I have been an AARP member for 14 years, I'm done with them after this

[Omaha Steve]

Sunday's Omaha World Herald, page 3.

[rzemanfl]

1. I dumped them over an article praising Condoleezza Rice

many years ago.

[SARose]

2. 'I don't think so': Senator Fischer questions government role in solving Nebraska's nursing shortage

Fischer emphasized that the federal government should focus on other priorities, like national defense.

"The problem is the federal government's not the answer for everybody's funding issues, you know, we need to make decisions at the federal level and prioritize what really is a core duty," Fischer said.

Snip

Fischer suggested that hospitals in Omaha are fortunate to be surrounded by groups that provide large donations, which she indicated could be a viable option to offset decreased federal funds.

More

Well my my my…

[Omaha Steve]

9. Thanks for posting that

[travelingthrulife]

22. Yeah. That would be the most ineffective way to "fund" healthcare.

About as stupid as saying the churches will provide for the needy.

[Rebl2]

39. The small church

my parents used to attend closed or I should say was sold to another church. It was mainly elderly people, not exactly a rich congregation. Those smaller churches may help as much as they can, but they can’t afford much.

[QueerDuck]

3. AARP is not a political or a liberal organization.

I like them. They do good work and I value my membership benefits and the AARP magazine.

With such a large membership, they cannot be "everything to everybody" ... and during the course of someone's membership, it seems unreasonable to expect to agree with every decision that they make. It seems equally unreasonable to give them the middle finger for their efforts to show appreciation or to give praise to a Republican senator. It was a "thank you" ... not an endorsement.

AARP's public statements often explain that its policy positions are determined by what is best for the 50+ population, based on research and member feedback, not partisan considerations. It engages with lawmakers from both parties who support its priorities. While AARP may endorse or oppose specific pieces of legislation, it does not officially support or oppose candidates or parties. However, given its long history of advocating on politically charged topics, the perception of partisanship remains strong for some.

AARP has repeatedly emphasized that it does not endorse or give money to political candidates. Fact-checking organizations like PolitiFact and USA Today have corroborated that AARP does not donate to either political party.

As you know, AARP is one of the most powerful and well-funded lobbying organizations in Washington, D.C. Its active engagement in federal policy debates (with spending that can reach tens of millions of dollars a year) so I guess that reinforces the perception that it is a highly political entity.

[angrychair]

10. No Republican deserves praise. Ever.

They are, very literally, starving millions of people to death because Democrats in Congress won't let them strip healthcare from millions of people.

That's just what is happening right now. The list of their crimes against humanity are long and vulgar.

I say this with my whole chest: I wouldn't piss on a Republican, any Republican, if they were on fire right in front of me and I had a full bladder.

[QueerDuck]

12. I understand how you feel, but AARP does not exist to "snub Republicans" to make you happy.

That's not their job or their mission. If people adjusted their expectations to fit more with reality, then their consternation and anger would diminish, and they could concentrate their efforts on others areas, rather than focusing on things that simply do not matter.

[Cirsium]

35. What?

"Snub Republicans to make you happy?" Is that how you see this?

[QueerDuck]

37. Don't worry. When the far right goes grievance shopping, they accuse the AARP of being "too far left"...

so I guess it all works out in the end. When a respectable organization like AARP is hated by both extremes, then they're doing something right. Obviously, it all depends on one's perspective and where they happen to be sitting on the political spectrum when they start shouting at a non-partisan group AARP for being "too right" or "too left".

I remember that some disgruntled rightwingers hated AARP so much that they started their own organization... a right-wing alternative to the AARP called the Association of Mature American Citizens (AMAC). Another, lesser-known, group with a similar rightwing mission is the American Seniors Association (ASA).

There are, however, specific organizations that align more overtly with progressive or liberal viewpoints, the most prominent of which is the Alliance for Retired Americans (ARA). People are always have the freedom of association and they can choose ineffective organizations for vanity and virtue-signaling reasons, or they can work with respectable organizations like AARP that have a history of success. Personally, I choose AARP for their long history of success in advocating/lobbying-for issues and programs that make the lives of Seniors better, healthier, and more affordable.

I don't focus on petty grievances like whether an "evil" Republican (gasp! horrors!) was publicly acknowledged with positive words or appreciation.

[Cirsium]

43. No, no, no

False equivalency.

"When a respectable organization like AARP is hated by both extremes, then they're doing something right."

That right there is the reason we are in such crisis. Criticism from the Left is not equivalent to criticism from the right in any way, shape or form , and the so-called "middle" doesn't exist. Promoting that illusion is just a way to compromise with the right wing.

They want to starve all of us, rob from all of us, police all of us. There is no "middle" ground. Starve half of us? Beat half of us? Steal from half of us? No.

[angrychair]

21. Respectfully, I disagree, it does matter a lot

Deb Fisher is a Nazi. Literally one of the biggest sycophants for Mango Mussolini in the Senate. When organizations like the AARP praises her, it gives her and her actions, legitimacy.
It's called "white washing". You do a small act to get perceived legitimate organizations to say something nice about you and then use that as cover for the 99% of the things you do that are shitty and evil.

