The Shady Dealings of the AARP

By Pat Boone and Jim Martin

Courtesy of the 60 Plus Association     November 20, 2010

http://60plus.org/

For many years, the AARP was a trusted voice of seniors across America. We believed, and rightly so, they were operating in our best interest, representing the issues and concerns of elderly Americans in Washington and across the 50 states. But sadly, those days are long in the past, distant memories as faded as scrapbook photos locked in an attic.

Today, the AARP is nothing more than an insurance conglomerate and lobbying behemoth, with annual revenues in excess of $400 million. Given the tremendous amount of revenue AARP generates selling health insurance, representing seniors has taken a back seat to having a seat at the table with Washington’s deal-makers. The bottom line is AARP gladly lines its pockets from sweetheart deals, while selling their own members down the river. AARP betrays seniors for the almighty dollar. The proof we offer for that assertion are the recently discovered emails where AARP members spoke out strongly against the so-called Affordable Care Act.

While AARP continues to maintain the charade they are a neutral party in the healthcare debate, they were instrumental partners with the White House and Democratic National Committee (DNC) in working behind the scenes to pass the Obamacare legislation that America’s seniors overwhelmingly oppose. When AARP switchboards lit-up with their members calling in to oppose Obamacare by a score of 14 to 1, did they care? Fat chance.

According to emails unearthed by Chairman Fred Upton’s (R-MI) Energy and Commerce Committee, AARP executives said they needed to “change the messaging.” To AARP, the problem wasn’t the bill itself, it was the marketing. They further refused the Administration’s invitation to advocate publicly for Obamacare, stating in secret memos, “polling shows we are more influential when we are seen as independent.” So AARP hides behind its good name while pushing for a healthcare overhaul that will reap it billions. How shameful.

With AARP standing to gain over $1 billion in additional revenues over 10 years with the passage of Obamacare, they put their insurance business and the almighty dollar first, and seniors were merely props for the stage show. The over $700 billion Obamacare cuts from Medicare is going to cause seniors to have to reach deeper into their wallets to make up the difference, and the AARP is only too happy to be the recipient of this windfall.

Typically membership organizations follow the wishes of their members, but AARP clearly has no interest in serving the seniors who pay their membership dues and buy their insurance products. AARP describes themselves as a “nonprofit, nonpartisan organization…that helps people 50+ have independence, choice and control in ways that are beneficial to them and society as a whole.” So why did they lobby to stop Medigap reform which would have saved seniors an average of $400 per year? Perhaps because AARP stands to gain nearly $3 billion.

As noted by Senator Jim DeMint’s recent investigation into AARP’s political activities, AARP currently dominates the Medigap market, yet thanks to their support for Obamacare, they received a waiver from the requirement that insurance companies can’t discriminate against pre-existing conditions. You read that right; as a reward for helping to pass Obamacare, AARP gets a pass on covering pre-existing conditions, which benefits them to the tune of billions while costing seniors more.

AARP’s once-sterling reputation is all but gone as it has enriched itself by helping to slash Medicare and provided a big assist in the push for the passage of Obamacare. Now American seniors are left with the prospect of losing Medicare Advantage and facing the rationing of healthcare services.

American seniors should see the AARP for what it is. At one time AARP may have truly acted in the best interests of American seniors, but now is an annex of the Democrat party engaging in underhanded money-grubbing tactics that sell-out its members. In the big picture it is nothing more than another special interest group pushing for flawed healthcare policies to fill its own coffers. The AARP is no more an advocate for the best interests of seniors than is a fox an advocate for the best interests of chickens.

It is time for America’s seniors to look at AARP and its recent advocacy with a critical eye. American seniors deserve better than flawed policies resulting from back room dealing and ‘non-partisan’ advocacy and lobbying from an organization that is anything but neutral. A full investigation into their myriad of money-making activities is certainly warranted, as is an end to their privileged reputation in Washington, and in the minds and hearts of America’s seniors.

Music legend Pat Boone is the national spokesman for the 60 Plus Association, of which Jim Martin is the founder and chairman.

Upcoming Socialist America

The last election leaves me pondering what more damage can be done before we turn totally socialist in this country? How far must we turn left before we go communist with the current leadership taking us down a path of ruin from which there will be no return?

The politicians in Washington, and many states along with them, seem hell bent on taking as much as possible from the so-called middle class and giving it to the have-nots; those not willing to pursue a living, and standing at the door with their hand out. The "I'm entitled" class grows larger and larger and those who feel that way have done absolutely nothing to gain an entitlement. No work, no service to their country, absolutely nothing but take up space on this planet and complain that what they get is not enough.

Oh, add in pro-creation as many continue to have illegitimate children by the numbers, and refuse to remember or name the "baby daddy" as that could somehow affect the amount of welfare, WIC, and other free gimmes they receive if the "baby daddy" were found and ordered to pay. Of course, from what my research elicits, even if found, most never pay the amounts adjudicated due, many are already incarcerated, and others are already living with the mother surreptitiously, but being claimed as missing and unknown. Yet, the taxpayers are paying for this.

