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Old 10-19-2009, 05:05 PM   #21
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The AARP newsletter gave me a clear explanation of the healthcare debate without the spin and distortions that are out there. That plus the 10% discount I get from hotels gets me to keep my dues current.
Don't know about the newsletter, but AAA gives you discounts without pimping the govt for free handouts, and yes, the $250 is a free handout, you didn't earn it, you're being bought, like a slave, so that you'll support the DC
politicians.
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Old 10-19-2009, 05:10 PM   #22
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Originally Posted by teejayevans View Post
....AAA gives you discounts ....
But AAA costs more than AARP.

(not eligible for the $250, btw).
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Old 10-19-2009, 06:15 PM   #23
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Originally Posted by teejayevans View Post
Don't know about the newsletter, but AAA gives you discounts without pimping the govt for free handouts, and yes, the $250 is a free handout, you didn't earn it, you're being bought, like a slave, so that you'll support the DC
politicians.
TJ
This is confusing. Did AARP initiate the idea of the $250 handouts? Or was it the current politicians in Washington, DC?

Congresscritters listen to lobbyists all day, everyday. It's what they do. What they decide to support is up to them and totally their responsibility. To encourage actions and benefits for FIRE'd or FIRE'd wannebee folks like ourselves, we should vote in people who support our beliefs and values.
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Old 10-19-2009, 07:05 PM   #24
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"Did AARP initiate the idea of the $250 handouts? Or was it the current politicians in Washington, DC?"

I have heard it both ways, but my opinion is that it is a payback for AARP's support of the Medicare cuts and whatever Healtcare Reform vs Insurance Reform the Congress Critters closed door dealmakers have enough bubble gum and rubberbands to cobble together. Who other than Congress can agree with anything that has NOT BEEN WRITTEN Oh, that's right AARP who represents all those seniors does!
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Old 10-19-2009, 08:21 PM   #25
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Originally Posted by teejayevans View Post
Don't know about the newsletter, but AAA gives you discounts without pimping the govt for free handouts, and yes, the $250 is a free handout, you didn't earn it, you're being bought, like a slave, so that you'll support the DC
politicians.
TJ
Let me guess- this is one handout that you aren't getting?
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Old 10-19-2009, 08:25 PM   #26
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Let me guess- this is one handout that you aren't getting?
Was there an option to refuse it?
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This may be viewed as a rant...feel free to not read it!
Old 10-19-2009, 08:28 PM   #27
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This may be viewed as a rant...feel free to not read it!

I wasn't going to jump on this train wreck, but I thought "ah, what the heck...I haven't spouted off in quite a while." LOL!

First, I'll preface my opinions with the fact that I'm a member of a few different groups that have been known to lobby congress...for things I agree with of course! I'm a 4th generation Union member, and I'm still very active in the Retirees' chapter of my Union (which is the largest public employees' union in the U.S.) fighting for the rights, well-being, and benefits of workers AND retirees. I'm also an AARP member. And there a few other socio-political groups that I support. And politically, I'm fairly left of center...but not way far-left.

That said, I'm all for the $250 stimulus/bonus/payment/whatever to those on SS. And it's certainly NOT because I qualify, because I don't....I've got over 9 years to go before I can even think about collecting SS. As far as the question of where is the money to pay for that $250 payment going to come from? Does it have to be a deficit give-away? I don't think so. I'm quite sure that our people in congress would be able to find places where they could (should) cut wasteful, unneeded spending. After all, it's really just a drop in the bucket, compared to what we've spent on the U.S. war machine in the past 8-9 years. I won't argue the legitimacy/illegitimacy of wars, because that's not my point....I'm just referring to the fact that they have been able to come up with $$$$ for that, so is there a LEGITIMATE reason why they can not find some $$ for the geezers/geezerettes?

Was it's AARP's idea to dole out the $250? I personally doubt it. Are they wrong to support and/or lobby for it? IMHO, not at all! Do I agree with everything they lobby for? Probably not. But I do agree with most of it, so I support them. Do they represent 100% of the retirees in the U.S.? Of course not! Because as has already been mentioned....there are as many views and opinions as there are retirees...and no way will everyone EVER agree on everything (or in some cases anything ).

A question that I'd have for Scott Burns, since he seems to be so much against the $250 payment, is if the guv't does deposit that $250 in his bank account.....will he write out a $250 check and send it back to the gov't and say thanks but no thanks? I'd bet not! Or better yet, maybe he should voluntarily quit receiving SS and Medicare, as a sign of protest against gov't entitlement programs! LOL!!!

We now return you to your regularly scheduled program, already in progress more or less normal discussions.

</end possible rant>
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Old 10-19-2009, 08:41 PM   #28
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I believe that some of our younger members are complaining about AARP and the $250 mainly because they actually perceive seniors to a be a fairly weak group. Compare us to military retirees, school teachers, governnent workers, members of large unions like the auto workers, and last but not least Wall Street.

It is just built into people to pile onto vulnerable groups and shy away from confronting the real (and powerful) loads on taxpayers.

Ha
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Old 10-19-2009, 09:40 PM   #29
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Ha,
Being close to 55 in a few weeks I might be classed as a juvenile here. I gave up on AARP a long time ago when in my 30's and my darling husband got tons o'crap from them. He had sold insurance products before we married and we did some back of envelope comparisons and found that AARP kick-back plans increased the end user costs by over 50%. AARP was early into affinity marketing. Compound that with the level of expense for exec travel with prolonged stays at 5 star resorts and they look like they are trying to compete with the Goldman Gang.

It really annoyed me when AARP has come out in support of this Healthcare thing which has not yet been articulated. It may be great and I would support it but if it hurts seniors why would AARP support it?

