CMD has launched a petition, calling on AARP to stop funding ALEC. You can sign the petition here.
AARP, the non-profit seniors organization that exists to promote the financial security, pensions and healthcare of those over 50, is secretly funding the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), an organization whose bills have acted against the interests of ordinary Americans, including retirees and their families.
The Center for Media and Democracy has learned that AARP has recently joined ALEC, and that it is a named sponsor of the ALEC annual meeting taking place in Indianapolis, Indiana from July 27-29, 2016.
AARP isn’t exactly hiding its new financial relationship with ALEC, at least to ALEC legislators. Its logo appears in the conference brochure (see below) and attendees at the conference were each provided with an AARP branded portable USB power pack as they registered for the event.
ALEC exists to help its corporate funders advance their lobbying agenda through pushing bills that ALEC peddles as national “model” legislation. As CMD has documented in numerous ways, ALEC is a pay-to-play operation.
Since CMD launched ALECexposed in 2011, more than 100 corporations have quit the group, with many echoing Eric Schmidt of Google who told NPR as his company quit ALEC: “I think the consensus within the company was that that was some sort of mistake and so we’re trying to not do that in the future.”
Here are just five (of the many) ways ALEC has acted against the interests of retirees and AARP members:
1) For more than a decade ALEC peddled a proposal to privatize key tax revenue for Social Security, which would undermine this crucial insurance program.
When it comes to social security, ALEC has cried wolf about the financial soundness of social security, proclaiming as recently as June 2016 that “leadership to reduce the debt must take place soon to prevent Social Security’s insolvency in fewer than 20 years.”
Such hyperbole is typical of ALEC, which fails to acknowledge that such “insolvency” could easily be fixed by lifting the Social Security Payroll tax earnings cap, currently set at $118,500.
ALEC’s go-to solution to future potential shortfalls has been to privatize a portion of the tax revenue that would otherwise fund Social Security Insurance by putting it into private accounts.
In its “Resolution Urging Congress To Modernize the Social Security System With Personal Retirement Accounts (PRA’s),” which corporate lobbyists voted on with legislators on its task force in secret in May 2000, ALEC claimed that “Social Security tax revenues alone will be insufficient to pay current benefits as early as the year 2015.”
Yet as of 2016, despite these prognostications, social security remains healthy, solvent and wildly popular with the American public. It’s no wonder that ALEC quietly has sought to distance itself from this long-standing “model” resolution by removing it from its website.
However, ALEC has done nothing to get that deeply flawed Resolution which was embraced by ALEC legislators revoked in state legislators. And ALEC has done nothing to educate its legislators that its privatization scheme for removing revenue streams from the Social Security trust fund was and remains a terrible idea.
Such privatization schemes have been promoted by ALEC’s billionaire funders, the Koch Brothers. Charles Koch began attacking Social Security way back in the 1970s through his Cato Institute and David Koch ran on that policy in 1980. Koch-backed groups like ALEC have sought to privatize Social Security in a variety of ways.
ALEC has spread propaganda about Social Security to thousands of state legislators over several years, including through its proposal to take significant tax revenue out of the Social Security system as a guise to saving it, which would actually collapse the program.
But AARP is now funding ALEC.
2) ALEC has pushed bills that limit retirement security for public workers by attacking defined benefit pension plans in favor of riskier retirement options.
Particularly, ALEC’s “Defined Contribution Pension Reform Act” would push more workers away from negotiated retirement benefits to 401(k) plans that pose greater risks to pensioners’ income security and can include more private fees to manage. Meanwhile, ALEC has assailed socially responsible investing efforts.
ALEC has used straw man arguments like claiming that the bankruptcy of Detroit was primarily caused by public pension insolvency and “should serve as a lesson” for lawmakers about pension agreements.
But as documented by DEMOS and others, “Detroit’s bankruptcy was caused by a decrease in tax revenue due to a population decline and long-term unemployment, not an increase in the obligations to fund pensions.”
As with its history of peddling of myths about Social Security along with its laughably inaccurate economic state “report cards,” ALEC routinely uses bad math to shill for the agenda of its bankrollers, like the extremist billionaire Koch Brothers, an approach predicated on the organization’s obedience to its pledge to never raise taxes, particularly on wealthy individuals and corporations (who not coincidentally fund ALEC).
3) ALEC has sought to amend the Constitution to pass a “Balanced Budget Amendment,” which would destroy our economy and result in drastic cuts to discretionary government programs that help people’s lives.
