Membership in AARP

[David1961]

Last week, I got a letter from AARP with a temporary membership card and an application to join. Is this a sign to RE or what!!


I may or may not want to join, but I’m only 46 and have heard you cannot join until you are 50. Does anyone know about the age limit or why I may have received this letter?

[Jay_Gatsby]

If you send in the application, your Young Dreamer membership card will be revoked.

[Notmuchlonger]

Dont DO IT. I cannot divulge anymore information because they maybe watching..

[unclemick]

Heck I joined in1994 - their junk mail isn't any worst than anybody else's.

heh heh heh - read/skim the magazine some of the time and have never bought any of their touted insurance products.

[yakers]

unclemick a 'Young Dreamer'?

[ziggy29]

Screw AARP. Their whole existence seems to be geared toward screwing their kids and grandkids by securing more expensive entitlements for their own generation -- paid for in the future by others.

[yakers]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ziggy29 Screw AARP. Their whole existence seems to be geared toward screwing their kids and grandkids by securing more expensive entitlements for their own generation -- paid for in the future by others.

I have not seen this in AARP. Yes, they do advocate for their members but they emphasize a wide range of social responsibilities. They recognize that older folks have kids & grand kids, neighbors & fellow citizens.

[Jay_Gatsby]

Quote:

Originally Posted by yakers I have not seen this in AARP. Yes, they do advocate for their members but they emphasize a wide range of social responsibilities. They recognize that older folks have kids & grand kids, neighbors & fellow citizens.

But you can't deny that AARP is one of the loudest voices against any type of adjustments to the Social Security and Medicare systems. AARP does so knowing that the children and grandchildren of its members will have to pay the price.

[ziggy29]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jay_Gatsby But you can't deny that AARP is one of the loudest voices against any type of adjustments to the Social Security and Medicare systems. AARP does so knowing that the children and grandchildren of its members will have to pay the price.

Exactly. Any entitlement reform that includes any shared sacrifice by AARP members is considered a dead-on-arrival "non-starter" to them. The only reforms they support are the ones that give younger generations an even worse deal than they are already getting.

[Goonie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ziggy29 The only reforms they support are the ones that give younger generations an even worse deal than they are already getting.

AARP supports and lobbies for what is deemed the best deal for those 50 and over, by those of us who are 50 and over. AARP isn't there to lobby for the "younger generation". And they're not out there actively lobbying against the "younger generation", or purposely doing whatever they can to screw them over. There's no reason that I can see, that the "younger generation" can't band together to lobby for their own ideals, and their own desires.

Over the years, from my late 20's on up, I've written and called my senators and reps about things that concern me. I've also been a member of groups that lobbied for what I believed in. I didn't do it for my elders or for the younger age groups either....I did it for me. Now that I'm at the half century mark, I still write (email) and call my senators and reps, and I still belong to groups that lobby on my behalf, and lobby for what I believe.

IMHO, each generation has to fend for themselves, and not rely on the other guy to do it for them.

(Just my opinion....not trying to start a debate on the matter.)

[getrichslow]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goonie AARP supports and lobbies for what is deemed the best deal for those 50 and over, by those of us who are 50 and over.

This is exaclty the problem. They don't care what is best for future generations or the country. All that matters to the AARP is what is best for those over 50.

[megacorp-firee]

[soap box on]
IMO, each person, each group, has their own worries and things that need attention. No one cares more about your well being than YOU.
Waiting for someone else to do something for you (like the gvmnt for example) is dangerous to say the least.

AARP was not organized to do something to any other group. It's there to do something about what 'their' group (those over 50) need done.

Its not productive to start a generation 'war' over this. Our efforts are better spent learning from each other and doing what we need to, in our own best interests. This way everyones point of view is represented.

It's like voting ... if you don't do it, you lose your right to complain.

Complaining about other groups is just whining ... instead figure out what positive things you can do about things you care about.
[soap box off]

[Goonie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by megacorp-firee [soap box on]..........Complaining about other groups is just whining ... instead figure out what positive things you can do about things you care about. [soap box off]

Amen!

