AARP, A Senior Scam Artist?

AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) is to American senior citizens what the NEA (National Education Association) is to American teachers or the AFL/CIO is to American workers. All three groups represent a significant group of people. The majority of the people in these groups have values much different than the leadership of the groups who purport to represent them. All three groups are national in their scope and representation. All three groups smack of leftist leanings, if not outright lobbying for left-wing causes.

AARP has 36 million members. Many assume that the AARP represents the views of most senior citizens. AARP as a nonprofit group has an operating budget of $800-900 million, without parallel in Washington. AARP also makes millions from royalties, investments and sales of insurance policies and prescription drugs.

SCAMMING AMERICA’S SENIORS

Jerry Barton, President of the upstart American Seniors Association, in a recent solicitation letter wrote, “But our research and polling shows that most Americans who reach the age of 50 join AARP for two reasons. 1) . . . thy think they should when they turn 50. 2) People want the travel discounts and other benefits offered by AARP.” Barton further explains that “most of AARP’s members do not know is that their membership dues are used by AARP to promote a radical far-left political agenda that is out of step with 90% of Americans . . . (it) spends much of it (revenue) lobbying Congress for higher taxes, more big government and more socialism.”

SUPPORTER OF THE HOMOSEXUAL AGENDA

Jerry Barton notes that as an example of AARP’s left-wing political agenda, its online magazine cover story featured the promotion of (homosexual or same-sex) marriage and adoption of children by (homosexual or lesbian) couples. Furthermore, in 2004 AARP joined forces with the radical homosexual lobby in an unsuccessful attempt to kill an Ohio referendum to define marriage as “a union between a man and a woman.”

ADVOCATING UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE (HILLARYCARE)

OneNewsNow.com reported on Wednesday that “After being criticized for supporting a bill recently passed by the U.S. House of Representatives which proposed expanding the S-CHIP children's health coverage, raising taxes, and cutting Medicare programs, the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) now has a new charge leveled against them by conservatives concerning that bill.

The American Seniors Association (ASA), a conservative grassroots advocacy group, is claiming that the AARP was warned at least a week before the House vote that the bill would gut $150 to $200 million from Medicare Advantage and other Medicare programs -- but still chose to lobby legislators for its passage. ASA cites a letter from House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) to AARP's CEO William Novelli in which the congressman issued the warning . . .

“. . . Barton says the bill's earmarks -- and the fact that AARP leaders knew the harm it would bring to seniors -- indicate the group will support liberal agendas and any steps toward universal healthcare at the expense of their own clientele.”

This is part of the scam. AARP represents not the interests of the majority of American seniors from whom it gladly accepts membership dues, but from leftist elites and their radical purposes with which AARP allies itself.

FAR-LEFT FORCE

Barton concludes in his solicitation letter that AARP uses the “river of cash” that it receives from selling commercial products to finance its ultra left socials agenda. He states that the AARP is “by far the most powerful force on the left.” I am not sure that I would agree that the AARP is “the most powerful force on the left.” Maybe billionaire and leftist cause financier George Soros, the Democrat Party or the NEA might be lay claim to that distinction. However, they definitely are a power to be recognized and exposed for what they are – a stealth supporter of socialism using capitalist enterprise to fund socialism’s on-going attempt to undermine America’s institutions and destroying its values.

TAKE ACTION

When you turn 50, toss your AARP membership solicitation in the trash where it belongs. If you are an AARP member, do not renew your membership. Check out conservative alternatives such as Barton’s American Seniors Association (ASA – P.O. Box 47650, Atlanta, Georgia 30362) or USA Next, United Seniors Association.