ALEC has dedicated significant resources to passing a Balanced Budget Amendment (BBA), peddling amendments, handbooks, and more to “educate” ALEC legislators.
As noted by CMD, the passage of such an amendment would constitute a massive threat to fiscal stability. Economists like Dean Baker warn that a balanced budget amendment would radically alter Social Security and Medicare, and would fundamentally limit the federal government’s ability to respond to economic challenges and opportunities.
4) ALEC bills would undermine Medicare and it continues to attack the Affordable Care Act, despite its protections for millions of Americans including Americans with pre-existing conditions, like AARP members who are not yet retirement age.
As noted by the healthcare industry whistleblower and CMD Fellow Wendell Potter in 2011, “ALEC has been at work for more than a decade on what amounts to a comprehensive wish list for insurers: from turning over the Medicare and Medicaid programs to them – assuring them a vast new stream of revenue – to letting insurers continue marketing substandard yet highly profitable policies while giving them protection from litigation.”
5) ALEC seeks to restrict limits on drug price gouging and aids its big donor, Big Pharma, in other ways.
Time and again, ALEC has supported model policies that benefit the bottom lines of pharmaceutical companies, like the organization’s “Drug Liability Act,” which would exempt drug makers from any punitive damages liability for the potential harms caused by their products if those products were previously approved by the Federal Food and Drug Administration.
Similarly, ALEC has opposed efforts to give Americans access to more affordable medications from Canada.
ALEC has even supported limits on non-pecuniary damages when a corporation is liable, meaning that someone who is retired and cannot show lost income can receive lesser damages for pain and suffering. ALEC’s bill on this was applied by ALEC legislators in Wisconsin to lawsuits against nursing homes to limit their payouts to victims of nursing home neglect or mistreatment who prove that the skilled nursing industry’s practices harmed them or their beloved parents or grandparents.
These are just a few of the many ways ALEC legislation hurts Americans, in addition to its legacy of making it harder for Americans to vote and thwarting efforts to address climate changes that are harming our planet and our families and future.
CMD has launched a petition, calling on AARP to stop funding ALEC. You can sign the petition here.
does not surprise me that AARP is supporting Alex all I get from you people is ask for donations which it seems you spent very unwisely and not on my behalf stop telling me what you’re doing and go do something for Social Security and Medicare we work for that so some bureaucrats that you sponsor can try and take it away from us let’s see you out there on TV going after politicians that are trying to take care of themselves and not the people that put them there
you wonder why I wont join aarp, things like this mis use of member money, and the billing scams like the” fifth notice you have not paid for your 5 year membership SCAM” how many times can you get a fifth notice in the mail.. I have not been interested in aarp in many years ever since your executives were caught dipping in the funds for personal use . People that can not be trusted don’t get my money. Then this ALEC donations for all the wrong reasons. Blind people trust you.
I’m very disappointed to find that AARP supports ALEC. This needs to change. ALEC is evil in it’s action of obstructing the Clean Air Act. What’s going on?
what was AARP’s real reason for getting entangled with ALEC? is there a wizard behind the curtain? is AARP drifting into being a shill for covert corporate shenanigans? does AARP need a cleaning out?
can you, if it is worth the effort, find out why AARP allowed themselves to be caught up in this public relations nightmare?
Why is anyone surprised that AARP supported ALEC? They’re a big corporation; they also sell insurance-health insurance & claim to advocate for seniors. When it came time to vote for an additional provision in Medicare coverage for drugs, they were influential in getting the donut hole as a part of the law. That cost seniors millions/year. They may also have insisted that drugs from Canada [and other countries] could not count towards the amount seniors paid when they reached the donut hole. Drugs from Canada cost a lot less than they do here, even if they are made here.
If the dual party system does not support a government that is for the people we need to discard it. That goes for AARP too!!!
In today’s mail, Aug. 6, 2016, I received a request for a donation to the AARP Foundation. Until AARP stops giving money to ALEX they will not receive a penny from me. Member for about 15 years.
AARP’s explanation of “know thy enemy” does not wash–they had too high a level of participation. Possibly it is due to their interest in insurance profits. At one time, they had right-wing management that fostered Medicare Plan D and Advantage. Later they did, however, stop the Bush “mandate” to privatize Social Security. In any case, AARP’s current direction and management must be examined and corrected. Heads must roll. Pulling out of ALEC is not sufficient. Let’s all keep the heat on. Send back the many postage-free AARP cards enclosed in their magazine with added nasty little notes.
