Just recieved from a bagger-- his letter to the CEO of AARP

[MindPilot]

I repled to the guy who sent me this "I assume that you have refused any and all Medicare benefits and Social Security payments."

I also wonder why if he has been so dissatisfied with the AARPs position, is he still a member? And exactly how does AARP make insurance commisions from Medicare? Those questions I did not ask in my reply since they are probably too complicated.


August 8, 2009

Mr. A Barry Rand
AARP
601 E Street N.W.
Washington, DC 20049

Dear Mr. Rand,

I am 71 years old and I have been a member of AARP for many years. At no time do I ever recall being asked my opinion regarding what I want regarding any government program that our organization has been lobbying for or against. In talking to fellow AARP members, I have failed to locate one that as ever been asked his or her opinion concerning positions the organization is advocating. Your lobbying efforts are totally unauthorized by the membership. In fact, you are lobbying against the best interests of the membership.

Your advocacy of left wing policies in AARP The Magazine made me so angry that I stopped reading it years ago. It goes directly from the mailbox to the trashcan.

I know that AARP has made much money from insurance commissions as a result of the Medicare government program. I am sure that is your motivation for your current support of the Democratic Healthcare Reform bill. Since, you get more money from insurance commissions than membership fees, you do not seem to care that the majority of the American people and your membership oppose the Healthcare measures proposed by the Democrats in Congress. You are counting on the expansion of Government into our insurance programs to produce more income for AARP and thus a larger salary for you. The one you are currently drawing allowed you to make a substantial contribution to the Obama Champaign.

Your claim to be a "nonpartisan membership organization" is totally false and your treatment of your members is disgraceful. Your officials did not have the guts to face the opposition to your positions voiced at a recent meeting. When they left that meeting of members they proved that they did not care what the members wanted.

The Congress got away with the stimulus package and the bailouts. However, now that they are trying to take away our freedoms concerning our choices of insurance, medical procedures, doctors, privacy and institute taxpayer funded abortion and taxpayer funded healthcare for illegal aliens, they have gone too far! They have awakened a monster. The American people and your members are mad as hell and they are not going to take it any more.

I and a great number of other members are going to do one of two things:
1. Persuade the officials of AARP to respect our wishes and stop supporting the Democratic Healthcare Reform bill or
2. Cancel or memberships in mass.

You, Sir, need to take our concerns seriously and respond to them NOW! You can start by instructing your employees and volunteers to respect the wishes of your membership.

Respectfully yours,



Jack Xxxxx

[yourout]

1. His last name MUST be Ass.

[MindPilot]

5. Yep. I don't have a clue who this person is or how I got on his list

but I get every piece of right-wing shit that flows through the intertubes from him.

[47of74]

8. Not all older people are nice

Some of them are the meanest and most despicable people on the face of this Earth. For example, our former Vice President. And the guy who shot up the Holocaust Museum.

[MercutioATC]

2. The short version:

Dear Mr. Rand,

I'm pissed that you're advocating that others get the same benefits I do.

Respectfully yours,

A single-payer, government-run health care recipient.

[MindPilot]

9. "PS did you know they're letting coloreds into the white house?"

That's the unwritten part.

Did you notice his use of Obama champaign instead of campaign? And I believe it's en mass.

[MercutioATC]

13. See, you just had to be the "RACISM!" screamer....

If it was Carter or Clinton, the disapproval would be the same.

There are many issues that DO have a legitimate racist component. That doesn't mean that any criticism of Obama's policies is racist.

[MindPilot]

15. Trust me, that is true with this particular guy.

After the election he was convinced that white people would be herded off to the FEMA camps.

And I do believe that racism is the primary component in this health care argument because nothing else makes any sense.

[ingac70]

3. AARP....

Hawks Medicare supplements for insurance companies, as well as other types of insurance.

