NYT: In Ads, AARP Criticizes Plan on Privatizing

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/30/politics/30retire.html?ei=5094&en=84b812f13a9a6919&hp=&ex=1104382800&partner=homepage&pagewanted=print&position=

AARP, the influential lobby for older Americans, signaled Wednesday for the first time how fervently it would fight President Bush's proposal for private Social Security accounts, saying it would begin a $5 million two-week advertising campaign timed to coincide with the start of the new Congress.

The organization, which played a huge role in the passage of Medicare drug legislation last year, said it was prepared to spend much more in the next two years to block the creation of private accounts financed with payroll tax revenues.

"This is our signature issue," said Christine M. Donohoo, chief communications officer for AARP, which represents 36 million Americans 50 and older. "We will do what it takes."

The full-page advertisements, to appear next week in more than 50 newspapers around the country, say the accounts would cause "Social Insecurity."

[genieroze]

1. Good. eom

[Liberal In Texas]

2. I actually might join AARP again

Quit after they pissed me off about the Rx drug stuff.

[lolly]

3. A little slow, folks

If these idiots hadn't sold their constituency down the river on the Medicaid givaway-to-big-insurance-companies boondoggle last year, they could have cripples AWOL's programs and maybe they wouldn't have to deal with him now.

What on earth made them think anything AWOL did would help non-rich seniors?

[For PaisAn]

8. Exactly

Too late.

[MSgt213]

13. Thank you. They have already been played as suckers.

[barbaraann]

4. Oh, har har har.

It's like a prostitute trying to tell her pimp she's already done enough tricks for the night. The AARP sold its soul to the devil and there's no getting it back.

[For PaisAn]

9. Ha, ha

funny and true.

[whistle]

5. AARP has no business spending money on PR ads....

...they showed their true colors when they voted for Medicare prescription theft and there is now a that I will believe anything that comes out of their vast communication network. I canceled my membership last year and will never re-join. Christine M. Donohoo is nothing but a public relations mouth piece who will say anything and offer only lies to cover-up AARP's true character. They are an insurance company who will benefit from the wind-fall pillaging that privatization of Social Security will bring. After the two week ad campaign and the $5 million raid on the AARP coffers, the leaders will be all too quiet as Bush and the republicans begin their war on SS.

[yorkiemommie1]

6. aarp sold us out

i toss their magazine out, too.

[welshTerrier2]

7. i'll never trust AARP again ...

i canceled my membership when they pushed the Medicare bill ... talk about taking bribes ... they were supposed to be representing seniors, not fleecing them ... AARP has been infiltrated by the right-wing's Bill Novelli ... no way would i rejoin with right-wing Bill running the show ...

source: http://buffaloreport.com/articles/031120.schurman.aarp.html

<snip>

The AARP has endorsed a bill that would make two fundamental changes
in Medicare:

1. First, it would force people to make a stark choice: either pay
sharply increased premiums to stay in traditional Medicare, where
they can choose their doctor; or be forced out, into an HMO.

Newt Gingrich, the former House Republican leader, said in 1995
that he wanted to let Medicare to "wither on the vine." This
change would lead to that result, with cost incentives driving
people out. (Not coincidentally, AARP CEO William Novelli
recently wrote the forward to Gingrich's book. <2>)

2. Second, it offers a prescription drug benefit, but requires people
who want this coverage to buy it from private insurance plans.

This part of the bill also bars the government from doing the one
thing it could do to actually reduce the cost of these drugs --
negotiate for lower prices, using the size of the Medicare program
as leverage. Drug prices are soaring now, and unless they're
brought under control, they will eventually bankrupt Medicare.

AARP itself sells insurance and also sells prescription drugs, so
the group stands to reap huge financial gains from this change.

<snip>

[loudsue]

10. AARP can go to hell. They're only doing a $5 million campaign to

try to get all of us who quit to sign back up again. $5 million is nothing to them.

They don't do ANYTHING that helps the huge numbers of POOR senior citizens who really need a unified lobby in Washington.

:kick::kick:

[rpannier]

11. Once again...

F**K em. Too little Too late

[Florida_Geek]

12. let's see, before the 2004 election how many

ads did AARP put out against George Bush and his wanting to do away with SS. ZERO

No AARP wanted Bush re-selected