According to your Facebook page ( I am not on Facebook so I wouldn’t know), you are not renewing your ALEC membership. You should ask for a refund! I am a member till 2018 and *I* will ask for a refund unless there is a public non-Facebook statement unequivocally withdrawing your support of ALEC (that is what it is) and APOLOGIZING! All those who advocated for this move should be FIRED!
And while you’re at it, stop those incessant, repetitive, wasteful fundraising appeals–so much paper thrown away.
I have had a long time membership with AARP. I have raved to friends & family about what a great organization AARP is for us folks over 50.. .. My membership is about to expire and I’ve just received my new renewal cards etc. I will not be renewing for the first time in many years.. I will miss the newsletters etc. but I will not be a member or have anything to do with ALEC.. Very disappointed with you AARP…Very disappointed..
There is no satisfactory explanation for AARP funding ALEC. ALEC would privatize Social Security and Medicare in a New York minute.
From AARP’s facebook page today (https://www.facebook.com/AARP/posts/10154467252268960):
After hearing from many of you, we’ve decided not to renew our membership to ALEC. We would never work against the interests of older Americans and our engagement with ALEC was NOT an endorsement of the organization’s policies, but an opportunity to engage with state legislators and advance our members’ priorities.
AARP is and always has been non-partisan. We meet with legislators from both sides of the aisle in order to do our job: fighting to improve the lives of people 50+. We will continue to explore ways to serve our diverse membership and fulfill our responsibility to engage with all legislators on the issues important to older Americans and their families.
I’m an AARP member, and this gives me grave doubts about their management and charter. For them to be involved with an organization that has directed so much legislation counter to the interest of the general population, speaks to moral rot that may require surgery. I will be watching AARP – their future responses to this allegation had better not be “vague.” They must end any relationship with ALEC, which has caused so much harm to people in state legislatures across the country.
ALEC is an anti-senior organization, with positions so extreme that corporations like Google, Facebook, and Microsoft have ended all ties with the group. No group that claims to represent retirees should work with ALEC in any form or fashion. cease funding ALEC and immediately end all ties with them.
We retirees don’t need anyone else working against our best interests, particularly on our dime. Stop supporting ALEC and publicly announce your disassociation with them , or we will announce our disassociation with AARP.
Why the heck would AARP want to support the ALEC agenda? Seniors want to safeguard medicare and social security, not decimate it! Buy a clue, AARP. ALEC is about killing social safety nets, not improving them.
Add this SCAM ALERT to our next bulletin. Attention AARP leadership………Seniors are not stupid, forgetful maybe, but not stupid. If AARP has to pay to have our ideas heard we are being scammed. Money going to organizations that oppose stated AARP aims and policies could never be well spent. What sort of convoluted reasoning has brought our AARP to such a shameful turn? I remain a member awaiting a policy correction and a public accounting of how this mistake was made and by whom.
Bad move on AARP’s part! Please cancel your involvement with ALEC.
As of yesterday, AARP had only responded to criticism of this move on their part in vague terms. Just reading the comments on this and other articles, it looks like AARP members are reacting very strongly to the news. Perhaps it’s time for another AARP-type organization for seniors, giving seniors a choice and the ability to join the organization they feel works hardest on their behalf and creates the most impressive “wins” for seniors. As A.L.E.C. would say, free market competition is good for everybody.
My membership is currently up for renewal. Until AARP publicly and explicitly disassociates itself from ALEC, and apologizes to its membership for this breathtaking lapse of judgement, I will not renew.
I am outraged to read this.I will stop sending $ to AARP now.
This article is very misleading. Yes, AARP did pay money to be a part of a group they oppose. They did so to be able to have a say in meetings that develop suggested legislation. I say it is money well spent. It is good to know your enemy. When ALEC proposes cuts to Social Security AARP can speak in opposition to those cuts. AARP can also publicize what would otherwise be done in secret. I was offended at first but when I learned details I quickly changed my mind. ALEC works mostly in secret. AARP can expose their secrets before they are set into law.
From what I see here–ALEC is not “a group they oppose,” AARP only said they were opposed to certain ALEC positions. AARP has spoken in favor of some proposals harmful to Social Security, so why trust them to oppose ALEC’s? AARP is not an investigative journalism outfit, “exposing their secrets” is not what they do. And we don’t need them to do so, there are investigative organizations (notably CMD) that are doing that well now, That’s why so many major corps. have left ALEC recently. So there is no need for AARP to be a member of ALEC, or to pay them money, to know what they are doing, or publicize what they are doing, or oppose what they are doing.