[Hamlet]

Democracy is two wolves and a sheep deciding what's for dinner

My generation (X) can lobby all we want, but the math is against us.

If the older generations keep pushing for more blood from us, at some point it will break into civil strife of some kind.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goonie AARP supports and lobbies for what is deemed the best deal for those 50 and over, by those of us who are 50 and over. AARP isn't there to lobby for the "younger generation". And they're not out there actively lobbying against the "younger generation", or purposely doing whatever they can to screw them over. There's no reason that I can see, that the "younger generation" can't band together to lobby for their own ideals, and their own desires. Over the years, from my late 20's on up, I've written and called my senators and reps about things that concern me. I've also been a member of groups that lobbied for what I believed in. I didn't do it for my elders or for the younger age groups either....I did it for me. Now that I'm at the half century mark, I still write (email) and call my senators and reps, and I still belong to groups that lobby on my behalf, and lobby for what I believe. IMHO, each generation has to fend for themselves, and not rely on the other guy to do it for them. (Just my opinion....not trying to start a debate on the matter.)

[Khan]

My cohort has visions; your cohort has agendas.

[megacorp-firee]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hamlet Democracy is two wolves and a sheep deciding what's for dinner My generation (X) can lobby all we want, but the math is against us. If the older generations keep pushing for more blood from us, at some point it will break into civil strife of some kind.

This is rich. My generation used to run around yelling " don't trust anyone over 30" ... I guess this is payback.

Proof point, ... my DD used to tell her DM that she would never be anything like her. Now with a kid of her own, she is so much like her DM that it's scary.

Lessons learned; Campus protests, civil rights marches, struggles through wars, inflation, recession, gas embargo's, ...etc. I guess my generation finally figured out you have to do something about it. If you wait for the guvmnt to fill your glass for you, you're gonna die of thirst. Hence AARP.

Repeating: Do something about it. Get involved, vote, develop a Young Angry Kids (YAK) forum, ... If you don't, you are at the whim of others.

btw, love the democracy definition

[Hamlet]

From my standpoint, there is a difference between waiting for the government to fill my glass, and asking it not to empty my glass.

Groups like AARP spend their time asking the government to fill their glass by empting someone else's (or blocking attempts by other groups to do the same to them). This isn't a knock specifically on AARP, its the nature of our current government.

We've let our government expand it power far beyond what is good for society, IMO. As long as its considered acceptable for the government to transfer money and benefits around based on who complains the most, people are forced to form lobbying groups to protect themselves.

My opinions on this are pretty far out of the mainstream, so I'm not going to be able to change the system much. I can join groups to protect my interests, and register dissent to the expansion of government. I think the majority of Americans prefer our government to operate this way, though.

Quote:

Originally Posted by megacorp-firee Lessons learned; Campus protests, civil rights marches, struggles through wars, inflation, recession, gas embargo's, ...etc. I guess my generation finally figured out you have to do something about it. If you wait for the guvmnt to fill your glass for you, you're gonna die of thirst. Hence AARP.

[cute fuzzy bunny]

It doesnt have to be an "us vs them" agenda.

The older folks can have the programs they fed money into all their lives.

The younger folks dont have to pay for that pleasure.

We just need to stop spending money on the BS that doesnt really help anybody.

Like thats gonna happen...

[Khan]

Quote:

It doesnt have to be an "us vs them" agenda.

That's how they play us.

Black against White
Men against Women
Baby Boomers against Gen X, Y, whatever

Keep us busy fighting over the crumbs while they exploit/use up the money/energy/people.

[haha]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goonie I didn't do it for my elders or for the younger age groups either....I did it for me. Now that I'm at the half century mark, I still write (email) and call my senators and reps, and I still belong to groups that lobby on my behalf, and lobby for what I believe. IMHO, each generation has to fend for themselves, and not rely on the other guy to do it for them.

I agree completely with you. If we middle aged people lobbied for 30 somethings, would they then lobby for us?

The whole political system is based on force and counterforce, and assumes that people are smart enough to know where they want the grease applied. This is similar to legal advocacy. The job is to win for your client and yourself.

For a cross cultural look, see my sig.

Ha