About those 60,000 lost AARP members

[babylonsister]

http://mediamatters.org/blog/200909040010


About those 60,000 lost AARP members

September 04, 2009 1:46 pm ET by Eric Boehlert



This meme has been a favorite among the right-wing blogs in recent weeks, who have been feasting off misleading MSM reports: 60,000 angry AARP members have quite the org because of its support of Obama health care reform.

Here though, is some much-needed context, courtesy of a recent report in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution :

The national AARP, which has 40 million members, advocates on behalf of older Americans, supports changes in health care although it has not endorsed a specific plan. But the organization’s stance has put it in a precarious position with some members.

Between July 1 and mid-August, AARP nationally lost about 60,000 members. But during that same period, spokesman Drew Nannis said, it brought in 1.8 million new members.

So in a massive org of 40,000,000 people, approximately .1% of the membership has reportedly quit because of AARP's health care position and we're supposed to consider that to be newsworthy? More importantly, the 60,000 members who have stormed off have been replaced many, many times over.

Just keep that in mind next time you see a reference to how AARP membership is taking a hit in the health care debate.

[spanone]

1. the right wing of this country has no interest at all in truth or facts

[Deep13]

2. How do we know they stormed off...

...and didn't just die?

[DebbieCDC]

3. Maybe some couldn't afford the renewal fee

People living on a fixed income maybe can't spare the what $25 membership fee? I'll bet the 'pukes didn't think of that possibility.

[create.peace]

6. hey, you have to cut down every place you can! we chose to up our AAA to cover longer

towing and dropped AARP years ago.

[TygrBright]

4. AARP lost my mother when they sucked Big Pharma's bum during the Bush Administration.

She's considering re-joining now, but "only if they're serious about it this time."

I applaud her skepticism.

As far as I can tell, AARP is simply a marketing tool.

cynically,
Bright

[Blue_In_AK]

5. They do have a pretty good supplemental insurance plan

however. I think my mother-in-law paid them $125 a month or something for her coverage, and they've picked up all charges that Medicare didn't cover during her recent final illness.

[alstephenson]

7. That's when they lost me.

But I'm not reconsidering joining.

[Individualist]

8. Same here

[SoCalDem]

9. AARP membership is a joke anyway... what's it cost $5??

and other than the magazine & a little card , isn't everything else just advertising for stuff you can BUY?

You pay them to get your name on mailing lists so the cremation people can send you ads every month..just in case:)