[proud2BlibKansan]

4. So is someone forcing him to be a member??

[MindPilot]

7. I don't get that either -- when you join a lobbying organization

you don't join and then expect them to change their position. That would be kind of like me joining American Atheists and then getting pissed because they didn't advocate for school prayer.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

6. How come he didn't cancel his membership?

Big old weenie.

Big old dumb, ill-informed, grouchy weenie.

How does he know he's speaking for other members?

Sounds like the old fellow just might be hearing voices........................................

[johnaries]

12. Because AARP members get deals and discounts

on all kinds of services. "It's all about me."

[Tangerine LaBamba]

14. Of course -

the old weenie was just whining and making himself out to be some kind of leader of some movement.

Funny how he just decided to object to AARP being a lobbying organization - what on earth did he think it was? - just now. At age seventy-one, he's been on their list for twenty-one years.

Weenie is a slow learner, it would appear......................

[TreasonousBastard]

10. This is a bigger problem than you think...

True, AARP is basically an insurance agency, selling life, auto, homeowners, and health insurance policies, including medigap coverage.

Also true is that long ago they became more interested in making money than advocating for the aged. And their definition of aged is anyone over about 50. And they might have a questionnaire or two every year about what the membership wants, but it doesn't mean much.

But, the real problem is that this guy has been fed this pile of crap and believes it. Who fed it to him and how did they get him to believe it?

I don't want to hear "the insurance companies" "Fox News" "rightwing nuts" "corporatist shills" or anything like that-- it's just sloganeering. Somehow, though, this message is being put in the water and people are drinking it. They're talking about it at the golf courses and the Mah Jongg games and the waiting rooms. They're being whipped up into a frenzy and they really believe when they answer the call to make noise at a town hall.

Aside from the bullshit ready answers, how is this happening?

[DURHAM D]

16. I have been a little stunned to find that anyone still thinks the AARP

is an organization that lobbies for the interests of seniors.

But like you said - where are they getting their talking points - "freedoms, immigration, abortions, liberties etc." The comments are just bizarre and a total disconnect from the policy.

[liberalhistorian]

11. It is patently untrue that AARP members haven't been asked

their opinions. Patently, totally, blatantly, completely untrue. Both hubby and my mom get AARP publications and in almost EVERY issue people are asked to give their opinions on a variety of issues, especially health care. And accessibility and affordability of health care is a HUGE issue for many elderly. Except rich fucks like this one, of course.

[kevinbgoode]

19. He threw his away. . .so evidently the issue wasn't too important

until some wingnut on the radio or Faux "news" fed him a line of crap. You can tell by the letter that this man is dependent on hearsay and any fearmongering rumor sets him off. I only wonder if he'll be man enough to be embarassed and ashamed when he's proven wrong.

[Historic NY]

17. Jack Xxxxx must be having memory problems. If he doesn't read the magazine

how does he know the AARP is lobbying? If he doesn't perceive he get a benefit from membership[ then why does he continue..the cheap car insurance, the medicare gap coverage, supplemental RX insurance, or the life insurance policy. I suppose he should just boycott membership that would solve all his concerns in one simple action.

[kevinbgoode]

18. AARP membership is VOLUNTARY

And this lame-ass guy knew about positions supported by the organization and yet continued his membership for years?

Moreover, he has no idea what other members, or the "majority" of the citizens of this country want about health care reform. He only knows what right-wing talking points he's memorized and his desire to be fearful of the status quo.

One wonders if he remembers how the conservatives pushed "social security reform" and attacked Medicare during the last Administration - and why he didn't strongly lobby AARP then about "government interference in health care." If he wants to pay for his own health care, then fine - let's save some money and release him from the programs.

[mikehiggins]

20. What makes you think this guy is even an AARP member?

Did he show you a birth certificate (the long form, not the one acceptable to get a passport) or even include a copy of his membership card? Not hard to do, not if you have a scanner, or a Kinko's or Office Depot or Staples withing a few miles.

We're just taking this bozo's word that he is what he claims to be. Reminds me of the cartoon of the two dogs using the Internet. "The best part," one of them tells the other, "is that on the net nobody knows you're a dog."