Medicare and MediCal or whatever your state wants to call it is all on you, the taxpayer. You pay for the medical care of the welfare and indigents who won't work. Okay, if someone cannot legitimately work due to a real medical disability, that's reasonable. But again, research shows so a great number of cases where the disability may not be justified and the person can do some sort of work. Complicity runs rampant in the system yet it just grinds on. There are not enough investigators to make a dent in the fraud in the system, and we're paying for it.

Illegal immigration also makes a huge dent in your wallet. Just ask about the Section 1011 Form that the local hospital fills out for care to illegals in the Emergency Room or as an inpatient. No signing or anything. Check the box, admission signs and the bill goes to the U.S. Government for the illegals care. You try that if you go to the Emergency Room or the hospital without insurance. You'll get hounded until hell freezes over, have your wages garnished, placed in collection, etc. Why? Because you're an American and here legally!  Check it out here:
http://www.cms.gov/Medicare/CMS-Forms/CMS-Forms/downloads/cms10130a.pdf

Things will be getting worse. Doesn't matter whether you're a Republican or a Democrat at this stage. You all need to pray to someone higher than the tower in Washington to help us out of this mess. I predict we'll se a recession again bigger than the recent one (I think we're still in it) and plants will close in record numbers. By 2016 we'll be on the skids so bad that we may never get out. The two parties will be at each others throats and won't accomplish much due to their constant fighting. They coin new phrases like "fiscal cliff:" to describe their self-made messes and love to create drama like a cheap soap opear on the taxpayers billions.

Hang on for the ride, folks, because you'll need a good seat belt and maybe even a three point harness for this one. And, a hard hat and safety goggles might not hurt either.

Goodbye to The Unionized Twinkie

Sadly, the Hostess Brands Company filed for liquidation on November 16, as union picketers walked the picket line around numerous locations, demanding yet more concessions from a company that was already sliding into the abyss of oblivion. The company asked for concessions from the union, but the union would rather see 18,500 employees out of work nation wide than give in to save jobs. Eight percent reduction in pay and paying twenty percent of their medical costs would be too much to handle to keep working. Unemployment must have looked a lot better. Or at least that's what the union bosses decided.

From the press:

"A small union's stubbornness in contract talks with Hostess is being blamed for the shutdown of one of America's snack food icons, the loss of 18,500 jobs just before the holiday season and much-needed tax revenue from hundreds of plants and shops across the country.

The privately-held company had reached a deal with the Teamsters, but a smaller union representing bakery workers refused to agree to concessions, prompting the mass layoffs and closing down of hundreds of plants, bakeries and delivery routes. That prompted harsh words from both the company and from Teamsters officials.

The national strike by members of the Bakery, Confectionary, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers International Union (BCTGM) that began last week decimated the 82-year-old company’s ability to produce and deliver products at roughly 12 of its 33 plants. The company announced earlier in the week that the ax would fall on Friday if the strikers didn’t get back to work, but the union didn’t blink.'

So, folks, when you no longer have your favorite snack cakes on the shelves, be it Twinkies, Ho-Ho's, Ring Dings, Sno-Balls, Devil Dogs, Hostess Cup Cakes or even Wonder Bread, don't blame Hostess for failure. They declared bankruptcy once already and were trying to crawl out of that hole. But unfortunately, the weight of union demands placed them in an untenable position.

It's kind of a strange epitaph when a company is placed in a position to tell the union that if you don't go back to work, we can't sustain ourselves, and will have to close and liquidate, and the union essentially says screw you, and the inevitable happens. Then listen to the wailing of the workers who have no jobs but relied on the union to be their spokesperson and do right by them. Sadly, the workers, in my opinion, got screwed by the union they trusted!

There are no winners here, just losers. Including all those lovers of the fine products you have enjoyed for generations. And the families of all those workers who really had no say in the demise of this great business.

RIP, Twinkies...

L.L. Bean Made in China?

It hurts to admit it, but I used to purchase right from the L.L. Bean store in Freeport Maine way back when L.L. himself was still alive and kicking, and contributing to that hard cover red book that was then the Bean's catalog. All the products were not only good, but excellent, most, if not all, tested and used by ol' L.L. himself or one of the family.

Times have changed and now many of their items are no longer American made, but made in ,,,ugghh....China. Take the famous Wicked Good slippers for example. Always a bit on the expensive side, they cost about $40 on sale a few years ago, went up to $60 a bit ago and are now $80 on line. They sure used to be worth the price but now, I can't say they are. Maybe if they lasted ten years to keep you feet warm in the mornings, but if they lased three or four years, are they worth $80? For indoor slippers, now, remember. Not outdoor boots or outdoor anything.


I'm bummed that an American legend touts their product as the same as was made in the old days and when you get it, it has a :Made in China" label affixed. Then you find the insides fall apart in due time. Worse yet, you find when the slippers fail to give satisfaction, the guarantee is not to replace them with the same slippers that are now double the price, but to refund or credit the original price. So, if you want a new pair you pay the increased price for a new "Chinese" L.L. Bean product.

