A Message From A. Barry Rand, AARP CEO

[Neil D]

Ooops, now you conservatives went and done dood it....you got the AARP involved in this health care debate...and they are listing what they want...which interestingly enough, is what the current healthcare bill is all about...

For over fifty years, AARP's mission has been educating and engaging in the issues most important to you, our members. With over 40 million members we understand the importance of debate. Even when some members don't agree with our advocacy positions, it is critical that we make sure those differences of opinion are based on facts, not myths designed to derail a long overdue effort to fix what's wrong in our health care system.

Doing nothing is not an option. But any reform must not get between a patient and their doctor. It must not cut Medicare benefits. It must not allow insurers to continue to line their pockets by covering only the healthiest and the youngest.

AARP is committed to making sure health care reform will do the following for our members:

Lower Drug Costs and Strengthen Medicare: Close the Medicare Part D "doughnut hole," ensure patients' access to their doctors, and crack down on fraud and wasteful spending;

Protect Your Health Care Choices: Make sure you can choose your doctor, your health insurance plan and where to receive care;

End Discrimination by Insurance Companies: Prevent insurance companies from denying you coverage because of a pre-existing condition or using age to price Americans age 50-64 out of affordable, quality health insurance; and

Guarantee Stable, Affordable Coverage: Ensure you have the security of knowing that if you lose or change jobs, you will be able to get affordable, quality health insurance.

Since July 1st, when we started seeing a rise in phone calls and emails here at AARP as a result of the health care debate, we have lost approximately 50,000-60,000 members. While we are encouraged that almost 1.8 million people have either joined AARP or renewed their memberships over that same time span, we take the loss of any member seriously. We don't want to see you, our members, leave for any reason, and understand that even when we all have the facts reasonable people may agree to disagree on the proposals being put forth by Congress.

AARP's strength has always been our members, and we're working hard to represent them as best we can. Each of our policy positions have been carefully considered and are set by our all-member volunteer board of directors based on input from our members.

We're also working to dispel several of the myths and lies that have warped the health care reform debate, targeting older Americans in particular with horror stories about euthanasia and rationed care. We believe that, at a time when a lot of the information about health reform surfacing on the Internet, cable news and talk radio simply isn't true, it's important that each of our members are armed with all the facts about this very important debate.

As we continue to fight on your behalf and work to fix our health care system, we are bound to have different opinions among our members. We respect each opinion and choice you make, and will do our best to represent the individuals who have, with their membership, shown that the collective voice of 40 million members working together have the power to make our health care system better - for themselves and for generations to come.

Sincerely,

A. Barry Rand

[there buster]

AARP has lost more than 60,000 memberships because of this. That's a message to Barry Rand.

[Neil D]

60k ....is that all?

I wonder how many people join in one month's time?

I would tend to think that thier NEW membership would fill that void in rather short order, dontcha think?

[there buster]

It was a net loss. And it was enough to make headlines. People are protesting AARP's political stance, which benefits AARP, not its members. Many went to another, new seniors organization.

[bonnie]

It was a net loss. And it was enough to make headlines. People are protesting AARP's political stance, which benefits AARP, not its members. Many went to another, new seniors organization.

Regardless how many join it is significent how many quit in protest of something.

Probably been better if Obama had stuck to the truth

[Neil D]

In 'the other political forum', I was reminded by someone there of the following-

And 1.8 million either renewed or joined in the same time frame. Yep, the message is loud and clear alright.

in light of the less than 2% that left, amid the 4% that came in, I would say, as a CEO, it was just "a slow day at the office, dear."

guys and gals your arguments are not very rational

There are only 2 solutions for such arguments....

1] leave the board, because you will start eating your own if left to your own devices

2] start looking hard at your arguments that you have been extending as a rational reasons to reject health care.

I don't care which you guys do, but you had better do it quick. Because you guys will implode soon....and like sharks, will start eating your own if left to yourselves...

[bonnie]

Quote:

in light of the less than 2% that left, amid the 4% that came in, I would say, as a CEO, it was just "a slow day at the office, dear."

The why of those that left is more telling than you and yours would like to admit.

Quote:

guys and gals, your arguments are not very intellectual, not very rational, and quiet honestly, pathetic..

..

There are times your attempt at coming across as an intellectual is funny and at time pathetic. This is one time it is pathetic.

Quote:

There are only 2 solutions for such arguments....

leave the board, because you will start eating your own if left to your own devices

Maybe the solution is for you to read and try to comprehend what Obama has said he wants.

Quote:

start looking hard at your arguments that you have been extending as a rational reasons to reject health care.

I don't care which you guys do, but you had better do it quick. Because you guys will implode soon....and like sharks, will start eating your own if left to yourselves...

Reasons for rejecting health care is Obama and what he would like to see.

Bundling of medicare payments is a rational reason to most that do not genuflect at the name Obama.

