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AARP GOP
NRO ^ | Nov 20, 2003 | Ramesh Ponnuru

Posted on 11/20/2003 3:51:57 PM PST by neverdem

Not for the first time, one has to give the White House political team some credit: They have split Ted Kennedy from the AARP, and the resulting Democratic backbiting has been very helpful to Republicans. But Republicans had better remember that the split is likely to be temporary.

Earlier today, Speaker of the House Denny Hastert issued a press release defending the AARP from the attacks of various Democrats. He said, "I have had years of discussions with the AARP and respect their opinions. I can say that AARP has always been steadfast with one goal in mind — to help seniors get better benefits so they can lead more productive, healthier lives." Hastert has also said that the AARP's endorsement of the Medicare bill represents a "good housekeeping seal of approval." Florida congresswoman Katherine Harris said that in her district, "the AARP is considered the gold standard on these issues."

Let's try to think our way through to next year, or the year after that. Let's assume that the Medicare bill is everything Newt Gingrich et al say it is: fiscally prudent, chock full of reforms, market-oriented. Presumably as soon as the bill passes, Ted Kennedy will start trying to "fix" the bill, as he would have it, to eliminate just these features. He will introduce a liberal bill to reform the reforms — and it will be one that can get the support of AARP, which has been promoting today's bill while acknowledging that it is not entirely thrilled by it. Hastert and company will then find themselves fighting a bill that has earned what they themselves are now calling a good housekeeping seal of approval, from an organization that has nothing dearer to its heart than the interests of seniors.

AARP's political clout is nothing to sneeze at. But it's also not an unerring guide to the views of America's elderly. During the debate over the Medicare bill, people in Washington have occasionally reflected on the last attempt to add prescription-drug coverage to Medicare: the catastrophic health care bill of 1988. That attempt was a miserable failure, generating intense opposition from its supposed beneficiaries. Retirees weren't willing to pay for new benefits. The bill had to be repealed within a year. Over the last year, there has been some speculation that the whole scenario could be replayed. If so, let's not forget another parallel: AARP was for the catastrophic health-care bill too.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Editorial; Extended News; Government; Philosophy; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: aarp; gop; healthcare; medicare; rameshponnuru
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FWIW, GOP pandering.
1 posted on 11/20/2003 3:51:57 PM PST by neverdem
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To: neverdem
But Republicans had better remember that the split is likely to be temporary.

I wouldn't be too sure about that. The picture of Tiny Tom holding an anti-prescription sign is going to have a significant impact on the Demos credibility among seniors.

First they want coverage, then they don't want coverage even though AARP says it's an okay bill.... Then they start attacking the group representing their largest constituency... Whose side are they on?

They're definitely not doing themselves any good.

Oh, Tom... Nancy... if you're reading this, I'm just kidding. Keep accusing AARP of being in bed with the drug companies. Seniors love that stuff. Trust me.....

2 posted on 11/20/2003 4:17:51 PM PST by ArmstedFragg
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To: ArmstedFragg
What is more important is that regardless of how small, or how far in the future, the presence of a "pilot" program for privatization is the death knell of Medicare.

Mark my words. In all my years of bureaucratic experience in a university, I've never ONCE seen a "pilot" program that wasn't adopted full force. That's because it doesn't get to be a "pilot" without tremendous support in certain quarters.

Moreover, anyone who knows the market knows that given just a sliver of an opening, the market will defeat subsidized or socialized programs every day of the week. Corny Vanderbilt constantly defeated subsidized government rivals in his shipping business; James J. Hill defeated the Union Pacific/Central Pacific and remained in business when they went bankrupt; and Fed Ex essentially defeated the U.S. Post Office.

3 posted on 11/20/2003 4:25:26 PM PST by LS
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To: neverdem
...let's not forget another parallel: AARP was for the catastrophic health-care bill too.

AARP is about making the working young pay for grandma's lifestyle. I've been tearing up their trial membership letters for 10 years now and, god granting, will continue to do so for another 20 or 30 more. GOP should quit pandering to these greedy rent-seekers. They will never be able to promise more than the 'Rats and for every elderly vote they buy in this way, several working class votes will be forfeited.

4 posted on 11/20/2003 5:05:22 PM PST by Moosilauke
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To: ArmstedFragg
I thought most members of AARP now lived through the Depression. There is so much romanticism about it that you would think that this so-called "greatest" generation can live through any adversity. When did they exactly turn into these sappy socialists hungry for prescription drugs? We need to get our seniors off drugs. That should be W's slogan for 2004.
5 posted on 11/20/2003 5:24:25 PM PST by FirstPrinciple
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To: neverdem
No doubt about that.
6 posted on 11/20/2003 5:37:31 PM PST by dr_who_2
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To: FirstPrinciple
When did they exactly turn into these sappy socialists hungry for prescription drugs

When a certain group of people told them free medical care was their right. I regularly confront a group of mobile home residents who show up at city council meetings to push their demands that they be allowed to pay cheap rents.

