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(image: Dean Mougianis)
First AARP told the Wall Street Journal it would support cutting Social Security benefits.
Then we launched our “Burn Your AARP Card” campaign, which backed them down and forced them to say they would oppose cuts to Social Security as part of a deal to cut the deficit.
It was clearly an exercise in Weasel Wrds 101, because AARP has a long history of support for Social Security benefit cuts. But putting them on the sidelines was a big victory nonetheless — AARP had been planning a series of town halls across the country to convince senior citizens that cutting Social Security benefits would “save” the program.
AARP’s support of Medicare Part D was critical in getting that passed under George Bush, so keeping their deep pockets (and their credibility with seniors) out of the fight was extremely important.
Two weeks ago they said they were opposed to the Gang of 6 proposal. But here we are, with a bill that has even more draconian cuts and a Catfood II Super Congress with only one purpose: to cut Social Security and Medicare benefits. And what does AARP have to say?
“Throughout this debate, AARP has been fighting to prevent any debt ceiling deal from including cuts to Medicare and Social Security benefits. Right now, we are analyzing the impact of the proposed deal on our members and all older Americans. We continue to urge Congress and the President to act on a common-sense solution that will prevent cuts to these vital benefits and ensure that Social Security beneficiaries will receive their checks in a timely manner and that Medicare beneficiaries will not lose access to their health care.”
For more information, please contact AARP Media Relations at (202) 434-2560 or visit www.aarp.org/protectseniors.
The vote is tonight and they’re “studying” it. Studying it until when? Until it’s too late?
If Congress splits town after they pass this bill, maybe we can all celebrate by reviving the “burn your AARP card” party. We’re certainly going to keep it alive, so that when the cuts start coming or seniors don’t get their cost-of-living increases, they’ll know who to blame.
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Oh, OK. I understand the headline now. It looked heck-a awkward the first few times, though.
Gawd. Neo-serfdom, here we
comeare!Maybe we should save the card-burning until winter, when we’ll all need the heat. I wish I was joking…
Lisa Guido
#yesIwouldvoteNO is rather an awesome hashtag White House Switchboard: 202 456 1414, or 202 456 1111, suggest the 14th Amendment #democracy
Time to hit aarp and hit them hard. tell them if they do not strongly come out against this in the next hour they will be finished, and we will mount law suits for misleading their role to protect and work for its constituents
Steve Brusk CNN
Congressional Progressive Caucus will hold a 4pm news conference on the debt deal.
AARP is in the insurance-selling market, not advocacy for seniors.
Bingo.
I’ve got a sneaky suspicion they’ve already worked out who is going to vote for and get the needed votes, while allowing most of the Dems to vote no after the numbers are on the board.
So I guess this revival means I’ll have to call AARP to ask for a new card, to replace the one I’ve already cut up and thrown out, so I have a card to cut up and throw out afresh.
Works for me! :)
The republican are invited to Their Presidential Chump’s Birthday party. Why would they miss hanging out with their BFF ?
MSNBC still pushing the line that WH trying to frame this will not touch SS and MC, and MSNBC does not push back on that
Jane stop watching bills! Stop watching votes! That’s just a trivial waste of time! Its not about individual yeahs and nays or about the WHite House but structures of power, and we need a populist third party from the social-democratic left on the ground now! We have to enter the electoral arena, like it or not! And for all you “pragmatists” out there we can’t delude ourselves into thinking that the short-term outcomes in 2012 or 2016 will be in any way encouraging…with or without Bernie. It’s a long-term fight, it always has been. Crises will be back – we have to be strategically politically ready to take advantage of them. THERE’S NO OTHER WAY!
maybe we can all celebrate by reviving the “burn your AARP card” party.
Sounds like a T-Shirt idea we can have old people eating cat food on it watching Fox News
“We’re certainly going to keep it alive, so that when the cuts start coming or seniors don’t get their cost-of-living increases, they’ll know who to blame”
this is the most important kind of activism we can do. nothing will change until enough people know how badly they are being screwed..while congress plans to end SS and Medicare as we have known and needed it, most of those people who would have some influence over thier congress creatures (middle class, baby boomer home owners) are mainly oblivious….we cant say thats thier fault and leave it at that, this is too important.
I live in a retirement community and I burned my AARP card the first time around.
If FDL revives the effort, I suggest a downloadable one-page communication that each us can copy and print hundreds of copies of to pass out around our neighborhoods so those retired people who are not computer literate can read the truth about AARP.
The legislative language of the bill came out this morning. It is 74 pages long and sorta cryptic. Of course, they are studying it. It’s the legislative language and not the reports in Politico that will be determinative.
