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blackwolfmt
Senior Nomad
Posts: 802
Registered: 1-18-2014
Location: On The Beach With A Blackwolf
Member Is Offline
Mood: dreamin of Riden out a hurricane in Baja
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AARP question
Hey Nomads over 50 and members of AARP, Is it really a benefit to be a member when spending 10 months a year in Baja??
lets here those opinions, Thanks 
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
Member Is Offline
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AARP is an insurance company so I guess it will do them a lot of good.
"YOU CAN'T LITTER ALUMINUM"
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Hook
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9011
Registered: 3-13-2004
Location: Sonora
Member Is Offline
Mood: Inquisitive
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AARP isnt an insurance company, that I am aware of...........but they do get you into a "group" for their insurance connections. We have our US auto
insurance through them but it is Hartford Insurance.
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TMW
Select Nomad
Posts: 10659
Registered: 9-1-2003
Location: Bakersfield, CA
Member Is Offline
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AARP does what Hook said. They also have a monthly magazine with info related to people over 50. They regularly request tax deductible donations that
they use for elderly care etc. Showing their membership card will get you a discount at many places as will a AAA card. They regularly survey the
membership on various topics related to senior citizens. With their membership as large as it is they do have clout in the political arena. To join or
not is a decision you must make based on what you would expect from them and how it would help you. Google AARP and see what comes up or go to http://www.aarp.org/
[Edited on 5-1-2014 by TW]
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chuckie
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6082
Registered: 2-20-2012
Location: Kansas Prairies
Member Is Offline
Mood: Weary
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I don't see that I get much value from being a member, but I continue to be because of their clout and good works.....
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blackwolfmt
Senior Nomad
Posts: 802
Registered: 1-18-2014
Location: On The Beach With A Blackwolf
Member Is Offline
Mood: dreamin of Riden out a hurricane in Baja
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| Quote: | Originally posted by chuckie
I don't see that I get much value from being a member, but I continue to be because of their clout and good works..... |
yeah chuckie that's why I ask, everybody I know over 50 says sign up my bud just signed up for the cell service deal 30$ a month says he has great
service cheaper than verizon ect.. I was just curios if it was a real benefit in the long run
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willardguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6451
Registered: 9-19-2009
Member Is Offline
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I've been a big fan ever since they put my picture on the cover!
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Hook
AARP isnt an insurance company, that I am aware of...........
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http://waysandmeans.house.gov/uploadedfiles/aarp_report_fina...
"YOU CAN'T LITTER ALUMINUM"
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rts551
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6700
Registered: 9-5-2003
Member Is Offline
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AARP is an Association made up of members who are over 50. Its benefit is that it can wield influence based on numbers in the marketplace (as in
insurance) or politically (influencing decisions that effect the retired and elderly). It could be looked at loosely as a Union for the retired. If
you care about legislation affecting you as a retired person, you might want to belong...and you can always take advantage of their marketplace
plans.
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AmoPescar
Senior Nomad
Posts: 835
Registered: 7-15-2006
Location: North San Diego County
Member Is Offline
Mood: Need a Fish Taco and a Pacifico!
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ANOTHER OPTION IS 'AMAC'
THE ASSOCIATION OF MATURE AMERICAN CITIZENS @ http://www.amac.us
They are a newer and more conservative group that is also concerned with the issues facing older Americans. However...they do not support the Liberal
and Left leaning political issues and politicians as AARP does!
They also offer many discounts and benefits for members. About $16 a year or less to join.
Miguelamo  
Nomad Amigos...Here\'s hoping you all have safe Baja travels, amazing sunrises, sunny days, comforting breezes, beautiful sunsets, tasty tacos,
cold cervezas and frosty margaritas!!
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Hook
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9011
Registered: 3-13-2004
Location: Sonora
Member Is Offline
Mood: Inquisitive
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AARP supports politicians? I thought non-profits were precluded from that.
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mtgoat666
Select Nomad
Posts: 19543
Registered: 9-16-2006
Location: San Diego
Member Is Offline
Mood: Hot n spicy
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| Quote: | Originally posted by AmoPescar
THE ASSOCIATION OF MATURE AMERICAN CITIZENS @ http://www.amac.us
They are a newer and more conservative group that is also concerned with the issues facing older Americans. However...they do not support the Liberal
and Left leaning political issues and politicians as AARP does! |
One party wants to eliminate SS and Medicare, one party doesn't. Which would you choose?
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blackwolfmt
Senior Nomad
Posts: 802
Registered: 1-18-2014
Location: On The Beach With A Blackwolf
Member Is Offline
Mood: dreamin of Riden out a hurricane in Baja
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Well that answers my Question, I am not really a club kinda gringo,, Thanks Nomads
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durrelllrobert
Elite Nomad
Posts: 7393
Registered: 11-22-2007
Location: Punta Banda BC
Member Is Offline
Mood: thriving in Baja
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Really?
