beating from progressives and the left as we go into an election year. Good. The backstabbing sellout deserves it.
Goodbye, AARP.
AARP is no longer a name I trust.
Has anyone at FDL thought about contacting Betty White to get her response to the revelation that AARP supports cutting Social Security?
AARP Press Release (Jan 25, 2011): Betty White Gets Her AARP Card and Signs on to Help Engage Membership in Living Their Best Lives
Why not just raise payroll taxes again? Then there wouldn’t have to be any SS cuts.
I don’t know your age bracket or if you have actually seen many senior citizens irate about attacks on Social Security, but I’m in the age and I’ve seen it. It has happened at many “townhall” meetings with congress critters. It response in favor of SS for future generations was strong enough that w had to give up on his plans and alan simpleton had to go into full attack mode against those opposing cuts. Cutting SS is not a popular idea even among the t-baggers.
If we cannot figure out how to move the government and corporate structure to a more moderate and humane point of view how do you think older Americans can do this? And how many seniors could see the level of destruction coming our way? Remember how crappy things were during the Bush years? Remember how Clinton sold us down the river? Remember how we all thought there was hope for this country in 2008? The older generation is separated from the way the world functions today because things have changed more for them than any other generation. Plus, we are isolated in our suburban neighborhoods and in our automobiles. Our culture by design does not enhance our ability to change it. Plus, many seniors believed what they were told by their society. Who knew that this country would go ape shit crazy after 9-11? Who knew how badly we would all be thrown under the bus by our “elected” officials??
Just add to this:
http://goo.gl/TVsml
Don’t they mainly sell insurance?
Peut-être their leadership includes the same people, under
different flags, who sold your parents their tax-locked
products from which their savings are going to subsidize
the 0% reserves at the TBTF banks run by their self-important
fast money-losers.
It simply shouldn’t be JUST what’s called a “casino economy”
for all the people all the time with all their money.
http://goo.gl/mw3U2
THE FOLLOWING:
The less Social Security, the more insurance AARP sells,
n’est-ce pas?
I didn’t know the Koch Bros. funded AARP.
BearCountry,
I gave an earful to aarp last week and yesterday and am taking personal action. Here’s what I wrote to the Norskeflamethrower:
Norske,
Have a great time fishing.
I shared the Wall Street Journal article with my mother’s circle of friends. Hell, I’m 56 so we’re talking 70-80 year-olds.*g*
Betty White can talk all she wants to them(great slick marketing, ain’t it?)
I called aarp, gave them an earful after she told me their “president” had issued a statement. I told her it was a bullshit weasel statement.
Hit em where it hurts, in the pocketbook. I told em I was gonna talk all of my Mom’s friend and convince them to cancel their membership.
Us Iowans are more informed than most(we get to meet all the candidates at the caucus) This will resonate with aarp I hope.
Pass the ammunition!
aaah. Hadn’t thought of it that way. Thanks.
Still it is better than the Koch-Sucking 60+ that took out 1.4 million dollars worth of ads praising Paul Ryan’s Kill Medicare bill for all future generations.
I was over at the Formerly-Great Orange Satan the other day, and there was a diary ridiculing “Firebaggers” for quitting AARP, burning membership cards, etc.
The savvy diarist was congratulating himself on retaining some “influence” on AARP by retaining his AARP membership and sending them a strongly-worded letter. Yeah, those Firebaggers are obviously too stoopid to understand the awesome power of “influence” (as wielded by the savvy diarist).
So it’s true that a veal-pen restricts certain kinds of movements, but it still allows its occupants to pat themselves on the back!
I’m in agreement with that, but I realize that you meant that ironically somehow.
I’ve been calling for raising the payroll tax all along. I think it should be done, and then we can cease with this nonsense.
The income cap on Soc Sec deductions is incredibly regressive and should’ve been raised ages ago.
However, the main issue isn’t with the so-called “running out of money” in Soc Sec meme that’s peddled to the masses as some “truthiness.
The issue is that Pete Petersen & his fabulously wealthy buddies just want to rip off Soc Sec in the name of enriching their own pockets.
AARP is in league with Pete Petersen; that’s all you need to know.
Glad to hear about your experiences, but I have to say that they are pretty much diametrically opposite to mine. I have T-bagger rels who are in their late 60s commenting that Soc Sec needs to be “cut.” Don’t ask me why. I gave up trying to figure out their “logic” a long time ago.
My very very elderly parents’ friends can be rather visciously nasty about the coming plight of those younger than they are (I’m talking about folks in their late 80s & early 90s, who are mentally sound). I’ve been gob-smacked at how *nasty* they can be. It’s all pointing fingers of blame at the younger generation, and as I commented earlier, pretty much comes down to: I got MINE, SCREW you, you clearly lazy shiftless slacker… YOU will get *what you deserve.* ptoui!