That said. They should still fire John Rother for that AARP story. He is either incompetent in framing policy efforts or incompetent in dealing with the media or compromised.
The AARP is a ruse! They are a front for the insurance industry and they prey, thats right, prey on naive, uneducated, ignorant and scared elderly people. American Association of Republican Plug-Uglies!
How many Dems vs GOPers will vote for these cuts does anyone have a running count on that? My fear is all the Dems will commit political suicide backing Obama and the GOP will vote the minimum amount needed to pass these cuts.
Then all the GOPers who voted against this bill will run against it in November. I cannot stress enough how important it is that the Left oppose these cuts we can’t risk getting linked to Obama on this in the public’s mind.
That ought to be a gem.
Seconded.
(Woolsey is still an undecided vote today. Perhaps she’ll decide by 4:00 p.m.)
Well, I’ve never been interested in being a commodity for AARP to sell down the river. Bet Baltimorean, Maria Allwine, danced around a bonfire when she burned her card. You go girl!
FWIW, from THINK PROGRESS:
2:52 p.m. House Minority Leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., is not forcing her caucus to pass the debt bill. She said to House Democrats, “vote with your conscience.”
Well I screwed up big time. I thought I had burned my AARP card, but without my glases, I burned my old draft card instead. Shit, that’s a federal crime. Sonabitch
A Whip Count from “The Hill” is here:
http://thehill.com/homenews/house/174649-whip-count-house-leaders-seek-votes-to-pass-debt-limit-deal
Saw that. What does that mean, really? Votes are there? Kill the bill?
Nate Silver tweeted a bit ago that his analysis was the bill would fail to pass the house. He sighted The Hill whip count
He tweeted a few minutes ago:
Declared Republicans now 34-12 in favor of bill. Democrats 8-9 against. Passage looking at bit safer.
RECENT UPDATES — Gerry Connolly (D-Va), Paul Broun (R-Ga.), Heath Shuler (D-N.C.), Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.), Renee Elmers (R-N.C.), Dave Camp (R-Mich.), Lynn Westmoreland (R-Ga.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Steve Womack (R-Ark.), Allyson Schwartz (D-Pa.), Bill Owens (D-N.Y.), Austin Scott (R-Ga.), Tim Griffin (R-Ark.), Hank Johnson (R-Ga.), Sam Graves (R-Mo.), Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-Wash.), Todd Akin (R-Ark.), Mike Rogers (R-Ala.), Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.), Jeff Fortenberry (R-Neb.), Joseph Crowley (D-N.Y.), Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.), Mike Simpson (R-Idaho), Bob Dold (R-Ill.), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas), Gary Miller (R-Calif.), Jeff Landry (R-La.), Mo Brooks (R-Ala.), G.K. Butterfield (D-N.C.), Bill Young (R-Fla.), Russ Carnahan (D-Mo.), Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.), Lois Capps (Calif.), Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.), Robert Andrews (D-N.J.), Richard Hanna (R-N.Y.), Edolphus Towns (D-N.Y.), Scott Rigell (Va.), Maurice Hinchey (D-N.Y.), Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.), Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.), Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.), Michael Grimm (R-N.Y.), Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.), Tim Walz (D-Minn.), Peter King (R-N.Y.), Tom Graves (R-Ga.), Mel Watt (D-N.C.), Sandy Levin (D-Mich.), Jason Altmire (D-Pa.), Charles Gonzalez (D-Texas), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Ted Deutch (D-Fla.)
http://thehill.com/homenews/house/174649-whip-count-house-leaders-seek-votes-to-pass-debt-limit-deal
Jesse Jackson and Charlie Rangel interesting sellour Oreos!
Well, then it’s a done deal.
Kathy Hochul is on Martin Bashir saying she will vote for the bill….
Kathy Hochul: “Its a Democratic surrender but what are we supposed to do?” How about resign! She is a prime subject for a a primary in 2012, being a freshman.
The bill saves Medicare and SS. /s
Dem after Dem is going on the news sayiing they can support this deal because it does not cute SS and MC. Even the newly elected woman from NY is saying this and saying that is why she got elected. WTF. FDL says this is not true, SS and MC will be cut, what is going on?
The Democratic has too many competing interests. Social programs, civil rights, education etc… All inherently worthy issues but the inherent weakness is a complete lack of focus. This has made it possible for the Republicans to peel this huge constituency from the Democrats. A labor party focused on labor in America makes the other issues possible because at the end of the day none of the other stuff is possible until survival needs are met. This is not going to happen with a fractured, subjugated Democratic party. It no longer has a purpose just a bunch of competing interesting working against each other leaving the door wide open to the right wing. Even on issues important to Democrats factions are routinely bought off. Which means a lot of energy wasted in circular firings squads. Break up the Democratic party. With a populist labor party we can leverage that clout on a variety of other social issues.