I was raised in a strong union family (Operating Engineers Local 324 in Detroit) and have served on many a committee as well as chief steward for a whole lot of years in Communications Worders of America. I too have memberships in social and philanthropic groups who have positions on a lot of items. We all have causes to support, defend or obliterate if we can.

To my way of thinking there is no group with more power than the seniors. Everyone hopes to be a member one day and everyone has a parent, grandparent, aunt or uncle who is one. Most times a lot of the seniors sit back and say let the young ones make the decisions now. This issue of no cola for a spell should not be that big of deal for most with the economy we have. The $250 is a cookie for a skinned shin. The Medicare cuts flat stink. The $250 aint gonna make that big boo-boo better.

Out of all the groups clamoring for attention in DC I have more respect for the Seniors but that aint AARP! All I know is everbody can't get everything they want without putting all the taxpayers into the poor house. Wasn't it Margaret Thatcher who said "Socialism is great until you run out of other peoples money."

I just think it's time for a whole lot of folks learn what most of us know. LBYM
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Old 10-19-2009, 10:10 PM   #30
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A question that I'd have for Scott Burns, since he seems to be so much against the $250 payment, is if the guv't does deposit that $250 in his bank account.....will he write out a $250 check and send it back to the gov't and say thanks but no thanks? I'd bet not! Or better yet, maybe he should voluntarily quit receiving SS and Medicare, as a sign of protest against gov't entitlement programs! LOL!!!
i do not qualify for the $250 and i am against it but if i did qualify i would keep it and that is because i am sure i will be paying more then my purportional share of our national debt, so i need to accept what i can from the government when i can get it.
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Old 10-19-2009, 10:25 PM   #31
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I'm against it too. Hand out 250 to every member of society. Stop trying to buy votes. Better yet stop throwing on more debt to the younger generations.
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Old 10-19-2009, 11:53 PM   #32
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Ha,
Being close to 55 in a few weeks I might be classed as a juvenile here.
Congratulations Connie! Younger is usually better.

I think that Charlie is the oldest person who comes around here regularly; and I believe that I may be next but lately there have been more and more people who are Medicare or SS elegible.

Ha
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Old 10-20-2009, 02:51 AM   #33
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The following is not directed at AARP specifically, but at government spending in general.

All the money for government hand outs has to come from somewhere. While just about everyone can make a claim for "deserving" to receive something/more from the government, the brutal fact is that the money can only come from four places and there simply isn't enough to meet all of the current claims being made on that money (never mind future claims):

(i) current tax payers: who do not pay enough to meet current expenditures (and probably can't even if tax levels are increased to confiscatory levels)
(ii) future tax payers: I have issues with what amounts to taxation without representation
(iii) creditors: easy to do, especially with a stable government and a good currency but high levels of debt often act as a constraint to growth. This is not something that can be done indefinitely
(iv) the printing press: if Zimbabwe can do it, so can anyone else

If the government and the civil servants cannot control their spending the results are usually pretty awful: California, Japan etc come to mind as current examples. History has plenty more case studies to offer.

Hopefully I've managed to phrase this in a non-political manner. If not, I'm sure the moderators will take appropriate action
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Old 10-20-2009, 05:50 AM   #34
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We stopped our AARP membership. They seem to be very concerned with politics, and I guess they assume all seniors are of the same opinion and party affiliation.
Same here.
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Old 10-20-2009, 07:42 AM   #35
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Will there be an option to decline the $250? If so, will you decline it?
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Old 10-20-2009, 08:43 AM   #36
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Don't know about the newsletter, but AAA gives you discounts without pimping the govt for free handouts, and yes, the $250 is a free handout, you didn't earn it, you're being bought, like a slave, so that you'll support the DC
politicians.
TJ
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Old 10-20-2009, 09:45 AM   #37
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The AARP newsletter gave me a clear explanation of the healthcare debate without the spin and distortions that are out there.
I am not trying to pick a fight, but how would you know that for sure?
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Old 10-20-2009, 10:26 AM   #38
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That said, I'm all for the $250 stimulus/bonus/payment/whatever to those on SS......... After all, it's really just a drop in the bucket, compared to what we've spent on the U.S. war machine in the past 8-9 years.

I can appreciate your honesty and friendly manner in which you state your opinion. I am not always as graceful. In my opinion, the two sentences above are representative of a ideological problem that afflicts today's american society. This $250 payment will only cost the US taxpayer 13 billion dollars...who cares, it's just a drop in the bucket (paraphrasing of course). I read somewhere else that there is bipartisan support to give every newborn in the US $500. Why? To teach them about saving money. What the heck could our government teach anyone about saving money and being fiscally responsible? When we get to the point where everyone is voting in the politicians who will give them the most $$$ (and we may already be there) then we've turned down a one-way street that I don't think we will be able to back out of. I genuinely feel sorry for my son's generation. They have a heavy burden waiting in front of them.
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Old 10-20-2009, 01:33 PM   #39
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I am not trying to pick a fight, but how would you know that for sure?
Valid question there. I read it with an open mind, based upon my 20+ years of experience dealing with health insurance companies as a small business owner, the information in the article made sense to me. I will admit to being slightly biased up front, however, as I find talk of "death panels", government funded abortions (illegal by statute), and government support coverage for illegal aliens to be silly. I still run my businesses and we have had to change insurance companies every year in May, on our anniversary, because rates jump 20-30% every time. By switching companies we keep the increases to around 10-12%. Another silly nuisance but I work with reality every day.

No one can buy my opinion but it is easy to hold me hostage. Thanks for asking.
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Old 10-20-2009, 04:12 PM   #40
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Let me guess- this is one handout that you aren't getting?
I'm not getting any handouts, I'm one of the ones that are paying the bills.
But if they raise my taxes, I may retire earlier than plan just to
stick it to the man
TJ
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