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Current Events => Politics => Topic started by: Chris on August 18, 2009, 11:48:28 AM

Title: Thousands Quit AARP Over Health Reform
Post by: Chris on August 18, 2009, 11:48:28 AM
Quote
(CBS)  CBS News has learned that up to 60,000 people have cancelled their AARP memberships since July 1, angered over the group's position on health care.

Many are switching to the American Seniors Association, a group that calls itself the conservative alternative as CBS News Investigative Correspondent Sharyl Attkisson reports.

Last week alone, they added more than 5,000 new members. Our camera was there Friday when the mail came.

Letters were filled with cut-up AARP cards.

The American Seniors Association is flat-out against President Obama's plan, which calls for $313 billion dollars in Medicare cuts over ten years. The AARP is widely viewed as supporting the President.

AARP says for a group with 40 million members that adds hundreds of thousands each month, losing 60 thousand is just a drop in the bucket. But to the much smaller American Seniors Association it's a flood.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/08/17/eveningnews/main5247916.shtml
Title: Re: Thousands Quit AARP Over Health Reform
Post by: DumbAss Tanker on August 18, 2009, 12:12:33 PM
Thanks to their long-established gun-hating stance, I have never joined but just throw away their promotional and recruiting materials unopened.
Title: Re: Thousands Quit AARP Over Health Reform
Post by: debk on August 18, 2009, 12:45:52 PM
I finally joined 2 years ago...to get the discounts.

Haven't used them.

Won't be renewing my membership in September.
Title: Re: Thousands Quit AARP Over Health Reform
Post by: Lacarnut on August 18, 2009, 01:03:31 PM
A 1 year membership was enough for me; getting bombarded with their junk mail every day ticked me off. Would not be so bad if the insurance they were peddling was a good buy. Not so because this outfit makes almost a billion dollars a year on their crummy insurance and bottom feeder mutual funds. I feel sorry for old farts that are getting duped by this rotten organization that does not have seniors best interest at heart. This outfit was for Hillary care, and they are for a governmental take over of the health care system. Membership dues is a drop in the bucket in their overall income.
Title: Re: Thousands Quit AARP Over Health Reform
Post by: Chris_ on August 18, 2009, 02:19:21 PM
We joined for one year back in the 90's, until we learned about their support of Clinton's anti-gun positions, and anti smoking campaign......that was it for us.

They are a liberal advocacy group, not a group that supports seniors, otherwise why else would they take strong positions on issues that hold little interest for MOST seniors, like gun control......

They are MoveOn for older folks......Anyone that wants to test their gag reflex should go to their website and read some of the forum postings.......it will remind you of the DUmp, to a great degree......

doc
Title: Re: Thousands Quit AARP Over Health Reform
Post by: Rebel on August 18, 2009, 03:48:03 PM
This is what Boortz has been pimping for a little while:

www.americanseniors.org

Can't get to the site. Hopefully that means there are tons of people trying to sign up.
Title: Re: Thousands Quit AARP Over Health Reform
Post by: Chris_ on August 18, 2009, 04:45:12 PM
This is what Boortz has been pimping for a little while:

www.americanseniors.org

Can't get to the site. Hopefully that means there are tons of people trying to sign up.

Just signed up.......only $15/yr, and you get your second year free if you mail them your cut-up AARP card........

Site was so slow that it makes dial-up look good, so they must be getting a ton of new enrollments......

doc
Title: Re: Thousands Quit AARP Over Health Reform
Post by: Eupher on August 18, 2009, 04:48:34 PM
Unlike AARP, there is no age requirement to join. That means even you youngsters under 50 can sign up!   :rotf:
Title: Re: Thousands Quit AARP Over Health Reform
Post by: 5412 on August 18, 2009, 07:12:37 PM
Hi,

I have been a member for quite awhile but am not renewing.  The idea of discounts is a sham except for insurance.  Your AAA card will get the same discounts at hotels, etc.  I called our medicare supplement carrier who I got through AARP and they told me they would not cancel, nor would they change our rates if we drop our AARP membership.  My guess is, just like other private insurance, they cannot cancel you once you are in.

