On Thu, 03 Mar 2005 14:52:55 GMT, "Butch Davis" wrote:

John,

AARP does not represent me. Of course I'm not a member although I'm
certainly fully qualified. I strongly suspect that the overwhelming
majority of AARP members are in it for the discounts and don't give a hoot
about the political agenda of the organization.

They claim to represent all the members political goals. I suspect they
represent a small percentage of the memebr's political goals. They should
be ignored as background noise.

Butch
"John H" wrote in message
.. .
On 2 Mar 2005 09:15:09 -0800, "Capt John" wrote:


Harry Krause wrote:
GOP Lawmakers Attack Democrats, AARP

2 minutes ago

By DAVID ESPO, AP Special Correspondent

WASHINGTON - Republicans attacked the AARP as well as congressional
Democrats on Wednesday as they struggled to build momentum behind
President Bush's call for personal investment accounts under Social
Security.


The AARP, which claims 35 million members age 50 and over, is
"against a
solution that hasn't been written yet," said House Majority Leader
Tom
DeLay after a closed-door meeting with the GOP rank and file.

He called the group's opposition to personal accounts irresponsible
and
hypothetical, adding that it sells mutual funds to its own
membership.

A spokeswoman for the organization had no immediate comment.

DeLay and Speaker Dennis Hastert also criticized congressional
Democrats, who are virtually united in opposition to Bush's plans.
"The
party of no," Hastert called them.

- - -

It's a matter of trust. No one trusts the Republicans on this issue.

The head of the AARP, by the way, is an old Nixon CREEP operative.

Their's two problems with AARP, first, they are extremely pro
Democratic Party. No organization should ever put all their eggs in one
basket like that, regardless of which party you support, it's not in
the best interest of their membership.

Second, most AARP members on social security know damm well the money
younger Americans are putting into social security is going directly to
them. Their's probably going to be nothing for younger Americans when
they retire, or they will be forced to work for several additional
years before they qualift for benefits.

The current system is not popular among younger Americans, and all the
polls show that. It's just a matter of which group is more powerful.
The AARP doesn't care about younger Americans. It doesn't care that the
system is "robbing Peter to pay Paul".

Joining AARP seemed worthwhile in order to get discounts at motels while
on
trips. Now I find I can get the same, or better, discounts with my DAV
card.

Bye, bye AARP.

John H

"All decisions are the result of binary thinking."



Try this as an alternative: http://www.usanext.org/

I figure any outfit that is getting all this pressure from liberals must be
doing something right!
**************************************


SUBJECT: LIBERALS LEVEL FULL-SCALE ASSAULT AT USA NEXT

The liberal media assault on USA Next has intensified. Literally, within hours
of the news that USA Next is launching its “Stop Scaring Seniors NOW!” campaign
against AARP, liberals in government and in the media are already gunning for
us. Three quick examples:

• “The USA Next group intends to combine the two ruthless success stories of the
Bush re-election: the Swiftian tactic of amplifying its vicious and dishonest
attacks through the media, and the Rovian tactic of hanging gay marriage like an
anvil around the neck of a foe.” – New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd, Feb.
24, 2005.

• “U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.), an octogenarian, attacked AARP's rival,
USA Next. He criticized USA Next's decision to hire consultants used in last
year's campaign that attacked Sen. John Kerry's war service, contributing to his
loss in the presidential race.” – Ana M. Alaya, Newark Star-Ledger, Feb. 23,
2005.

• “‘[AARP is] the boulder in the middle of the highway to personal savings
accounts,’ Charlie Jarvis, president of USA Next, told the Times. ‘We will be
the dynamite that removes them.’ If you can't win an argument on the merits,
then dirty up your opposition.” – Nationally syndicated liberal columnist Molly
Ivins, Chicago Tribune, Feb. 24, 2005.

Several liberal activist groups have started petition drives to “stop USA Next.”
But what the liberals cannot hide is the shameful record of liberal activism
AARP has compiled over the years while claiming it is a seniors organization.
Here is just some of the record for which USA Next will be holding AARP
accountable in the coming months:

While USA Next champions elimination of taxes on Social Security benefits,
AARP, with all its power, has never worked to eliminate this terrible double
tax.

AARP, with its immense power, could have stopped payroll tax increases
(FICA) in 1984, 1988 and 1989, and many more tax increases before that going
back to the 1960s.

AARP received more than $67 million in taxpayer-funded federal grants in
2003 alone. Over the past 15 years, AARP has taken $1.1 BILLION in hardworking
taxpayers’ money through federal “grants.”

AARP has consistently opposed elimination of the death tax and significant
cuts in the capital gains tax.

AARP aggressively pushes Scudder Investments, which allows AARP members to
invest their money in mutual funds. Yet AARP vehemently opposes Personal
Savings Accounts for younger workers to invest their Social Security money in
conservative ventures.

AARP opposed the marriage amendment in Ohio that passed last year by a
margin of 62 percent to 38 percent. The amendment defined marriage as being
between one man and one woman. AARP did not make its opposition to the Ohio
marriage amendment public until it was forced to do so in the New York Times on
February 23.

AARP has strongly supported gun control measures such as the Brady Bill.

Ten years ago AARP was forced to pay the IRS $135 million in back taxes
after trying to claim its business profits qualified as gifts to charity. This
caused former U.S. Senator Alan Simpson to convene hearings looking into how
AARP could profit from business enterprises while claiming tax-exempt status so
it could apply for federal grants.

Not only is AARP the largest liberal lobbying organization in America, its
largesse also betrays an agenda that has less to do with seniors and, again,
much more to do with pushing a political agenda.

In 2003, AARP employed 20 paid lobbyists, spending $20 million on
lobbying.

Last year, AARP purchased its own headquarters in downtown Washington for
$204 million after paying $20 million per year in rent.

This is just some of the case USA Next will be making against AARP to its
members. Our own national surveys reveal about 38 percent of AARP members –
over a third – identify themselves as conservative. We will ensure these people
know what AARP’s true agenda is, and we will ensure they know USA Next is an
organization where they can get great travel discounts and insurance packages
that AARP provides, without the liberal politics and their sky high fees.

AARP and its liberal allies in Congress will stop at nothing to protect their
control over taxpayers’ own retirement money. If you would like more
information about AARP’s liberal agenda and USA Next’s Stop Scaring Seniors NOW!
campaign feel free to contact me at (703)-359-6500.
************************************************** ********************

John H

"All decisions are the result of binary thinking."