You Shouldn’t Keep AARP. Period.
Among the many businesses that ultimately may be harmed by the disastrous Unaffordable Care Act is one that couldn’t be more deserving: AARP. Founded more than half a century ago as a non-profit advocacy organization for senior Americans, AARP has been taken over and completely corrupted by leftist propagandists, who have gradually converted it into a huge money-making advocacy machine for the substantial socialist wing of the Democratic Party. That was glaringly evident in the way AARP shilled for the passage of ObamaCare from the outset of the legislative process. Far less obvious to the public was that AARP was positioning itself and its lucrative billion-plus-dollars-a-year insurance business to profit from the changes to be imposed upon the nation by this government health care takeover.
So, as someone who long ago severed his ties with this leftist organization, I was not surprised by an article at the Daily Caller last week revealing that AARP and one of its lesser-known partners, the Herndon Alliance, a truly leftist group, weren’t just cheerleaders for ObamaCare; they were planners and developers, responsible for the now infamous and deliberately deceitful sales pitch so oft repeated by our clueless chief executive that “if you like your insurance, you can keep your insurance.” The concluding and definitive “Period!” was likely an imprudent, slapdash attempt at sincerity added to the message by the sock-puppet president to make himself appear more credible. In any case, it is now apparent that the big lie was indeed a monumental lie, calculatingly contrived by a messaging organization to sell the American public a pig in a poke. Follow that pig link and tell me if you don’t suspect that the self-admitted dog-eater in the White House didn’t try to sell Americans one big sack of canine crud.
Now, according to the Daily Caller report, many of AARP’s members are angry with the organization for helping Obama peddle that sack of purulent pooch. They should well be angry, because their so-called watchdog organization sold their interests down the river to further the political interests of Democrat leftists, not to mention AARP’s own bottom line. So we should all hope that seniors realize they’ve been had and leave AARP for less politicized senior advocacy organizations. They’re out there and growing as more folks wake up to the true intentions of AARP.
And please, you diehards, spare me the argument that AARP is a beneficent non-profit organization that exists to aid seniors. That, like their overpriced insurance, is as big a lie as “If you like your insurance you can keep your insurance.”
And you can put a big fat “Period!” on that.
Crossposted at American Thinker.
Category: Shitbags
So, what is the group’s general recommendation for an alternative? American Seniors Association? Association of Mature American Citizens? National Association for Senior Concerns? Not sure what to join.
Back in 2009, before AARP’s insider role in OBAMACARE was known, CBS reported that some 60,000 people cancelled their membership with AARP solely because of AARP’s support for that devastating legislation. CBS also reported that it filmed as gazillions of envelopes containing cut-up AARP applications were opened at AARP. Lord knows what will happen to AARP now that more truth is coming out about its role in OBAMACARE and that there is an excellent conservative alternative to that devious, lefty organization: AMAC.
I dumped those bastards a while ago, but they still send me mail. I enjoy putting blank pieces of paper in the envelope they send and then posting the envelope back so they have to pay postage on it. I know. Childish, but it feels so good!
Screw AARP. I’ve known about their agenda for decades. I just started getting their mail and I think that in addition to MustangCryppie, sending their stuff back, I’m going to sign them up for various cruises, timeshares, adult erotic evening wear and toys, cut rate auto insurance and really sucky cable service.
@3. No, it sends a helluva message when someone is willing to take the time to do that. It prevents AARP from fooling themselves into thinking that their solicitation was just dismissed as junk mail. Plus, it costs them money since the envelope is self-addressed and pre-stamped.
“They sow the wind and reap the whirlwind.”
Karma will not be denied.
They finally quit sending me applications after a few directed conversations.
Having just turned 50 this last year, I just started getting their mail. Now I know what to do with it. Thank you, Poetrooper.
Any thoughts on AMAC? I have been looking for an AARP alternative that is worthwhile.
I follow AMAC on FB but have not joined.
Would be interested in others experience.
Yep, couldn’t agree more. I bailed out a few years ago as soon as I found out what AARP does. This is not a commercial but just FYI, 60Plus was founded by former Marine Jim Martin and provides many of the services that AARP was set up to provide. http://60plus.org/
I joined when I turned 50 five years ago, I cancelled after the first year was up based solely on the nature of the mail sent to my home.
I quickly realized that I probably shouldn’t join any organization that would have me as a member….
Another dirty not so secret secret is that their Medicare Advantage insurance plans are underwritten by United Healthcare who, sit down for this shocker, were granted special exemption to continue selling their policies while other insurers were cut off and have had to curtail their offerings or drop the plans entirely. Nope I will have nothing to do with AARP other then wrapping their postage paid return mailings around a brick to send back so they foot the bill.
@8. All over-whatever orgs are dependent upon insurance sales to survive. AMAC and AARP offer discounts on this and that and both lobby heavily, in AARP’s case, ostensibly on behalf of its membership but that truthy thingy tells a different tale. AMAC supports the conservative message and advertises on conservative radio stations. AMAC knows who pays the bills and is successfully targeting responsible Americans who don’t want their membership dues working against them but for the company that is supposed to be representing our best interests. In terms of goodies, AARP does offer online Mahjongg (http://games.aarp.org/games/mahjongg-dimensions.aspx) but I don’t believe AMAC does. Other than that, the benies are essentially the same but the message from the two is entirely different.
