Geezers With Pitchforks Vs. The AARP

IBD Editorials ^ | August 7, 2009 | INVESTORS BUSINESS DAILY Staff

[Kaslin]

IBD Exclusive Series: Government-Run Healthcare: A Prescription For Failure

Discourse: At a town hall last week in Dallas, an elderly "mob" with "manufactured" outrage questioned AARP's support for nationalized health care, asking: "Do you work for us or do we work for you?"

---

There were no swastika-wearing grannies at Tuesday's meeting, as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi might claim. Nor were they "taking their cues from talk show hosts, Internet rumor-mongers . . . and insurance rackets," as Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has said.

But they were mad as hell at the perception that AARP was selling them out in the name of government-run medical insurance. That perception was not helped when the AARP town hall on the subject was shut down by the seniors outfit once the members dared to ask questions. The AARP representatives did not want to hear from the members at all. Just send in your dues, granny, and be quiet.

AARP denies being in league with the administration in pushing its medical insurance agenda. But as Mark Tapscott, editorial page editor for the Washington Examiner reports, that claim may be bogus despite a statement by AARP CEO Barry Rand in the July 31 issue that "AARP has not endorsed any of the bills currently being debated in Congress."

On Monday, Connie Hair of Human Events reported on a memo from Pelosi in which the speaker described the Democrats' plan to "partner" with AARP as part of a planned August recess PR blitz for government expansion of medical insurance. The fiasco in Dallas was an example of that partnership.

[Iron Munro]

It’s obvious right from the start of the Dallas AARP video that the AARP female speaker came to lecture the AARP membership group.

The tone of the presentation is set right at the start when the speaker opens up by telling the crowd she is there to listen.

AARP: “You notice on the agenda we call it a listening session? That’s because we want to hear from you.....”

(That’s a good start - listening to the paid membership is smart.)

AARP: “I think we can all agree that the system we have now is not sustainable.....”

CROWD: “No we don’t agree!”

Then she basically told them to shut up. So much for the listening:

AARP: “Excuse me but I would really appreciate it if everybody could keep their comments quiet until there’s time for the public comments, we’re gonna’ have time for the public question and answers and I would appreciate some courtesy. Really!”

“This might be fun for you but that’s not what we’re doing today. We’re gonna’ try to do some communication.....”

And then the fun started.

Video here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoMNDdQ1_h0

[magslinger]

I put all of their junk, and sometimes some of my other junk mail in their return envelope.

[dixiechick2000]

I bet the AARP is bleeding members.

[DHC-2]

http://action.afa.net/videos/aarp/

There's the link to the video. Its amazing to watch. Anyone who says these people are "manufactured" and "organized" hasn't seen the tape. I'm a senior, living in a senior community ... those people could have been my neighbors. Just people with a "seasoned" point of view, not even yelling and screaming. IF you haven't seen it, the video is worth 5 minutes of watching. Amazing how people like these could be "demonized" and said to be "carrying swastikas" ... the left is really getting scary. And what is left of the "greatest generation" once again looks like it is showing the way. Made me very proud to be a senior (and yes, I'll be there in DC on Sept 12th!) I may not walk as fast as many of you here on FR, but wave to me as you pass by! I'll be the gray haired fellow carrying the Sons of Liberty Vertical 9 stripe flag. :-)

[pickyourpoison]

Fill the envelope full of junk. They are charged according to the weight. A few years ago I worked at a business and we were charged a $1 for the business reply envelope and $.23 for each extra ounce, so make it heavy.

[HoosierHawk]

I like that idea.

I've already sent the White House "fishy" articles regarding shark attacks in Louisiana and recipes for blackened orange roughy.

[Kackikat]

Attacking the INSURANCE Industry is a benefit to AARP, as they are now in the insurance business through a NY Insurance company...some ads on tv.

It’s in their flyers...car, health, life, motorcycles etc...they don’t expect to need the elderly much longer. It would be great if their buddy can’t destroy the insurance companies, and the elderly abandan AARP.

[Repeat Offender]

Did you ever wonder how they got your name and address in the first place, and knew not to send you mail when you were 16 years old?

They mess up now and again. Shortly after I received the Purple Heart I began receiving their mailout..... some stuff directly pointed toward veterans..... I was 23 at the time! I let them know that it probably wasn't too smart to assume everyone with a PH is Vietnam age. I stopped receiving their junk mail shortly thereafter.

[Salvation]

All they have to do is quite AARP and go here:

Alternative to AARP — Association of Mature American Citizens http://www.amac.us/

[Kackikat]

http://lestdarknessfall.blogspot.com/2005/06/73-yr-old-woman-foils-thief.html

Good thing granny didn’t have a pitchfork, since she did this thief a lot of damage...never discount the elderly.

I saw on News this week a woman in wheelchair, who botched a robbery by ramming her wheelchair into his legs, and she was over 50.

[dalereed]

They quit sending us their garbage at least 10 years ago after I continually chewed them out in the foulest language I could think of.

[Fester Chugabrew]

Ah. The guilt trap.

[JudgemAll]

I can’t believe the sense of self-entitlement of AARP reps and so called volunteers. It is obvious Congress is trying to find ways to take these people’s moneys for other uses than their health, but solely to criminalizing every other avenues or deserving health outlets out there.

If anyone wanted to prove the hostile intent of entitled health provider without delivery of actual health, these volunteers clearly demonstrated it by delivering nothing out of this meeting but their arrogance.

[Kaslin]

Wasn’t Art Linkletter associated with them a few years ago?

[Texas Fossil]

I have news for AARP and Obozo, some of the geezer crowd still have “teeth”.

They vote, are outspoken, are well read, and hate liars.

They can also smell a fraud 100 miles away.

[ludlowm]

The Fat Ass aarp bitch looked sooo bad. These aarp members are good people asking questions. AARP was for Hillary care for God Sakes. NEVER JOIN THIS ORGAN!! They are endorsing genocide of the seniors!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you for this great video exposing aarp for what is is!!! COMMUNISTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[keats5]

We need to quit dancing to Gibbs’ tune. We’ve allowed him to frame the issue as whether or not we’re organized. The issue is that the Obama administration and Congress is trying to force socialized medicine on Americans who don’t want it.

First, when conservatives do get air time, they need to use it wisely. We want to galvanize Americans to fight this bill in an effective manner. Instead, we try to prove we’re “real.” God knows were real and we know we’re real. The libs will never change their minds, so why are we going out of our way to impress them? Our target audience needs to be people who are likely to vote conservative.

Second, what if we DO want to get organized? What’s wrong with that? There’s something comical about a bunch of union and Acorn thugs in matching t-shirts whining about us being organized. They know there’s power in numbers, and they don’t like what they’re seeing.

[Lurker]

What can we do to raise their postal rates by returning their junk...

Fill up the return envelope with plate washers. Drop it in any mailbox.

[dusttoyou]

Why anyone would ever join AARP is beyond me. What so you can get a $5 discount once in a while? Anyone here that belongs, do you think they just now went left liberal?