AARP: Money First, Seniors Second
By Russel Hanson
We've all heard of AARP: that friendly, non-profit organization that just wants to help our seniors? Wrong. While AARP, formerly known as the
American Association of Retired Persons, is technically considered a private not-for-profit organization, they were founded in 1958 with a primary
mission to sell seniors health insurance. That's right, sell. As in to make money.
Obviously, I have no problem with people or businesses selling things; the more products and services on the market, the more selection and the more
competition. The free-market system has allowed us to become one of the greatest nations in the history of mankind. But when an organization's
primary mission is to sell a product (in this case health care insurance) and spends tons of money on lobbying and political contributions, it should
not be eligible for tax-exempt status.
Many Republicans in the 112th Congress recognize this. In fact, in April, Reps. Wally Herger and Dave Reichert released a report entitled "Behind the
Veil: The AARP America Doesn't Know" to address the reality that AARP has violated their 501(c)(4) tax-exempt status. As to why it took this long for
people to wake up to this fact, who knows? But as least some have seen the light.
The report points out that AARP makes its money primarily from insurance industry royalties, which accounted for nearly 46% of their revenue in 2009,
whereas membership dues accounted for a measly 17%. It is highly unlikely that AARP would be such a political behemoth (and bully) if not for these
royalties.
What many AARP members don't know is that their money is often being spent on lobbying and political contributions, primarily on Democratic causes.
AARP claims that they do "not endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to either political campaigns or candidates." Of course,
because that would be illegal. But its employees do make such contributions. According to Open Secrets, from 2007-2008, AARP employees contributed
to twenty federal candidates, 16 of whom were Democrats. Only $550 went to Republican presidential nominee John McCain, while Barack Obama received
$30,901. AARP employees also contributed $496,169 to state candidates in 2008.
In addition, in 2009 and 2010, the years in which the roiling debate over health care took place, AARP spent over $43 million on lobbying. In 2010,
it directly employed sixty-five lobbyists (and six indirectly) through firms including Quinn Gillespie & Assoc and Williams & Jensen.
AARP is a political juggernaut, and it knows how to toss its weight around. As a result, few dare to challenge the organization. That is why AARP
has been allowed to masquerade as a non-profit organization for so long, dodging taxes and hiding its true purpose: to sell insurance.
AARP's political clout helped get Obamacare signed into law. Though initially somewhat quiet, at least publicly, AARP's spokespeople ended up
strongly and vocally backing the legislation. After the Senate passed it, the CEO of AARP, A. Barry Rand, said in a press statement that "[p]assage
of the Senate health care reform bill clears the way for Congress to enact legislation in the coming weeks that will protect and strengthen Medicare,
ensure millions more Americans can get affordable health coverage and sharply curtail discriminatory insurance company practices that keep those most
in need out of the system."
This is yet another untruth from AARP. The CEO claims that ObamaCare "will strengthen and protect Medicare." But what he and AARP never mention is
that Obamacare cuts nearly $530 billion from Medicare. This is odd, given that AARP claims that its primary mission is to protect seniors' best
interests. But ObamaCare amounts to a massive shift of health care funding away from seniors already covered by federal health plans to new
non-senior recipients who may now be eligible for coverage under the law.
This certainly does not benefit seniors, so why would AARP support it? Because it financially benefits AARP.
According to the report by Reps Herger and Reichert, "AARP's stated concern about insurance industry practices as the basis for endorsing the health
care law directly conflicts with its financial dependence on these same insurance companies and the profits it stands to make from resulting changes
to the way seniors will get their health benefits." The report points out that Medicare Advantage will be cut severely and result in fewer benefits
for seniors and higher premiums. In addition, as a result of ObamaCare, a projected 4.9 million fewer seniors will be enrolled in Medicare Advantage.
How does this help seniors? It doesn't. In fact, it does the exact opposite: seniors will get less care and will pay more for it. How does it help
AARP? These seniors who need insurance will have to turn to the only other available option: Medigap, a private supplemental health insurance plan
you can buy from AARP. It's a good thing they're looking out for you, seniors!
That is only one of the ways in which AARP benefits while seniors suffer from Obamacare. The report details several others.