Many of us do know what that means and will mean to our spouse's or parents.

I want my husband to have ready access to tests and the best medicine has to offer. Obama wants him to "take a pain pill"

He can keep his drones out of end of life care and counseling. That concerns only the family and the DR.

The federal government does not need to have it's nose via Obama in my banking information so they can "debit my account in real time" Look it up.

If the danger was the "imploding of the dissenters" Obama and groupies wouldn't be involved in all out war.

The shark known as Obama is the one that concerns me.

The rest of us are not in danger of eating our own.

The rest of us know that no matter who is the author of any bill being introduced the smart thing is to know what is in the bill.

Obama claims not to know,senators and congressmen claim not to know,admit they have not read it and have no intention of doing so. That is stupid and without rational thought.

[Tom Wetmore]

It was a net loss. And it was enough to make headlines. People are protesting AARP's political stance, which benefits AARP, not its members. Many went to another, new seniors organization.

Actually no. The 60,000 figure was reported as those who left AARP specifically stating that it was because of AARP's position on healthcare. It was not a net loss.

AARP has about 40 million members. Do the math. 60,000 represents 0.15% of that membership. That is statistically very insignificant. AARP also reported that on average they normally lose 300,000 members per month. That means that 80% left AARP for reasons other than AARP's healthcare position.

And AARP also reported that over the same period they gained 400,000 new members and that 1.5 million existing members renewed their membership. Do the math on those figures. By that count, for every person leaving AARP because they were unhappy with AARP's position on healthcare there were 32 that joined or affirmatively stayed with AARP knowing what the organization represents. It appears that AARP probably actually had a net gain in membership.

Source - http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2009-08-17-aarp-health-overhaul_N.htm?csp=34

[Dr. Shane]

Ooops, now you conservatives went and done dood it....you got the AARP involved in this health care debate...

Is President Obama now considered a conservative? I know some consider him a moderate but this is the first reference I see to him as being a conservative.

[Dr. Shane]

In 'the other political forum', I was reminded by someone there of the following-

And 1.8 million either renewed or joined in the same time frame. Yep, the message is loud and clear alright.

SPIN ALERT! SPIN ALERT!

Notice how that is qualified with the word "renewed"? Why not just report how many new members joined and how many existing either left or did not renew? I smell a rat there. Somebody is doing funny math.

I saw this reported on ABC's Good Morning America (GMA). I don't consider GMA to be a conservative-slanted program. So I became very suspicious when I started hearing the0 spin on this story.

[Dr. Shane]

AARP [is] listing what they want...which interestingly enough, is what the current healthcare bill is all about...

[Dr. Shane]

Quote:

guys and gals, your arguments are not very intellectual, not very rational, and quiet honestly, pathetic....

That is getting a little too personal. I am sure others do that kind of thing here too but it is not acceptable. If this kind of thing is done by other members too please bring it to my attention. I am not trying to single out Neil here. I think this kind of personalization is way too common and we need to curb it please.

[Dr. Shane]

The 60,000 figure was reported as those who left AARP specifically stating that it was because of AARP's position on healthcare.

And that is a big story. Most people that leave the AARP, and probably most organizations, do not given a stated reason. In one month, 60,000 members left and stated why. That is incredible and certainly cannot be written off as some kind of astro-turf movement. Imagine if 60,000 members marched in the streets of LA or New York. Of course 60,000 people in cities as large as LA or New York are really an insignificant number but if they all marched together they would get some attention. Major protests are organized events. What makes this large exodus from the AARP so significant is that these 60,000 people all decided independently to leave the AARP. That is certainly an eye opener.

[Neil D]

Originally Posted By: Neil D

In 'the other political forum', I was reminded by someone there of the following-

And 1.8 million either renewed or joined in the same time frame. Yep, the message is loud and clear alright.

SPIN ALERT! SPIN ALERT!

Notice how that is qualified with the word "renewed"? Why not just report how many new members joined and how many existing either left or did not renew? I smell a rat there. Somebody is doing funny math.

I saw this reported on ABC's Good Morning America (GMA). I don't consider GMA to be a conservative-slanted program. So I became very suspicious when liberal think tanks started to spin this story.

[Dr. Shane]

First, I quoted another person off MY forum, Shane.Not an expert. Second, I believe you need to see Tom's post, which I believe MY person from my forum got the figures. Third, Tom quoted the USA Today.

I believe the source of the SPIN is the AARP themselves. Of course that makes sense. They are going to try to spin it so that they don't look so bad. That is natural. A lot of liberals have picked up that SPIN and are repeating it but I think the AARP is the actual source.

[Neil D]

I believe the source of the SPIN is the AARP themselves. Of course that makes sense. They are going to try to spin it so that they don't look so bad. That is natural. A lot of liberals have picked up that SPIN and are repeating it but I think the AARP is the actual source.

ok, so when Ed quotes the 60000 are dropped, that came from the AARP and then they corrected themselves with what Tom gave as evidence that they were loosing and gaining members....

