AARP GOP

NRO ^ | Nov 20, 2003 | Ramesh Ponnuru

[neverdem]

FWIW, GOP pandering.

[ArmstedFragg]

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.....

[LS]

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.

[Moosilauke]

...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.

[FirstPrinciple]

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.

[dr_who_2]

No doubt about that.

[ArmstedFragg]

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.

[ArmstedFragg]

"pilot" program

The old nose, camel, bit.

[FirstPrinciple]

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.

[BluH2o]

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.

[dalereed]

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.

[ArmstedFragg]

If this was the greatest generation, then this country will have major problems in the future.

It was, and we will.

[qam1]

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

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

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.

[qam1]

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.

[ATOMIC_PUNK]

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 !

[NYCVirago]

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!

[jagrmeister]

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.

[FirstPrinciple]

Well, the baby boomers were trained by the best.

[FirstPrinciple]

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.