The envelope to join AARP is sitting on my desk, ready to mail, and will NOT be mailed until I see that AARP has distanced themselves from ALEC and the despicable Koch brothers and their ilk.
Disgusted to hear AARP is supporting ALEC. ALEC’s agenda denies global warming. It is also responsible for developing radical right-wing policies which foster inequality and so further weakens the middle class. How is that good for America? I will discontinue AARP membership if this support for ALEC continues.
When Bush Jr was in office, he posted a lackey to the head of AARP who then supported the donut hole causing millions of seniors to either stop buying their drugs or pay huge prices for them. Is this jerk still there or is this a new con man in charge of AARP? Time to clean house, and why haven’t the Koch brothers been indicted for Sedition already! These two guys are scum, and our congress turns a blind eye.
I read Sam Wilson’s response to accusations that AARP is funding/supporting the ALEC group. I understand Mr. Wilson’s position that sitting in on these meetings does not mean that AARP supports their positions and is the best way of staying informed of their movements. BUT please !!!
Take the AARP Logo off the Supporters List. And be informed—-AARP Members are watching to see if any of our Hard Earned Money is being used to support the Koch Brothers Agenda.
Sam Wilson’s reply is a load of codswallop!
Another subversion by the 1% and their toadies of what could have been a class
organization; another way to share the goodies of the senior pie! Go away…….
Go away…….
If AARP’s in ALEC — I’m outta AARP.
Never thought AARP was worth that much, but now I now it’s worth-less. Will become an ex-member. There are too many out there more than willing to back-stab us, don’t need another!
I am a 21-year member of AARP. I was a volunteer teacher of the Driver Safety course for many years. Unless AARP disengages from the heinous ALEC organization, quickly and with vigorous announcement, my association with AARP will end and I will recommend the same to all my friends and relatives. What were you thinking?
Elder abuse of trust
ALEC is in direct opposition to all AARP’s stated goals and objectives! To be associated with them is an affront to the membership and I, for one, will discontinue membership and contributions to the Foundation if support is not withdrawn.
My wife and I will never join AARP as long as it’s a member of ALEC.
I have an AARP membership application on my desk. It just moved to the recycle container.
AARP leadership must give an explanation of the rationale for joining a group like ALEC. You evidently are not be the organization I thought you were, so why should I
be a member?
It is in the interest of the majority of your members to leave ALEC. I will not be able to continue my AARP membership if you don’t.
AARP please stop funding ALEC; ’tis simply not right. Have a clear conscious and be respectful.
AARP, I find it appalling that you spend a portion of my dues supporting ALEC. END YOUR SUPPORT OF THEM! Even major corporations are abandoning ALEC because it is an organization fueled by greed. If supporting an organization that overtly hurts the American public and the security of our citizens, then I will do everything in my power to make certain my peers know that you are working behind our backs and in direct conflict with your stated goals.
AARP, repudiate ALEC or my 15 year membership is history!
I would like the AARP to look after my interests rather than those who work against seniors. Shame on them.
Because I am aware that AARP is a non-partisan organization this article seemed a little “off” to me. I called Sam Wilson, State Director for AARP in Wisconsin to see what he had to say. Here’s his response.
“Thanks again for the call, Carol. As you know, AARP actively engages with organizations that work on issues that matter to older Americans and their families. Our engagement with ALEC and participation in the organization’s annual meeting is not an endorsement of any particular perspective, but, rather, is evidence of our commitment to discussing issues important to the 50+ with those who may have different views. As a non-partisan organization, we have a responsibility to engage with groups that have diverse views to better understand different perspectives and look for opportunities to influence those perspectives by communicating our own positions. AARP’s relationship with ALEC is a demonstration that we are walking that talk. Our participation in these events is not an endorsement of any particular perspective, but, rather, is evidence of our commitment to discussing these issues with people on all sides .”
Also, it’s important to know that profits from products sold by AARP are used to fund their work on issues related to people over 50.
This is a stab in our backs! How can you present yourself as a group of advocates for Seniors and sleep with the enemy? I think you need to address this to all of your members. We conduct all kinds of business under the AARP umbrella, but that will change unless we see that you put the interests of Seniors first. This looks like you are making side deals that undermine us.
