Put In Your False Teeth Mama, It's Time To Kick Some Ass...

As a soon-to-be ex-member of AARP, I've been watching the growing revolt over AARP management's support of President Obama's proposed cuts in Medicare, as well as their obvious desire to support Obamacare. This is a classic case of there being a serious disconnect between a bunch of D.C.-based lobbyists (AARP management) and a significant portion of the organization's membership. Now, it seems, the chickens have come home to roost:

CBS News has learned that up to 60,000 people have cancelled their AARP memberships since July 1, angered over the group's position on health care.

.....

Many are switching to the American Seniors Association, a group that calls itself the conservative alternative as CBS News Investigative Correspondent Sharyl Attkisson reports.

The article also points to this somewhat infamous YouTube video of AARP drones walking out of their own town hall meeting in Dallas when the membership proves to have minds of their own.
 

Seniors are the single most politically engaged demographic group of voters. Period. President Obama, in his infinite incompetence, has managed to both frighten and antagonize a large portion of that demographic. And for me, at least, it is obvious that seniors and their concerns have be completely ignored by the pro-reform crowd. Pro-reformers just don't care about what seniors are thinking. Democrats need to wake up to that fact. If they do not, 2010 and 2012 are not going to be fun years.

Comments

[MKS]

I have been eligible to be an AARP member for the last few years, and have been repeatedly invited to join. I refuse to do so, however, because of the Democratic Party leftist leaning of the organization. Until AARP becomes far, far more conservative, they need not look for money or any other kind of support from me. I do not want them to merely espouse conservative policies; I want them to be run by Libertarians and Republicans. This is what I want from news organizations and universities, too.

[TONY SMITH]

So let me get this right: Seniors are mad that the feds want to cut Medicare costs, and they are joining a CONSERVATIVE alternative? Excuse me, but conservatives oppose public health plans! These people sound very selfish to me: Public plan for me, but not for you....How unprincipled.

Also, reports of an AARP backlash are exaggerated and deceptive: http://dissentingjustice.blogspot.com/2009/08/cbs-news-continues-misleading-reporting.html

[markg8]

The senior demographic is the only one McCain won. Obama didn't do so well with gays either. So there's your winning coalition for 2012 boys. Gays and seniors.

Overall this is a pretty stupid argument this country is having right now. Republicans attack the health care plan as "socialism" and "government takeover" when in fact it'll open up the rigged monopoly health insurance system and make it a real free market (like say car insurance) and rein in provider costs by paying for what works instead of what is just most expensive.

In response what do we on the left do? Defend Canadian government run health insurance and UK socialist government run hospital systems which are nothing like the plans that have been proposed that actually have a chance of passing.

[markg8]

Yep Tony the game plan is to scare seniors who love their single payer, government run, taxpayer funded health care plan proposed and passed by a Democratic president and a Democratically controlled congress into believing that another Democratic president is out to destroy Medicare for the benefit of their kids and grand kids. It's a brilliant plan that should hold up at least as well the Republican plan to dismantle Social Security.

[Dennis the Peasant]

Tony-

It's called enlightened self-interest. It's what representative democracy is all about.

Mark-

Dissing LGBTs? Very progressive.

Actually, what Obama does is yell "Run away!!!" and head for cover.

[David]

"it'll open up the rigged monopoly health insurance system and make it a real free market (like say car insurance)"

O RLY?

You could not have picked a worse example. Car insurance is most assuredly NOT a free market. In most states it's required by law and heavily regulated by the state government.

Can you name one market in this country that is "free" in the relevant sense -- by which I mean, legal, and not obstructed by government economic intervention and regulation?

[markg8]

With seniors it's anything but enlightened self-interest Dennis. Enlightened does not = misled by lies.

Now insurance companies that's another story, they see a very real threat to their rigged monopoly system.

Who's dissing gays Dennis? Just pointing out Obama didn't do as well among them as Kerry. And let's see what Democrats do for them over the next 3 years and compare it to what Republicans have done over the last years shall we?

[Dennis the Peasant]

Oh, I see. Seniors are stupid.

Which lies? The PhRMA/White House lies or the Insurance Industry/Tom Daschle lies?

[Mike C.]

You actually joined AARP ? How many pounds of weed did you smoke before that seemed like a good idea ?

Oh, and you ought to fumigate this place - I see cockroaches.

[richard mcenroe]

Dennis.

Sssssh.

No. They. Don't.

Never interrupt your enemy when he's making a mistake...