AARP started sending me stuff when I turned 50, too, so I just tossed it. I still get stuff from them, and Mutual of Omaha and some bunch of ghouls who want me to set up a cremation account, so sending their crap baack to them in their return postage-paid envelopes is a splendid idea.
I met someone some time back when I was doing freelance photo shoots for a magazine. He said he’d gotten lots of mail from them and threw it out, too. When I asked him why, he said he didn’t like the organization. I asked to be more specific. He said they don’t do anything but suck money out of you and flood you with flyers to vote dumpstercrap.
Some time before AARP started underwriting their own insurance, I checked with the carrier they were then using. Sure enough, you could get a similar or identical policy directly from them for the same price or even less. AARP was crooked then and still are.
No surprises here … although, I do like the idea of sending back an blank sheet of paper. Hmmmm … or maybe a red piece of paper with a yellow hammer and sickle on it and a black circle with diagonal bar superimposed over it.
Got my first letter from AARP last year when I turned 50… knew about their participation in pushing for O’Choomer Care. Used a Sharpie to put on the enrollment form “F&*^ YOU AARP!” Haven’t seen another piece of propaganda from them since…
For some reason they’ve started sending stuff out to just about anyone now…I got several requests to join and I’m only 31. I think it was mentioned somewhere that now you don’t have to be a senior (er, uh…elderly, I mean gracefully matured) to be a member. I will be sure to join in the fray of sending back their mail with ambigous ramblings and/or blank forms.
OK. This is how I see this issue. AARP deserves some scorn and criticism. They were used by way of their powerful lobbying arm. However, don’t throw the baby out with the bath water. AARP is good for something. COUGARS. Yes, an unending supply of COUGARS!
That is all!
They say 80 is the new 60. I really would prefer just to have my old 40s back.
Sending them back their junk in their own prepaid envelope has several advantages:
1. They had to pay to print it and mail it to you.
2. They will have to pay for the return postage.
3. They will have to pay someone to open the envelope and read your reply (or determine there isn’t one).
4. They will have to pay someone to haul away more trash.
5. Telling them off feels good (just don’t go overboard on the comments – if you go too far it might be legally objectionable or constitute a threat).
6. “They asked you a question and are owed the courtesy of a reply.” So you’re just being polite. (smile)
MCPO,
you always have a way of seeing through the clutter and getting to the really important stuff! 😉
Derek
AARP eligibility starts at 50, at least it has as long as I can remember. I’m 46 and they aren’t hitting me up yet but I’m sure it will be soon! Getting it at 31? They must be getting desperate!
I wonder if Paul (of the Ballsack) is a member of AARP?
AARP was cited as anti-gun activists decades ago in the gun rags.
Don’t forget – stuff those return evelopes so full of other crap you can barley get them closed.
Joe Mama: well, that might not exactly be 100% ethical.
But it certainly is very satisfying. (smile)
I hate to drop a turd in the punch bowl here but I think AARP has finally caught on to how they are setting themselves up by sending out mailing solicitations with return postage guaranteed envelopes enclosed. The last one I received required a stamp on the return envelope. Now that may be just because they’ve flagged me in their computer as a return envelope stuffer of long standing (almost a decade) but if that were the case why would they go to the expense of sending me anything?
But look at the bright side: just how many responses are they going to get when people see them as being too cheap an outfit to pay for return postage? That will definitely reduce their positive return rate on mailings, so either way they get burned. We’ll know if it’s hurting them if they go back to their previous paid postage policy.
The very best way you can stick it to them is by educating friends and family members as to just what a bunch of lefty snakes they are. It won’t be easy with the old folks because they tend to believe AARP’s TV ads that they’re really concerned and looking out for them and offer lower insurance premiums. That’s a crock. Every time I’ve researched it for family members, their MediGap and prescription drug plan premiums have been more expensive than what is available locally. That’s because the insurance companies who sign on with AARP (primarily United healthcare) have to pay a portion of their premiums for the implied endorsement, just another example of how AARP screws seniors.
Every time I receive one of their cards, I cut it up and send it back to them in their postage paid envelope. I recently saw that more clever people weight down that envelope with heavy junk so it costs them more.
We belong to AMAC, the real American alternative:
http://amac.us/
If you are feeling especially snarky, stack up several categories of annoying junk mail and use the assorted postage paid envelopes to send them bits and pieces of each others’ special offers (I especially like the ads for the cheap checks and such) and share the love among them. At least whoever opens the mail might get a bit of a smile.
It’s just recycling.
Hey, if it’s not a prepaid return envelope, can one just write “postage due” on it, and they HAVE to take it?
I do similar, with the return of unsolicited mail. BUt I tear the stuff I return in half, so that it can’t be reused in another mailing. And all of the above with unsolicited credit card mailings (YOU Qualify NOW!!)