I AGREE with all the above remarks. I’m ashamed to admit I’ve been a member of AARP since the beginning and now am thinking of all the things I could have done with my membership fees instead of wasting them on such a traitor as this! Sorry but if I do not hear a larger than life statement to the effect that their support of this treasonal bunch of non Americans than I will no longer support AARP. It was bad enough that that traiter to our American armed forces in Vietnam was on the front cover recently and if you do not recall her name it was Hanoi Jane Fonda. Loved her father and simply do not understand how such a great person could give birth to such a treasonous poisonous piece of work!!. Couldn’t call her a human being because I don’t believe she is human and I’m waiting for KARMA to pay her a visit!!!
ALEC would certainly welcome and agree with your stance on Jane Fonda. Do you understand your own political philosophy?
This is outrageous. If AARP (of which I am a member) does not immediately cease its support of ALEC, I will not only leave AARP but also its Hartford insurance company and any and all other companies that I may do business with that are sponsored by AARP. GRRR!
Supporting ALEC makes us wonder just what exactly is the AARP agenda and who are you working for ?????
I don’t approve of aarps relationship with ALEC I don’t want my dues used for such purposes .
I am distressed to hear about your relationship with ALEC. If this is true, I give you one month to disengage, otherwise count on me to leave AARP.
I’ve always been a little wary of AARP, but joined anyway. Learning of the organization’s ties to ALEC is the last straw. Next we’ll find out they support Trump.
Stop, please. Is anyone actually helping seniors!!!!!
Please stop supporting ALEC. I thought you were working toward helping seniors, not endorsing plans that hurt seniors.
I’m glad I dropped my AARP membership. Their membership in ALEC is absolutely disgusting. I urge ALL seniors whose brains have not been Trumped to drop their AARP membership – and tell them why!!
I, for one, am no longer an AARP member, and I will not even consider going back as long as they are helping fund ALEC
This is unacceptable, dump AARP until they remove their support of ALEC
An accusations has been made. No one knows if it is true or not . AARP has not responded. Yet, people read an article and like “sheep” they react and side with the author of said article. Everyone in media has an agenda. You have to question what this publication’s agenda is. Before you go cancelling your AARP subscription, remember there are two sides to every story. Get the other side before you make a decision. Don’t be a sheep.
In this case, there IS no “other side” to the story. AARP is supposed to lobby FOR seniors. ALEC is committed to work AGAINST us. If AARP does not denounce this and withdraw from ALEC immediately, they will face a backlash of members quitting en masse.
AARP funding ALEC is obscene and destructive to all that AARP purports to stand for. Please announce publicly your disengagement from ALEC immediately.
AARP, why? We demand an answer.
AARP! Stop funding ALEC …that’s my very hard-earned money you’re using AGAINST ME and my fellow AARP nembers! My membership will no longer fund YOU, unless you cease and desist your financial dealings with ALEC.
It took me a long time to join AARP after their support of privatized Medicare Part D. I finally joined last year (at age 70) but will notify them I will be resigning unless they end their relationship with ALEC immediately and publicly.
So much for trusting an organization devoted to watching for the best interest of seniors.
So much for trusting an organization supposedly devoted to doing good work.
I will not be renewing and will spread the word to all my contacts, Alec is bad for everyone.
Ironic….we were going to sign up for AARP last night, didn’t get to it, so was planning on today. Not now….I will wait for further word. Shame on AARP. Thank you CMD for all you’re doing to expose this.
Now that I found out about the AARP supporting ALEC. I want my money back. ALEC has done more to harm folks with their wages and all of their benefits and one of the reason why workers are getting injured on the job with no benefits and end up on the SSA forcing the injured to use their SSA benefits too soon rather than the employer pay for those total permanent injuries or illnesses. The AARP refused to help in this matter many years ago.
To me the AARP is no longer a credible organisation to speak for the older people who depend on their too small amounts of SSA monthly benefits but rather than the AARP like so many other groups claiming to represent citizens are just in the game for themselves.
I will not reup my dues until the AARP stops using dues to fund ALEC.
What a betrayal on seniors by the AARP .
This should be published in all major media as well as the AARP tell this to all of their members and then let the members decide if they want still want to be part of the AARP.
Thank you for this VERY important news about AARP & ALEC.
No more donations to you if you don’t stop funding ALEC!!!!!!!!!