regards,
5412
Title: Re: Thousands Quit AARP Over Health Reform
Post by: Rebel on August 18, 2009, 08:10:14 PM
Unlike AARP, there is no age requirement to join. That means even you youngsters under 50 can sign up!   :rotf:

That's actually a good thing. We're all going to be old f'ers like you guys one day  :tongue: so it's an investment into our future as conservatives.
Title: Re: Thousands Quit AARP Over Health Reform
Post by: Gratiot on August 18, 2009, 08:26:15 PM
The AARP clearly cares about their members.
This should be entitled: Case Studies in How NOT to Conduct a Meeting for a Member Driven and Owned Organization!




[youtube=425,350]0KXTOnC6HWw[/youtube]
Title: Re: Thousands Quit AARP Over Health Reform
Post by: debk on August 18, 2009, 10:24:09 PM
That's actually a good thing. We're all going to be old f'ers like you guys one day  :tongue: so it's an investment into our future as conservatives.

 :hammer: :hammer: :hammer:
Title: Re: Thousands Quit AARP Over Health Reform
Post by: docstew on August 19, 2009, 01:51:12 AM
:hammer: :hammer: :hammer:

Deb, you did tell me that you probably graduated HS with my wife's parents, and she's older than I am... lol
Title: Re: Thousands Quit AARP Over Health Reform
Post by: Chris_ on August 19, 2009, 08:33:43 AM
Hi,

I have been a member for quite awhile but am not renewing.  The idea of discounts is a sham except for insurance.  Your AAA card will get the same discounts at hotels, etc.  I called our medicare supplement carrier who I got through AARP and they told me they would not cancel, nor would they change our rates if we drop our AARP membership.  My guess is, just like other private insurance, they cannot cancel you once you are in.

regards,
5412

Insurance from United Health Care, although advertised by AARP, are really not affiliated, and you do not have to be an AARP member to secure your insurance through United Health Care..........

Their Life insurance, as well as other insurance offerings are part of a "sponsored group", and you DO have to be a member.....AARP also receives a portion of the premiums as a "commission",,,,,,,not so with the Medicare supplement/Part C coverages.

doc
Title: Re: Thousands Quit AARP Over Health Reform
Post by: Lacarnut on August 19, 2009, 12:08:00 PM
Insurance from United Health Care, although advertised by AARP, are really not affiliated, and you do not have to be an AARP member to secure your insurance through United Health Care..........

Their Life insurance, as well as other insurance offerings are part of a "sponsored group", and you DO have to be a member.....AARP also receives a portion of the premiums as a "commission",,,,,,,not so with the Medicare supplement/Part C coverages.

doc

AARP also gets a commission off of the mutual funds that they hawk which are terrible investments. They are at the bottom in performance and at the top of expenses (over 2%) plus loads of 5%.
Title: Re: Thousands Quit AARP Over Health Reform
Post by: Chris_ on August 19, 2009, 12:17:50 PM
AARP also gets a commission off of the mutual funds that they hawk which are terrible investments. They are at the bottom in performance and at the top of expenses (over 2%) plus loads of 5%.

I wasn't aware that they were in the investment business....but we are not members.......

Doesn't surprise me, as likely most of the load goes to AARP.

doc
Title: Re: Thousands Quit AARP Over Health Reform
Post by: Lacarnut on August 19, 2009, 02:56:08 PM
I wasn't aware that they were in the investment business....but we are not members.......

Doesn't surprise me, as likely most of the load goes to AARP.

doc

Looks like they cleaned their act up and no longer have load funds. They started up their own funds which are highly rated by Morningstar with low fees. A couple of years ago, Consumer Reports stated otherwise.
Title: Re: Thousands Quit AARP Over Health Reform
Post by: Airwolf on August 19, 2009, 06:26:45 PM
Have not and will not join the AARP no matter how many times they send their junk in the mail.
Title: Re: Thousands Quit AARP Over Health Reform
Post by: Chris_ on August 20, 2009, 12:07:14 AM
AARP has been inviting me to join since I was 32.

So much for being for "Seniors"...