The original ordinance in that case was directed at the unequal bargaining strength between residents and owners, but in application it's become an ever-growing "right" to pay less than fair market rents. The residents are now demanding that not only do they get cheap rents, but that they be permitted to sell the right to pay cheap rents to someone else and pocket the proceeds.

Their rationale is essentially that they deserve the money more than the landlord does. Echos of "tax cuts for the rich" and the rest of that garbage the demos are pushing. I don't think it's just seniors, though. Any time you create and entitlement, you create a constituency.

7 posted on 11/20/2003 5:40:20 PM PST by ArmstedFragg
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To: LS
"pilot" program

The old nose, camel, bit.

8 posted on 11/20/2003 5:42:29 PM PST by ArmstedFragg
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To: ArmstedFragg
But I thought that generation suffered unbelieavle pain and had to put up with so much crap that they were moulded into model citizens. If this was the greatest generation, then this country will have major problems in the future.
9 posted on 11/20/2003 5:48:02 PM PST by FirstPrinciple
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To: neverdem
Speaking as someone who has received solicitations from the AARP for the past few years ... be very wary of this organization. AARP has been entrenched in Washington, DC for decades ... and 90% of the time is firmly ensconsed in the democ"RAT" camp ... they are not to be trusted.
10 posted on 11/20/2003 5:52:37 PM PST by BluH2o
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To: Moosilauke
I've been roundfiling their garbage unopened for over 15 years, there is no way I would join that left wing bunch of socilaist bastards!

Of course if they came out for the total elimination of SS and Medicare I might reconsider.
11 posted on 11/20/2003 5:58:24 PM PST by dalereed (,)
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To: FirstPrinciple
If this was the greatest generation, then this country will have major problems in the future.

It was, and we will.

12 posted on 11/20/2003 6:20:12 PM PST by ArmstedFragg
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To: FirstPrinciple
If this was the greatest generation, then this country will have major problems in the future.

Yes we will, Because as selfish and greedy as the "greatest" generation is the baby boomers are 100x worse

13 posted on 11/20/2003 6:27:33 PM PST by qam1 (@Starting Generation X Ping list - See my home page for details and on how to be added)
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To: FirstPrinciple
They may have been the “greatest generation”. (Sez who?) But I never understood the way some people put them on a pedestal.

They were far from perfect.

14 posted on 11/20/2003 6:38:01 PM PST by Harmless Teddy Bear (No matter how subtle the wizard, a knife between the shoulder blades will seriously cramp his style)
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To: neverdem
But Republicans had better remember that the split is likely to be temporary.

It already is

AARP's commericals just started to appear and they don't even mention it's the Rats that are blocking it or that it's the Republicans that are supporting it, They just say some members of congress aren't keeping their promises and they Emphasize over and over that the bill is far from perfect and only a good first start.

15 posted on 11/20/2003 6:38:43 PM PST by qam1 (@Starting Generation X Ping list - See my home page for details and on how to be added)
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To: neverdem
This bill has a rider in it that states if the bill runs into money trouble they can issue more income and payroll taxes to fix the gap

Thats why the AARP is so anxious to have this bill passed !

You cant run out of money if you can keep raising taxes now can you ?

Just another entitlement bill no one is entitled to except the people who work for the money and yet they will never see it !

16 posted on 11/20/2003 6:55:03 PM PST by ATOMIC_PUNK ("Veritas vos Liberabit")
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To: qam1
Yes we will, Because as selfish and greedy as the "greatest" generation is the baby boomers are 100x worse.

That's why the greatest generation can't be considered unflawed -- they're the parents of the boomers!

17 posted on 11/20/2003 7:07:19 PM PST by NYCVirago
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To: neverdem
I would like to see a full-blown war break out between Democrats and the AARP. Democrats are burning their bridges with the AARP leadership by assailing their motives and trying to drive a wedge between the leadership and their members. The AARP had better direct communication to its members now and fire back hard against the Democratic obstructionists who seek to prevent the elderly from prescription drug coverage for the partisan purposes of denying Bush a win.
18 posted on 11/20/2003 7:07:27 PM PST by jagrmeister
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To: qam1
Well, the baby boomers were trained by the best.
19 posted on 11/20/2003 7:09:05 PM PST by FirstPrinciple
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To: Harmless Teddy Bear
You have raised a perfectly good question. Who the hell gave the Depression generation the title of the "greatest generation." If it is just a case of self-adulation, then the expression must be removed from the American lexicon.
20 posted on 11/20/2003 7:11:55 PM PST by FirstPrinciple
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