Stop supporting ALEC. Otherwise, I am cancelling my membership. You are no better than the NRA and other diabolical groups. Stop now.
You support ALEC, you lose me. I’m done with AARP.
– Dr. J. B. Hartman
Wow, and as I understand it, NRTA was the original organization from which AARP evolved. This from AARP:
“NRTA: AARP’s Educator Community is America’s foremost network of 50+ adults and organizations with a passion and affinity for education and learning. Members of NRTA are dedicated to continuous educational opportunity, advocacy, and service as a means of safeguarding the economic security, work opportunities, and future well-being of all generations.”
We (AARP members) need a response on this issue. My continuing support depends on this.
My membership was due May 2017 and I renewed until May 2020. If AARP is supporting ALEC I wish to cancel my membership and be refunded my money. How dare you spend our money for this!
AARP was bought out a long time ago. Never have trusted them. Same old AARP to me.
Not good.. shouldn’t we as paid members have a say in how you use our dues? What possible benefits are there for AARP in partnering with ALEC?
Come clean and disclose where your loyalty lies!
I don’t like them marketing Medicare Advantage or lobbying against the senior financial advisory bill either. They do not cooperate with others involved in advocacy for elders concerning aging with dignity/rights for home care workers.
It’s amazing anyone reads your lies and one sided democratic opinion!!! CMD IS A JOKE!!! Btw not an ALEC fan!
This AARP is in business for themselves…look at their salary structure and see how they promote themselves and have little support for we elders….drop your membership and perhaps they will get what they take our money for…themselves.
You support ALEC, you lose me. That’s not even close to both sides of the fence. That is sliding us seniors down a razor sharp, double edged sword.
AARP: You just lost my trust and support! What the hell are you doing supporting ALEC?
Please stop funding ALEC immediately. It is a Koch organization that is against everything you say you stand for! I will not renew my membership if you are still in ALEC the mere idea is appalling!!!
AARP please stop funding ALEC
Totally against How AARP Funds are Being Used Contrary To My Membership & Beliefs
AARP. Why are you supporting an organization that is harming your members?
AARP: If any of my dues are funding ALEC, I will be disgusted, and I will be demanding a refund. I plan to research and find out for myself when I return from vacation. Watch for my email.
AARP: I am stunned that AARP is a member and funder of ALEC, the dreaded republican lobbying organization started by the horrible Koch Brothers….John Birchers. Who on the board cast this line? Who asked for the funding to get a membership? Probably a really stupid old white republican man? Right?
You are aware that ALEC stands for everything AARP does not. This is very counterintuitive and counterproductive. Ditch it.
This is awful news. Stop this immediately.
Disgraceful! Obviously some heads need to roll at the board and chairmanship level for this betrayal of your membership.
ALEC..misspelled it above
I will not remain a member unless you stop using money to fund A LEG.
I’d like the AARP to respond to these accusations.. and quickly!
SHAME ON AARP!!!! We always knew you mostly pushed those fancy vacations for our richer elder cousins but this is a new unacceptable LOW. STOP IT! Withdraw from this position or we will leave you thoroughly exposed and DISGRACED!!!!
Unless this is stopped I will stop supporting aarp and its affiliates.
This is despicable. Greed, is blatantly obvious. Shame on you.
If you haven’t registered for AARP on-line, I suggest you do. They have several discussion boards where regisered members can post comments, one of which is called “Politics, Current Events,” and at least on that board as others, your comments about AARP + ALEC will have even larger audiences.
And, for my part, I will cancel my very long-term membership with AARP if they don’t disengage from ALEC vey quickly, but I’m waiting just a bit to see how they react.
Stop funding ALEC immediately or we will no longer participate in AARP,
Come on AARP,,,we members rely on your organization to be of HELP to us…not working against us…What’s your deal? using our monies to defeat our successes?
AARP, how dare you spend a portion of my dues supporting ALEC. Stop it!
AARP please stop funding ALEC
Here is AARP’s response, posted on their bulletin boards. I am not associated with AARP. Are people overreacting to this, or is AARP being evasive/naive/?
http://community.aarp.org/t5/Introduce-Yourself/ALEC-and-AARP/td-p/1747998
—————————————————-
To all who have participated in this discussion thread:
Being non-partisan means interacting with organizations on all sides of key issues – not just those whose views are identical to your own. AARP is committed to serving a diverse membership and fulfilling our responsibility to engage with groups and individuals with different perspectives on issues important to the 50+ and their families.