Just to let you know that most of these seniors of whom I speak are totally *addicted* to Rush, were utterly *dependent* on Glenn Beck and LOVED Sarah Palin with the passion of a 1000 white-hot suns. Sadly, though, I know quite a few of these very elderly folks, and believe you me, they definitely GOTV amongst their pals who are still capable of making it to the polling booths (which are set up right there in the golden ager home).
So… some of the elderly could care LESS about what happens after they go.
I would say that most would say: Hands Off MY Soc Sec, but feel free to go after anyone else’s because, clearly, they deserve to be ripped off.
Sorry to sound so cynical, but I’ve been socializing with my parents’ friends for years, so I’ve heard it all endlessly.
I quit AARP back when they agreed to the “donut hole” in Medicare Part D.
Yes ~ those are interesting dots to connect. It’s a business model!
The diarist might ask himself how much he’s paying for his AARP membership fee.
There’s no message like the message sent by not paying the membership fee!
He can even send them a letter telling them why he’s not paying the AARP membership fee anymore and why he thinks it’s important to encourage others to stop paying membership fees to AARP.
No offense, but, have you ever considered that maybe you just have some heartless, uncaring relatives who lack compassion for others? It doesn’t matter which political party they belong too, they would still have those characteristics (whether certain personality characteristics are related to party affiliation may be interesting to know).
As for AARP, does anyone think they will change positions if they receive “strongly worded” letters, but continue using their services? All they care about is memberships and providing services, ie. money. Writing letters while continuing to purchase their services just leads to comments such as SaltinWound’s above that “there has been no effort on the part of seniors in this country to protect future generations”.
That makes too much sense.
These are very dark times, it seems that we’ve fallen off a cliff and are not going to recover. Koch bro’s being behind the kill SS plan is unreal. These people do whatever they want they dont care who knows thats pretty damn scary
Not offended. My rels have been brainwashed by the propoganda machine, which is pumped out endlessly in the media and their churches. That said, I bring up my experiences with my relatives bc I believe that there are LOTS more citizens out there like them (and I see them in my parents golden ager home).
Yes, these people would be mean-spirited no matter what their party affiliation is, but our wealthy overlords have worked hard on the media and church propoganda to make citizens behave and believe this way. I have watched my family transform from typical/trad. conservatives, who still had a heart & used their brains occassionally, to nasty spiteful victimizing nutbars over the course of the past 30 years.
Very chilling… it’s like my family has been taken over by the pod people (in all seriousness). But any sort of humor aside, I’m pointing out what we’re up against in terms of a significant portion of our population who believes this way and votes accordingly.
The rates have gone up 2 dozen times in the last 80 years, but not once in the last 20.
Employer and employee, each %
1937 1
1950 1.5
1954 2
1957 2.25
1959 2.5
1960 3
1962 3.125
1963 3.625
1966 4.2
1967 4.4
1969 4.8
1971 5.2
1972 5.2
1973 5.85
1978 6.05
1979 6.13
1981 6.65
1982 6.7
1984 7
1985 7.05
1986 7.15
1988 7.51
1990 7.65
The important take away is that the AARP in the very near future, is open to supporting a legislative package that cuts Social Security benefits
Like after the 2012 elections? Obama is no better than Paul Ryan..recall when Obama met with the GOP leadership he singled out Ryan saying he liked his ideas in Medicare/Medcaid and SS
Orange Satanists…what a bunch of tools.
But you have to admit there’s a kind of symmetry to their reaction. Rother gets the AARP board to cave on SS benefit cuts because, “The ship was sailing. I want(ed) to be at the wheel when that happens,…”
And the Obamabots write sternly worded letters to AARP so they can maintain their “credibility” and “influence” in the debate.
Sort of like telling an out of control alcoholic not to take that first drink. For the 75th time. You wouldn’t want to get shrill, or walk away. They’d never listen to you then.
Actually, there is one more change. Obama lowered the rate of the employee by 2% this year making the whole problem worse.
John Rother, if not AARP as a body, are selling us out, that’s how simple it is. They may be doing it to “save” SS (in their minds!), but what they don’t seem to have figured out, is the voting strength of their own body of constituents. They’ve swallowed the current DC line of tripe: We’re poor, now. We can’t afford healthcare, Social Security AND waging three wars at once, so SS will have to go.
I came to this story swinging, to defend AARP. But now I find that they’ve become exactly what I thought they never would: patsies of the Koch Brothers’ Scare Stories. They also don’t seem to have figured out that once we fall for these lies on how we “must” spend our money, it’s all over.
And there is no need! These guys have spent ‘WAY too much time on Capitol Hill being fed the same lies the House and Senate are now drowning in. America DOES have the money we need; we’ve just listened to the fattened lies of the Rich Reich for far too long — so long that we’ve started to believe them. But the logic of the Rich WILL NOT WORK FOR YOU AND I. In fact, it ONLY works for those already rich — which puts 95 % of the citizenry of this democracy on notice, that there is only ONE niche left for them: cash cows to the Rich Reich. No more middle class. The Rich and the Poor.