A little more legitimate doubt is in order, sez I.

[WVRICK13]

21. Tell That Jack Ass

to give up his Medicare if he is against government involvement in health insurance and widespread coverage for people who need it.

[ncteechur]

22. a bullshit letter--if even real, he will not do shit. If he was that pissed off, he would have quit

AARP by now

[Maeve]

23. So he keeps paying for membership, but hates the organization?

Just wants to keep getting discounts?

[Historic NY]

24. Wonder if he bought end of usefulness insurance.

[heppcatt]

25. Is hell really mad? I mean its a fictional place, but do locations have emotions?

[Critters2]

26. Looks like it's time for me to join AARP, since I qualify now. nt

[Narkos]

27. Any responses? n/t

[MindPilot]

28. yes. here is his response and my reply

MP
I have been a businessman for 34 years. I know the burden to small businesses of health care insurance. I agree with Senator Tom Coburn's proposal.
See it here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sen-tom-coburn/a-better-way-to-reform-he_b_213109.html
The problem is, while talking bi-partisanship, the leaders in congress will not even consider any other proposals but theirs.
Jack X




Jack,
Agreed—at this point everybody is talking past each other and the disruptors showing up at these town hall meetings, escalating discourse to violence is making any real debate impossible.

Coburn’s idea is OK, but only as far as it goes which is simply to rearrange the tax code. Same sinking ship, different color deck chairs. I’m one of the very lucky ones; my employer pays 100% of my health insurance premiums so I would see a $2200 credit, but be taxed on however much my benefit is so I would likely come out a few hundred dollar ahead, but my employer is still paying the premiums only now--through the tax credit--the government is subsidizing the insurance industry even more than they already do. And I still have to hope that my claim gets paid. Coburn says he doesn’t want patches, but that is exactly what his plan and every other plan on the table right now is.

I think we need a much more radical change; a move away from even the concept of insurance. Insurance is a bet that I make with State Farm that I will crash my car or burn down my house. I do not wish to gamble with Aetna on whether or not I will break my arm or contract malaria because people are not material things like cars and houses. The problem with insurance is that it sets up an adversarial relationship; the object of the game is to collect as much in premiums as possible while paying out in claims as little as possible. That’s OK when it’s over the damage to my car; it’s not OK when it’s over my liver transplant.

We need health care, accessible to everyone, the delivery of which is not governed by profit but by need. There are some things like law enforcement, defense, education, and public health that are so important to a well-functioning and productive society that the profit motive shouldn’t be a limiting factor. Imagine if your house is on fire and when the department shows up the chief has to call your insurance company for authorization and they say “OK, but you can only use one truck, three firemen, and 500 gallons of water.”

Insurance companies are an unnecessary middleman between patients and providers; the money that goes to them would be much better spent administering and delivering services to patients. And I’m not saying that hospitals and providers should not be paid well for their services; they should be and in some cases more than they are now, especially nurses.

Coburn also falls into the trap of assuming that any government involvement is automatically bad; There are many things the government does astonishingly well like the space program, the weather service, the NOAA, the FAA, and even the VA when it is properly funded. Coburn cites the Postal Service and the Katrina response as examples. We all know the failures surrounding Katrina were due to incompetence at the head of FEMA and heavy budget cuts. And the USPS? Come on, where else can you step outside, put a letter in your mailbox and have it in another mailbox on the other side of the country within 48 hours for less than half a buck?

I believe we can take the best from Medicare, Medicaid, the VA, and military healthcare and build a universal single-payer system that really would influence Canadians and Mexicans to come here. (Oh yeah, the unintended consequences of success!)

Cheers,

MP

[Narkos]

29. Nice work! n/t

[gratuitous]

30. Nice response

But I practically guarantee that every salient point you made will be swallowed up in "Jack's" raging paranoia and racism to come out in the worst possible interpretation. But you tried.