In 2016, AARP paid a fee to ALEC, which gave us an opportunity to engage with state legislators and advance our members’ priorities from a position of strength at ALEC’s annual meeting.
AARP’s engagement with ALEC is NOT an endorsement of the organization’s policies either past or present. As is the case with other groups AARP engages with, there are many issues and areas where we strongly disagree with ALEC’s position or approach.
For example, AARP does NOT support ALEC’s model legislation on TABOR (Taxpayer Bill of Rights); a Constitutional Amendment for a Balanced Federal Budget, which is a direct attack on Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid; the repeal of the Affordable Care Act; nor the other model legislation posted on its website. AARP has advocated in opposition of these proposals in the states and in Congress and will continue to do so.
AARP monitors and values member input and we have taken note of all your comments.
Our goal is that all of our activities will come together to help shape and enrich the experience of aging for our members and for America.
AARP Online Community Team
Now that the
ALEC annual meeting is finished (held July 27-29, 2016) it would very helpful, for those of us sitting on the fence regarding our AARP memberships, to receive an accounting on just how helpful was it for AARP to give financial support. I would also like to see just how much money was contrIibuted. And I would like this issue to be directly addressed and not have to research it in the annual summary of AARP works. As much as this issue is creating such a sense of insecurity and fear, it need to be addressed immediately, like in the next 48 hours. I have been a member of AARP for 16 years, and I always thought them to be an honest and reliable group. I thought them clean of political confusion and supported them when there was doubt. You need to resell yourself AARP. Right now, in our political climate, there is no knowing who we can trust. Your original mission has been compromised.
Lost me at “AARP paid ALEC.”
your association with ALEC looks very suspicious to me. You do not argue with the enemies of Democracy! You are supposed to fight for the rights of Seniors who depend on Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. AARP does not need to be associated with the Koch brothers, or those who want to repeal the Affordable Care Act. How can AARP justify its presence at the annual meeting of this lobby, when more than 100 corporations have dropped it
The extreme right wing agenda of this lobby makes me extremely skeptical as to the approach of AARP. So my message to AARP is: stop the bleeding right away, and drop ALEC.
Hog wash! Maybe that’s why you supported a bill that denied our government the ability to seek better prices on drugs some years ago. I quit AARP over that issue. You are obviously NOT looking out for the best interests of people in general and seniors in particular. I recently rejoined AARP, thinking that the organization had changed. Guess not. Time for me to say goodbye again. I can’t support or defend an organization which supports ALEC. We DO know what ALEC does. Maybe some people don’t, but those of us who understand ALEC know that they are NOT looking out for the good of the people!!! Don’t try to flim flam us. Get with the program and promote what is best for seniors.
AARP leadership is fully aware of its involvement with the pernicious co-opting of our Nation’s governing bodies by a cut-throat group of 1%’ers who want government out of their way. ALEC drafts and sponsors legislation designed to roll back or eliminate virtually all programs that provide public services that are not specifically part of the USA’s corporate welfare scheme. ALEC’s support for anti-government legislators is a major factor contributing to the paralysis that has become a virus at all levels of government. AARP’s decision to pay dues so they can be players in this game is shameful. While it would be pleasant to believe that AARP can temper ALEC’s agenda, only a court jester could be so naive. You have revealed that you are a captive shill for all the corporations from which you collect licensing fees. Shame on you AARP.
Thank you! We really need groups like AARP in this new era of spin. AARP provides a valuable effort on behalf of Seniors and I for one, appreciate it.
Yes!! As an AARP member, I demand that AARP stop funding ALEC!!!
I’m not at surprised to hear that AARP is an ALEC member. I was informed about ALEC a few year’s ago when our state had GMO labeling on its voter’s ballot. It failed because ALEC became involved. They cover the whole United States in their quest to control which laws are acceptable or non-acceptable. ALEC was a secret organization at that time, but I was able to identify two of our legislators who secretly joined ALEC.
As for AARP, I dropped my membership with them when they became involved in Medicare’s Donut Hole fiasco. They, I believed, were not as “for we elderly” as I was informed by them they were and I am not sorry that I no longer am a member of AARP.
AARP yopu are looking for more increase in year 2017. We were just increased in 2016. Stop funding ALEC.
AARP – Are you Insane – in bed with the Devil ALEC which promotes laws AGAINST the Elderly?
Just dos Stupid can AARP be?