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AARP Finally Gets It
IBD Editorials ^ | June 17, 2011 | Staff

Posted on 06/17/2011 4:57:16 PM PDT by Kaslin

Social Security: The politically powerful American Association of Retired Persons has finally admitted that the federal government's fiscally doomed entitlements must be fixed. Let Democrats call Paul Ryan extremist now.

On Friday, the AARP officially decided, after what was reported to be a tumultuous internal confab, that it will no longer irrationally stand in the way of the government reducing Social Security benefits.

The group immediately tried to make little of the change, issuing a statement Friday claiming that "Contrary to the misleading characterization in a recent media story, AARP has not changed its position on Social Security."

The AARP also said, "Any changes to this lifeline program should happen in a separate, broader discussion."

In other words, give AARP a seat at the negotiating table in some big deal on the future of Social Security, Medicare and maybe other things too.

But moderate Democrats such as the Third Way group in Washington were beside themselves with glee. They told the New York Times that it was "a watershed moment," and now that the AARP has "opened the door to reform, it is time for lawmakers to walk through it," as Third Way President Jonathan Cowan put it.

The biggest political winner, of course, is House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wis., whose bold plan to save entitlements through free-market reform has obviously translated into pressure on the not-an-inch position AARP has held over so many years.

(Excerpt) Read more at investors.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial
KEYWORDS: aarp; socialsecurity
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To: Raycpa

“We need to cut benefits but we can’t allow those evil republicans to do it.”

Not quite. The Democrats want to raise taxes to save Social Security and Medicare. In order to do that, they have to scare seniors into supporting it.


41 posted on 06/18/2011 4:56:29 AM PDT by AppyPappy (If you aren't part of the solution, there is good money to be made prolonging the problem.)
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To: Kaslin

one of the minds...the many minds, that created the problem...not capable of the solution.


42 posted on 06/18/2011 5:02:38 AM PDT by mo ("If you understand, no explanation is needed; if you do not, no explanation is possible")
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To: Kaslin
These SOB's always send me literature to sign up.

I have been against them for 20 years knowing they stood in the way of SSI reform, worse they will help turn my and your kids into serfs.

Now they have competition and they stuck their nose in Obamacare.

My guess is membership is down an it would't suprise me if their money making scemes for Obamacare ain't looking so profitable.

Sucks to be them....

43 posted on 06/18/2011 5:07:35 AM PDT by taildragger (( Palin / Mulally 2012 ))
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