Utterly disgusted. But much smarter as I now see why the latest Bean shirts do not hold up like the older ones. After a few washings they start to look like rags, no longer crisp and solid. More like something I would expect from Wal-Mart. Oh wait, the Bean shirts are made in El Salvador and Bulgaria. What did I expect? American pricing on foreign goods.

Another sad story for American goods and labor and a company with a good story left far behind.  Old L. L. Himself would be really sad at this turn of events. Even horrified to see his fishing creel with a "Made in China" stamp on the bottom probably.

Online Ratings... Maybe Not So Much Trust

About a week ago, I went to Yelp to check out a local doctor to find out what others thought of him and his practice. I was amazed to find a 4 out of 5 star rating and all these wonderful things people had to say about the doctor and his office. How could this be, I wondered, since I had just been a patient there and had a very unpleasant experience.

Aha, there is something Yelp calls a "filter" which takes a bit of finagling to get through and viola...up comes the very negative comments that virtually mirror the visit I had with this same doctor. Had I checked this site before choosing a doctor, and not been able to find this fairly well hidden "filter" I would have thought this was a great doc.

Caveat: Don't trust Yelp to give you the straight story on reviews when they hide the really pertinent information at their discretion. If they are going to allow reviews, then print them all!

Secondly, some sites actually do list the good, the bad and the ugly about the docs and others reviewed. The point is to be sure you get the big picture and never rely on just one or two review sites to give you the information you need. Check every one you can, especially professional sites. Check the local medical board if possible. Check hospital ratings too. With your health, you can never be too careful.

Finally, when it comes to the Better Business Bureau, as they say in New York "fuggettaboutit." They rate every business who pays them a fee and the businesses start off with an "A." That doesn't give you the warm fuzzies when a brand new business with no history has the same "A" as the business who has been around a few years. You do have to look at more than the letter rating but again, every A is not an A.

Time for Reflection

Americans need to take time to reflect on the past three and one half years under the current administration, and ask themselves are you really better off than you were four or five or six years ago?

Sadly, for most of us, the answer is no. That is, for the working class person who supports the rest of the leeches of society who refuse to work to maintain their lifestyle, preferring that the rest of us pay their way ad nauseum. Those and the Democrats who somehow inanely continue to believe that Obama and his crew are doing great things for America as he leads us down the path of Socialism. Hmm, it's easy to see why those sucking at the hind tit of the freebie pig are willing to give this mostly crew another go at the reins of the country, but thinking people? WTF?

The Obama administration twists and wiggles the figures to make you believe, in this election year, that all of a sudden they are doing a great job. Spending what will amount to a billion dollars in campaign funds to spread their own gospel, telling you that all of a sudden everything is coming together. That the bankers and stock brokers on Wall Street have all become angels, and that they didn't screw America after all. That the government actually extracted from them the FAIR amount owed to the people following the huge bailouts. That those responsible ALL went to prison for extended terms. That bailouts were somehow good for Americans pocketbooks, while the little guy got poorer or lost everything as a result of the debacle and the fat cats on Wall Street grabbed huge bonuses, golden parachute retirement plans and personal fortunes. Even mid-level executives made out like bandits while poor old Joe America watched their retirement fade away. And Washington sat on their collective asses and did nothing but point fingers.

Will Eric Holder ever be honest about Fast and Furious and all the lost firearms that went into Mexico and the drug cartels? How does he and the rest of the idiots who turned their collective heads, and shut their brains down, tell the family of the dead Border Patrol agent that this was a "mistake"? That they were inept and even though they were informed there were major problems, those brass upstream just kept the program running. The same government who would dare bring our military to court for such injustice, sidesteps it themselves and hides under the cloak of secrecy and executive privilege.

Maybe between vacations and campaign junkets, Mr. Obama should find some time to actually do something good for the country? It's not likely. In my opinion, he lies to present whatever suits him at that moment. And you can't trust a liar especially as your leader. Is he a pathological liar? You make the call. Ever since he disavowed knowledge of ACORN, yet was affiliated with them from as early as 1992, was a lawyer for them in 1995 and even spent over $800,000 in campaign funds with an ACORN affiliate in 2008. And he says ...ACORN who? 

It's time for change, and if you don't make it in November, you deserve what you get. Four more years of lies, deceit and socialist programs jammed down your throats.

Pat & Oscar's Restaurants - Followup

I wrote about this restaurant chain in December 2010 and indicated the food and service was falling by the wayside. I also indicated I feared that the company would follow their service down the tubes.

The inevitable has happened and the corporate Pat and Oscar's has gone bankrupt, closing their company owned restaurants without notice as I have gathered. Some franchise operations remain operating and I understand will attempt to make a go of it without the corporate albatross hanging on.

Again, I finished that previous story in wishing them luck. But it takes more than that to bring the customers back, To those franchisees out there, you have a wonderful product, so best of luck and maybe with your abilities to preserve your own customer base and without the pressure of a corporate presence, you can be successful. I sure hope you can.