The AARPing of America

The AARP not a bad deal. You get reduced hotel rates, discounts on dining etc. The membership is about $15 to $20 dollars a year. The membership also buys you membership into the largest political action committee in the United States which has over 40 million members and that is both good and bad.

It seems like yesterday I was watching a 1988 GOP Presidential debate and the subject of Social Security was being discussed. When questioned about monies that had been removed from the trust fund, Bob Dole stated no money had been removed - we had simply given the fund an IOU. No one with any chance of the nomination disagreed with him. The moderator moved on to another subject and I threw dirty socks at the TV.

Pushing the fast forward on our remote let's go to the Presidential debates of 2000 and Al Gore's famous let's put Social Security in a lock box comment. That's right - the magical mythical don't touch the sacred cow lock box that only Social Security lives in.

In 2004 GW wanted to revise Social security and privitate it. No I purposely did no use spell check on the last sentence and that's exactly why no one in their right mind wanted him touching Social Security.

One thing the above had in common is that every few years when the issue of Social Security or Medicare reform comes up the antenna of the AARP anthill go on to full battle protect the queen alert and they get their way. The last time was a couple of years ago when the prescription drug plan was added to Medicare. The plan was approved by Congress with no thoughts to the billions of unfunded liabilities. That's someone else's problem in the future. What was important to the politicians in Washington was getting elected the next time around. Since old people vote in greater numbers and percentage than young people, the AARP usually gets what they want.

Now it is 2009 and the health care debate rages. The Democrats are talking about cutting Medicare and the Republicans are complaining about it. Remembering the quote from the movie "Ghost Busters": "This is Old Testament wrath of God stuff! We're talking about fire and brimstone and dogs living with cats!"

Well, one thing remains constant. No health bill is going to pass without the geezer brigade on board. And that my friends is the ARPPing of America.