This chicanery says nothing of the scare tactics and propaganda that AARP is pushing on seniors against the Republican budget authored by Rep. Paul
Ryan. In one shameful television ad, AARP impliess that Republicans want to cut Social Security and Medicare. "You've worked hard your entire life,"
the ad says as melancholy music plays in the background. "Paid your dues, raised a family. You've earned a little peace of mind. Now, some in
Congress want to make harmful cuts to Medicare and Social Security, cutting your benefits so Washington can pay its bills." The voiceover goes on as
seniors look forlornly into the camera. It is obvious that AARP is referring to the Paul Ryan budget, since that is the only high-profile plan yet
that attempts to reform Medicare. After all, the Democrats haven't passed a budget at all for nearly two years.
Unlike the ObamaCare plan, which AARP supported, Paul Ryan's budget, The Path to Prosperity, does not cut change Medicare at all for people over
fifty-five. It does not even touch Social Security. So it the AARP ad on is entirely misleading. What the Paul Ryan plan does is reform Medicare
(which otherwise will be bankrupt in thirteen years) so that future generations won't have to worry about whether or not they will be receiving health
care benefits for a program they will be paying taxes for. It helps make the program solvent once again.
Those are the dirty little secrets of AARP, an organization with a penchant for liberalism and a strong tendency to gravitate toward profits instead
of the well-being of seniors. Of course, a profit motive is fine so long as AARP pays taxes befitting its true nature -- i.e., not as a non-profit
senior advocacy group, but as a corporation bent on churning up big profits
Bob Durrell
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Barry A.
Select Nomad
Posts: 10007
Registered: 11-30-2003
Location: Redding, Northern CA
Member Is Offline
Mood: optimistic
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I quit AARP years ago. Their political agenda has become way to obvious, and detrimental (leftist), from my point of view.
Barry
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Bajahowodd
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9274
Registered: 12-15-2008
Location: Disneyland Adjacent and anywhere in Baja
Member Is Offline
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Hook
AARP supports politicians? I thought non-profits were precluded from that. |
You really need to catch up. There has been a major kerfuffle about the IRS supposedly targeting right wing non-profits. It's all BS.
The IRS on its own, changed the interpretation of a statute back in 1968 that originally said these non-profits must be only for social welfare to
primarily for social welfare that opened the floodgates to all kinds of interest groups getting tax free status while funneling money into political
issues.
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churro
Nomad
Posts: 195
Registered: 5-6-2013
Member Is Offline
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That is so Funny! Does your wife Angelina use the discount card Willardguy?
| Quote: | Originally posted by willardguy
I've been a big fan ever since they put my picture on the cover!
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baconjr
Nomad
Posts: 128
Registered: 7-14-2012
Member Is Offline
Mood: Es la vida de perro!
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Sounds like the NRA!
| Quote: | Originally posted by durrelllrobert
AARP: Money First, Seniors Second
By Russel Hanson
We've all heard of AARP: that friendly, non-profit organization that just wants to help our seniors? Wrong. While AARP, formerly known as the
American Association of Retired Persons, is technically considered a private not-for-profit organization, they were founded in 1958 with a primary
mission to sell seniors health insurance. That's right, sell. As in to make money.
Obviously, I have no problem with people or businesses selling things; the more products and services on the market, the more selection and the more
competition. The free-market system has allowed us to become one of the greatest nations in the history of mankind. But when an organization's
primary mission is to sell a product (in this case health care insurance) and spends tons of money on lobbying and political contributions, it should
not be eligible for tax-exempt status.
Many Republicans in the 112th Congress recognize this. In fact, in April, Reps. Wally Herger and Dave Reichert released a report entitled "Behind the
Veil: The AARP America Doesn't Know" to address the reality that AARP has violated their 501(c)(4) tax-exempt status. As to why it took this long for
people to wake up to this fact, who knows? But as least some have seen the light.
The report points out that AARP makes its money primarily from insurance industry royalties, which accounted for nearly 46% of their revenue in 2009,
whereas membership dues accounted for a measly 17%. It is highly unlikely that AARP would be such a political behemoth (and bully) if not for these
royalties.
What many AARP members don't know is that their money is often being spent on lobbying and political contributions, primarily on Democratic causes.
AARP claims that they do "not endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to either political campaigns or candidates." Of course,
because that would be illegal. But its employees do make such contributions. According to Open Secrets, from 2007-2008, AARP employees contributed
to twenty federal candidates, 16 of whom were Democrats. Only $550 went to Republican presidential nominee John McCain, while Barack Obama received
$30,901. AARP employees also contributed $496,169 to state candidates in 2008.
In addition, in 2009 and 2010, the years in which the roiling debate over health care took place, AARP spent over $43 million on lobbying. In 2010,
it directly employed sixty-five lobbyists (and six indirectly) through firms including Quinn Gillespie & Assoc and Williams & Jensen.
AARP is a political juggernaut, and it knows how to toss its weight around. As a result, few dare to challenge the organization. That is why AARP
has been allowed to masquerade as a non-profit organization for so long, dodging taxes and hiding its true purpose: to sell insurance.