Maybe I should join the AARP just so I’ll have a card to burn in public.
I can’t find anything that says what they are trying to do to SS or MC?
Am I missing something or are they withholding details?
Very good question do they think they can get away with lying about an issue everyone is paying attention too?
The Whitehouse web site removed “Budget” or “Debt” from their subject field on emails. Interesting.
Missed that one. Thanks.
…and Obama already took action to extend the Bush tax cuts… The liar took action to EXTEND the Bush tax cuts so he could lie about fighting for higher revenues now.
Boner doing a victory dance on MSNBC. Puke
Boo Hoo!
Moving ON!
Eric Cantor: No tax increases in a recession.
It’s the big lie.
Good question. Why is everyone asserting what is or isn’t true without providing any proof?
This is exactly what they have done. This is why they had the caucus meetings to decide which reps they are going to let off the hook. Make no mistake, all of the dems are prepared to vote for the bill.
They don’t want to report how many emails they are getting on the subject so they just claim they had a glitch that day. There is no such thing as coincidence this is an obvious political trick.
Chicago Pols who are this obvious are usually called the Defendant not Mr President.
They are liars, does that surprise you?
The only thing AARP is interested in is acting as shills for health insurance, auto, and long term care insurance (that’s if you consider long term 36 months). If you cut back on Medicare, that means AARP get a bigger kick back from United Health Care.
That posh building they’re in didn’t come from member dues. Member dues barely cover the cost of publications they send out. That tells you all you need to know about whose interests they represent.
Jonathan Alter: Obama will be back another day to fight for tax increases. In a recession.
WTF?
The Republican Party is a 5th column, plain and simple. There’s no other way to define them.
What do you think the super congress is going to cut? It’s really not rocket science. Everyone getting on teevee today is talking about how entitlement reform is going to be the next thing they “deal” with.
Well, you’ve defined speculation.
And if entitlement reform is the next thing, then I guess it’s not this thing, since everyones saying it’s not.
As has been mentioned on FDL over and over, the Ds had the House won back with the argument that the Rs wanted to cut Medicare. All they had to do was stand firm to protect it — no, expand it. Same with SS. Make 2012 a referendum on the two most popular programs among those who vote.
Obama pulled all that rationale and approach out from under them with this deeply cynical, ass-saving move.
It is included in the thing they just passed.
I have no idea why any Democrat would vote for this bill. All that does is let another Republican vote against the bill and use it as a talking point. The Republicans are in charge in the House let them come up with the votes and let their memebers take the tough vote.
If it doesn’t pass, the Democrats won’t get the blame, Boner will for not be able to control his caucus.
As for the President, he’s sold out the House Democrats more times than I can count. Maybe, it time he’s left swinging in the wind. Maybe, he’ll grow a pair and invoke the 14th amendment.
Especially when the next cave will come through the bush tax cuts being extended because of the budget debate coming in September. The tealibangelicals will shut down the gov if they don’t get the tax cuts extended and Obamaco will only be more than happy to give them what they want.
246 yeas (with 10 Dems) as of this moment, and climbing with 5 mins left on vote. Blew by the 218 needed to pass.
Grrrrrr.
172 Dem ‘Nays,
zero GOP ‘Nays’
I don’t understand. Both Jackson and Rangel are voting against the bill. Rangel says it’s “disappointing.”
As I understand it, the super Catfood Committee is where Medicare, etc. will be cut down the line. This committee will be tasked with deciding where the ncessary spending cuts (necessary to achieve the mandated amount to be cut, 1-2 trillion over about 10 years) will come.
The Democratic Party has functioned just fine (well, relatively speaking) in the past working for all these goals. Happened in FDR’s admin. Happened under LBJ when voting rights and the Great Society were being worked on. What put a stop to that was the Vietnam War, which should have been an abberation for a supposedly liberal party.
actually during those times the Democrats were successful because they had competition from the left. Especially the most famous Progressive president.
Roosevelt was pulled toward the left by both the traditional Left (The Socialist Party of America) and the unconventional left (Dr. Francis Townshend and Sen. Huey P. Long of Louisiana). In 1932 the Socialists’ presidential candidate Norman Thomas had tripled his 1928 showing as hard times rejuvenated the Socialist critique of the system. Nobody thought Thomas posed an electoral threat to FDR; the president was sensitive, however, to the Socialists’ rising popularity“.