Welcome to the Poorhouse.
As for the clout available: every Senior Citizen in the country will vote ONE WAY ONLY on this issue, and whoever crosses them is GUARANTEED to lose an election. The Banksters are far out of control, but they are now used to getting their way. Seniors will just have to turn out and show them how wrong they are.
AARP will twist in the wind in the future if they do this. It’s already too late. AARP is a “pod” organization animated by the corporate elite now.
People don’t like being had. Where do they think their retirees get the money to become members and buy their products. This move completely undermines their entire premise. The damage is already done. People will drop them like uncomfortable shoes you can’t get through your day wearing. Nope, their stock is going toe up as we speak. It’s like Victoria Secrets saying they want to embrace middle aged plus size women from here on out. These idiots have been taken over by the elite that buy everything. it’s a fact. The real AARP is simply been whacked in an alley somewhere.
The American Association of Republican Propagandists (AARP).
I wouldn’t put it that way. At 67, I’ve paid all my working life for SS and Medicare benefits, more generous SS then I get, for the people who were retired at the time. Of course I expect to get mine. That’s how social welfare systems work: you pay for the people ahead of you and the people after you pay for you. It works very well as long as the chain of pay for and paid for remains unbroken. Commonweal, a quaint concept in these IGMFY times, but still remarkably beneficent when fairly applied.
If you’re po’d because it looks as if you’re not going to get yours, you have a point. But don’t take that out on me, I didn’t support any such benefits grab. And I should point out that the Great Ripoff is ripping me off, too. Direct your (understandable) anger at the Great Greedies and their eager, obsequious minions who effected this disaster.
Fox News has been on air for almost 15 years. Millions of older (that is their demographic after all), conservative Americans have been listening daily to the corporate message of the wealthy elite. Add in authoritarian “bully” type pundits like Bill O’Reilly and Sean Hannity, and it really isn’t surprising that nasty personality traits are leaking into our society.
The elderly need a better messenger than Fox News or even AARP.
Now I’m going to have to hunt for the link, BUT seniors polled very high on protecting Medicare and SocSec FOR THE COMING GENERATIONS.
Now, where did I find that poll????
This makes me angry that not only Simpson is out there with his Greedy Geezer talk, but here we have a FDL reader maligning seniors. And, of course, Obama pushing his Peterson Cat Food Commission….
Full disclosure, I just became an over-65-er. On my birthday, I figured I got the very best present anyone could get, Medicare, all because of the Real Democrats who fought for health care improvements, and JFK and LBJ in particular. Unfortunately, because I’d spent most of my savings on health insurance, I had to sign up for SocSec a year early. So, thank you, FDR, for a live saver!
I wanted this pseudo-Dem President Obama to at the very least allow people to buy in to Medicare, at best to fight for single payer Medicare for All Improved. He is a Corporatist running dog lackey, however, and took “single payer” off the table in order to protect the profits of his Big Health Industry Players (BHIP) donors/sort of supporters.
Now, both R’s and some D’s want to take the social safety nets off the table.
this is what scares me about Obama. If he wins the next election..what does he have to lose. I believe this is when we will see the cuts finally kick into action.
Which equates to a 33%.
Found the poll link.
And my memory was faulty; the poll is only about Medicare.
Uh oh. Looks like younger voters are more easily swayed to support R’s and ConservaDems on the Medicare issue….
Too bad we don’t have a cool young leader with outstanding speaking skills who could lead the younger generations to understand what previous Dem leaders and politicians have provided for people in this nation.
Yes, just about 33% reduction this year from the employee.
That means this years SS collections will be down 16% from what they would otherwise be. Do that a couple years in a row and SS won’t be solvant to anywhere close to 2036.
Tired of the attacks on essential services in the name of “balancing the budget”? Here’s a budget proposal that will lower the deficit sooner than Ryan’s plan and will not target the poor and elderly. The People’s Budget – http://cpc.grijalva.house.gov/index.cfm?sectionid=70
SPREAD THE WORD!
Who the H… are you talking about? Which seniors? I am making a concerted effort to spread awareness and the notion of thinking of those behind me among my age-related peer group – seniors.
Also, where were you when all these apparently older folks began showing up at recent GOP house members town halls and not only reaming them for voting for the Ryan budget plan, but also mentioning that they were thinking of their children and other younger relatives.
Ageism lives here, huh? I think that I’ll go and play my copy of Volunteers and pray for the lost, egocentric youth of America.
There is
There is just one party with two heads.. hope and change, suckers.
What’s stopping us from using the same kind of litmus test that Grover Norquist uses on taxes?
My pledge: I will not vote for any candidate who refuses to take cuts to Social Security and Medicare off the table.
That is their plan.
Amen and agreed. Sorry you have to respond to GOP twinkies, who never saw a senior they didn’t hate.
I didn’t burn my AARP card just so I could still call and tell them to fire John Rother. Now we can add David Certner to the list.
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