Can we say...foxNews was the source?

[Tom Wetmore]

Originally Posted By: Tom Wetmore

The 60,000 figure was reported as those who left AARP specifically stating that it was because of AARP's position on healthcare.

And that is a big story...

No it's not!!! Only in spinning heads is this a big deal. As I said, do the math. 0.15% is not a big story Read more carefully.

[Dr. Shane]

Again, I saw the story on ABC's Good Morning America (GMA). Maybe 60,000 is such a large number it is hard to wrap one's mind around it. Contrasting the number with an even larger number is a means of minimizing it. That is what is known as SPIN.

Jesus fed 5,000 people. 5,000 is a lot of people. 60,000 is 12 times that many. That is significant. That is why GMA made a big story out of it. GMA is not a right-wing news organization.

[Tom Wetmore]

No, it is called perspective and understanding the context. I think GMA/ABC was irresponsible to not put it in perspective and context.

Even Jesus feeding 5000 people would have not meant nearly as much if there had been 3.4 million hungry people gather there that day. (In case you again failed to do the math, 5000 people would be about 0.15% of 3.4 million...) I can see the newsflash on Good Morning Jerusalem - "Miracle worker failed, millions go hungry!"

And if you truly are concerned about SPIN, then why keep perpetuating the story that is SPIN and not the one with all the facts - the USA Today version. Notice how much attention each got in the right wing blogs and internet spin zones, not to mention this right wing spin zone right here right now... See how hardly anyone on the right wing cares about the real facts. And if it were truly a big story, why was it only a bright flash in those pans?!?! Big stories get picked up and covered by the rest of the mainstream news agencies.

[Dr. Shane]

Perspective comes from comparing apples with apples, not apples with oranges. 60,000 people left the AARP in one month, and stated their reason for leaving. How many members have quit in a given month in the past, and given their reason for doing so? It isn't just that 60,000 people quit. The act of quitting is itself insignificant as the AARP points out. They are a large organization and have thousands joining and quitting every month. What is significant is that these 60,000 gave reason why they were quitting. That can be compared to a great protest. That is hugely significant. Has the AARP ever had that many people, in a month's time, give a common reason for quitting before?

The folks at ABC News and Good Morning America did not make a big deal out of nothing. This was a big story and an eye opener for AARP. This is likely what caused the AARP to come out and clarify their position, which is really a moderate position.

[Neil D]

Shane,

For AARP, that 60k people leaving is not even 1% of thier total numbers...They get 60k dropped every month with over a million coming on board. It can not be considered detrimental to AARP..Tom is right...DO THE MATH. That 60k is touted as a big number, but it is spin by the right here...No, the moderate view is the USA report...

[Dr. Shane]

Again, comparing the 60k with their total membership is comparing apples with oranges. By definition, that is "spin". That is fuzzy math. To compare apples with apples we must compare the 60k with the numbers of members that have given a reason for quitting in a given month in the past. The AARP has not released those numbers because they (AARP) are spinning this issue.

[Tom Wetmore]

Shane, the numbers came from AARP!!! The reason we know why 60,000 quit AARP for that reason is that AARP asked and that was the departing member's answer. AARP wants to know why people leave, that is why they ask the reason from those who leave.

If you actually read without a spinning comprehension you would have also noted that of the total 300,000 or so that left, AARP indicated a variety of other reasons, or no reason at all given. (Statistically, a significant percentage, probably as many or more as that 60,000, could give no reason for quitting because they died.) As I said before, based on AARP's info, 80% left for reasons other than the AARP healthcare position. Pay attention Shane, and think before you SPIN. I did give you your apples to apples comparison.

And what of the number that affirmatively renewed or joined AARP - approximately 1.8 million? That is 32 times the number getting all the right wing attention. Isn't it fair to assume that they are satisfied with or supportive of what AARP represents? Why not focus some attention on that large number (nearly 5% of total AARP membership...) or what the overwhelming majority of existing AARP members want? Oh yeah, that IS what AARP has done. That is why they have taken the position on healthcare that they have - Because that IS what the majority of AARP members want!

[Dr. Shane]

I just don't agree that ABC's Good Morning America (GMA) is a right-wing organization. If anything, I think it tends to lean a bit left. If this wasn't a big story, then GMA was wrong to make it one. I can't agree with that.

[Tom Wetmore]

I didn't say they were right wing. What i said was, "I think GMA/ABC was irresponsible to not put it in perspective and context." (Maybe that this sort of thing is why they are not and have not been #1 for a long time...)

And it wasn't really GMA that made this a big story. It was the right wing blogs and right wind bags that picked this little incomplete bit of news coverage and ran with it without checking further and made a moutain out of this molehill. And that goes beyond irresponsible...