AARP's political clout helped get Obamacare signed into law. Though initially somewhat quiet, at least publicly, AARP's spokespeople ended up
strongly and vocally backing the legislation. After the Senate passed it, the CEO of AARP, A. Barry Rand, said in a press statement that "[p]assage
of the Senate health care reform bill clears the way for Congress to enact legislation in the coming weeks that will protect and strengthen Medicare,
ensure millions more Americans can get affordable health coverage and sharply curtail discriminatory insurance company practices that keep those most
in need out of the system."
This is yet another untruth from AARP. The CEO claims that ObamaCare "will strengthen and protect Medicare." But what he and AARP never mention is
that Obamacare cuts nearly $530 billion from Medicare. This is odd, given that AARP claims that its primary mission is to protect seniors' best
interests. But ObamaCare amounts to a massive shift of health care funding away from seniors already covered by federal health plans to new
non-senior recipients who may now be eligible for coverage under the law.
This certainly does not benefit seniors, so why would AARP support it? Because it financially benefits AARP.
According to the report by Reps Herger and Reichert, "AARP's stated concern about insurance industry practices as the basis for endorsing the health
care law directly conflicts with its financial dependence on these same insurance companies and the profits it stands to make from resulting changes
to the way seniors will get their health benefits." The report points out that Medicare Advantage will be cut severely and result in fewer benefits
for seniors and higher premiums. In addition, as a result of ObamaCare, a projected 4.9 million fewer seniors will be enrolled in Medicare Advantage.
How does this help seniors? It doesn't. In fact, it does the exact opposite: seniors will get less care and will pay more for it. How does it help
AARP? These seniors who need insurance will have to turn to the only other available option: Medigap, a private supplemental health insurance plan
you can buy from AARP. It's a good thing they're looking out for you, seniors!
That is only one of the ways in which AARP benefits while seniors suffer from Obamacare. The report details several others.
This chicanery says nothing of the scare tactics and propaganda that AARP is pushing on seniors against the Republican budget authored by Rep. Paul
Ryan. In one shameful television ad, AARP impliess that Republicans want to cut Social Security and Medicare. "You've worked hard your entire life,"
the ad says as melancholy music plays in the background. "Paid your dues, raised a family. You've earned a little peace of mind. Now, some in
Congress want to make harmful cuts to Medicare and Social Security, cutting your benefits so Washington can pay its bills." The voiceover goes on as
seniors look forlornly into the camera. It is obvious that AARP is referring to the Paul Ryan budget, since that is the only high-profile plan yet
that attempts to reform Medicare. After all, the Democrats haven't passed a budget at all for nearly two years.
Unlike the ObamaCare plan, which AARP supported, Paul Ryan's budget, The Path to Prosperity, does not cut change Medicare at all for people over
fifty-five. It does not even touch Social Security. So it the AARP ad on is entirely misleading. What the Paul Ryan plan does is reform Medicare
(which otherwise will be bankrupt in thirteen years) so that future generations won't have to worry about whether or not they will be receiving health
care benefits for a program they will be paying taxes for. It helps make the program solvent once again.
Those are the dirty little secrets of AARP, an organization with a penchant for liberalism and a strong tendency to gravitate toward profits instead
of the well-being of seniors. Of course, a profit motive is fine so long as AARP pays taxes befitting its true nature -- i.e., not as a non-profit
senior advocacy group, but as a corporation bent on churning up big profits |
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danaeb
Senior Nomad
Posts: 991
Registered: 11-13-2006
Location: San Diego; El Centenario
Member Is Offline
Mood: groovy
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TEAARP.
Experience enables you to recognize a mistake every time you repeat it.
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Hook
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9011
Registered: 3-13-2004
Location: Sonora
Member Is Offline
Mood: Inquisitive
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Bajahowodd
You really need to catch up. There has been a major kerfuffle about the IRS supposedly targeting right wing non-profits. It's all BS.
The IRS on its own, changed the interpretation of a statute back in 1968 that originally said these non-profits must be only for social welfare to
primarily for social welfare that opened the floodgates to all kinds of interest groups getting tax free status while funneling money into political
issues. |
Funneling money into political ISSUES is different than supporting "politicians", which is what Amo Pesca is claiming.
And employees of AARP have every right to donate to candidates. THAT'S NOT AARP MONEY!!!!! That's their own personal money.
But I dont recall AARP giving money to political candidates.......and the article admits that. But the author of the article tried to link employee
contributions to AARP, which is different. Of course, that would be contrary to HIS obvious agenda in the article. Set me straight on this, either you
or Amo.
BTW, I'm pretty sure that the conservative AMAC supports political causes, right?
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