If you are not on AARP’ mailing list, I want to share with you the types of information I have received. The most current was from Barry Jackson, subject: This is It! … He is asking: “Help us reach our goal of 2,000 donations by September 30th so we have the resources to kick our campaign into high gear in October”. Which takes you to this site: Health Action Now! On September 9th, another email also from Barry Jackson, Subject: “Draw a line in the Sand: .. which takes you to this page: Remind Congress why meaningful health reform is so important. From AARP Grass Roots, 8/27/2009 – Subject: Getting the facts out. On this one you enter your zip code, then you are taken to a page with all the Newspapers listed in your area, you can select up to 5 papers and then use the pre-printed “Talking Points”, to send a letter to the editor .. again, supporting Health Care Reform.
My personal favorite came from Berry Jackson on 8/05/09 … Subject: Must Read – Don’t Believe Them! . Please take a look at the PDF in the link, notice the yellow sticky note at the cutoff line where he asks you to remove the information from him and send on to your friends as though the information originated from you. These tactics of making it EASY for the most feeble minded, is affective. People are lazy and put off writing that email, sending letters to the editor or sitting down and actually writing original material. Th very aggressive campaigns to get your support of the Health Care Reform bill. It is no secret that Obama and the Senate plan on dismantling the Medicare Advantage program to save money to pay for those currently uninsured. They keep telling us that it will cut waste and fraud, but it is cutting your BENEFITS! The most popular question the follows these accusations … “if you know there is waste and fraud, what the heck are you waiting for, fix it”! You don’t have to completely reinvent Medical Health Care to deal with fraud! Somebody should be going to jail!
While AARP continues to claim that they do not support Obama’s Health Care Reform bill, I’d like to point out that AARP does indeed support President Obama and the Democratic Party’s health care plans — by merely acting against the opponents of it. Running nationwide television ads and internet campaigns to counter the lies about their plan — sure seems awfully close to an endorsement if I ever saw one. I have not seen AARP criticize anything about the Baucus bill, however everything AARP claims to be “truth” is consistent with the liberal claims and every piece information I have gotten from Organizing for America.
There is such a blatant conflict of interest as AARP continues to claim it represents the Senior’s, yet Polls clearly show that the majority of seniors do not want this Health Care Reform bill … and the only benefit to AARP is their financial gain from selling more Medigap Insurance. Not surprisingly, most Seniors do not even realize that AARP is a giant lobby group that generates billion dollar profit off the sale of Medicap insurance to them.
According to estimates from to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), 1 out of 5 seniors fall victim to fraud. And a new report from Senator Gillibrand, – D NY, estimates that approximately half a million New York seniors have fallen victim to consumer fraud – losing approximately $180 million. That is in only one city. Some of these con games, such as high pressure, deceptive sales pitches for living trusts, “low-risk, high-yield” investment scams and “miracle” arthritis remedies, are specifically aimed at senior citizens. However, seniors also fall prey in large numbers to scams involving advanced loan fees, home improvements, auto repairs and work-at-home schemes. Approximately 60 percent of all health care fraud victims are senior citizens. WHY … because Seniors are trusting and often naive, many live alone, making it easier for fraud artist to go face-to-face with his or her victim. Many seniors are lonely, susceptible to the charm and easily taken in by information found on the Internet.
I’m not accusing AARP of fraud, only pointing out how much at risk Senior Citizens are for being mislead. I’m pretty sure that nobody in the Obama Administration would consider investigating AARP for Conflict of Interest, or misuse of their Non-Profit status. Hopefully, Republicans will look into the repercussions seniors face if they are being mislead by AARP and not being given information from both sides, allowing them to make an informed decision for the future of their health care. My hope in writing this blog is that somebody will step up and take a stand to protect the freedom of speech and allow all sides of information to go to Senior Citizens and will look into the conflict of interest I believe AARP has.
Join the New "Our GOP Senior Citizens Group"
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This was a very well researched and thoughtful piece.
I did not know lots of the things about AARP that you brought to light. I learned a lot from reading this blog!
I too hope that this information can be brought more into the light of day.
Good job Sandy!
Follow the money. This is just another example of how far reaching the Obama administrations “spread the wealth” campaign is. This is nothing short of defrauding our senior ctizens at a time when they are most in need. We should not allow this crooked organization (not unlike acorn) to destroy those that cannot defend themselves. Remember, one day you will be a senior citizen to. God willing.
The more we look at things, the more crooked it gets. AARP does not need the seniors – we are (were) a front for them along with easy money. In addition to trying to get ready for surgery tomorrow, I had a death in the family and had to travel to North Carolina. When making a hotel reservation, I asked if the hotel gave a discount for AAA or AARP ( I had canceled my membership, but my husband is letting his lapse) I have to say I was very pleasantly surprised when the Marriott desk clerk answered “they did not give discounts to those organizations but if we produced identification showing we were seniors, we would receive a discount. The reason (given to me) AARP has dropped the age to 50, we don’t really consider that a senior. I was given a nice discount just by showing my drivers license.
AARP dropping the age is just giving them a larger group to appeal to for membership money, and, if more companies adapted Marriott’s outlook, that could hurt AARP membership or their play money as I call it. Don’t forget, when AARP sends you mail with a prepaid envelope, cut everything up they sent you, put it back in the prepaid envelope they furnished and mail it back to them. They have to pay that postage. One way or the other, we will get their attention. I am convinced they are tied in with ACORN, can’t prove it, but they are tied in with SEIU and SEIU and ACORN are certainly in bed together, it only stands to reason AARP is in it up to their necks with those two. So instead of twins – ACORN and SEIU, we now have triplets – ACORN, SEIU and AARP.