Anyone, any organization, that praises a Republican for any reason, is literally part of the problem.
Republicans, including Fischer, want to starve people to death, including lots of older people that are members of AARP, because Democrats won't let them strip away the healthcare of other AARP members and their respective families.

I could not disagree more with your position on this. Who organizations like AARP give public recognition too matters a lot.

[QueerDuck]

24. I think you have the AARP confused with some other organization. That's not what they do.

They never have and they never will. They don't withhold praise or gratitude as "punishment" for some other unrelated policy matter. They are not an organization that is in the business of "hating republicans because they are republicans" and it's unrealistic for anyone to expect them to do so.

That kind of binary thinking serves no useful purpose. There is always going to be (or needs to be) middle ground, compromise, recognition, gratitude if there is to be any kind of PROGRESS made at all. The all or nothing, black or white, good or evil, us/them and tribal way of looking at things is a very simplistic view and only serves to perpetuate problems and divisions that could otherwise be resolved... or at least moved the needle a little closer to something that's better than before.

If anyone genuinely and actually expects AARP to behave like a partisan far-left organization, then they should not support the AARP... *and* at the same time, they should not be surprised or disappointed when the AARP does happen to praise or thank someone who has done something, said something, or supported some policy... and that they deserve recognition for doing so.

There's also a bit of greasing the wheels going on here to, I suspect. Creating goodwill and letting someone know in a public way when they've done something good is a way to encourage the same from them again, or to encourage others to follow suit.

I'm grateful that AARP's board is filled with reasonable and level-headed people so that they can continue their work and valuable services.

[angrychair]

25. Again, respectfully

Could not disagree more. To imply it's "binary thinking" is intellectual insulting. Reducing it to partisanship is vulgar.
The "big picture" of what they are doing in Washington absolutely matters. To say we should pat the Nazi on her head and say "who's a good Congress critter" for some small thing while she is actively trying to starve old people and children to death and/or take their healthcare, is one hell of a take.
The AARP has absolutely been leaning more right over the last couple of years. Far more inclined to praise Republicans than Democrats. When was the last time they took out a full page color ad for a Democrat?

[QueerDuck]

30. You're wrong.

I think what we have here is a matter of respect, so that when someone is as far left as they can be, everything else seems far right. In reality AARP is not one way or the other. Not left not right. I remember not long ago there was a bunch of maca people saying that the AARP was too far left, LOL. They were so upset with it that they even decided to create their own organization. I don't know what happened to it, it was kind of a laughable exercise and futility. I'd be surprised if they still existed. They certainly do not have the influence or clout that AARP does..

[Omaha Steve]

27. I don't see AARP saying NO THANKS for her vote on the BIG Beautiful bill

They should have, since they thanked her on this issue.

[QueerDuck]

31. That's not what AARP does.

Again this is binary thinking that does not acknowledge reality. I can understand however how any organization that is moderate, or centrist, or nonpartisan, might falsely appear to be right wing to someone who's sitting on the far left. It's all a matter of perspective. I think it's amusing that the folks on the far right think that AARP is a liberal organization. Again, perspective.

And it's also a matter of expectations, clearly you were expecting something but it was unreasonable.

[lostincalifornia]

28. Thank-you, and I agree. I see some going out of their way trying to encourage people to

drop AARP, and not buy their supplemental insurance. That is is fine if someone wants to drop AARP, and their supplemental insurance through UHC through them, but that is a PERSONAL decision based on someone’s situation.

While I have no doubt that some have had issues with AARP and UHC under them, I have not, and in fact have not had any issues with them, and I will be darned if I will cut my nose off to spite my face because someone did not have a good experience, or worse, because they see an AARP ad they disagree with.

People need to do what is best for themselves and their family. I have had no issues or denials of coverage for me and my family, and it would be foolish in my case to drop them because I disagreed with an ad.

[choie]

29. At the end of the day

It’s a money making operations.

[Silent Type]

4. I get we hate GOPers, but family care giver legislation doesn't seem bad, especially where government pays

a family member for home care.

I'd love for Dems to have the seats to promote/improve this stuff, but we don't.

[EdmondDantes_]

7. When you get to the point that you hate the other side to the point that they can get no credit, that's scary

It eats you up inside.

[hvn_nbr_2]

8. Eats you up inside AND makes you just like them. nt

[Chemical Bill]

11. Jesus said to love your enemies,

but never said to starve kids so the wealthy can get more money. I hardly think anybody here is just like them.

[angrychair]

36. It's the point of praising someone

For theoretically placing a vote helping older people with home care while they are actively advocating for, in some cases, for those very same older, handicap or young children, to starve to death and/or lose healthcare all together. Because that is very literally the official position of Deb Fischer: "old and sick people need to die".

So while they are taking out full page ads praising her she is, very literally, screwing over the very people AARP is supposed to advocate to protect.

[Silent Type]

38. Except Fischer didn't say "let people die," as far as I know. I'm glad she's supporting family/home care. I suspect

I'd curse her on most issues, though.

[angrychair]

41. She is a Republican

She doesn't have to literally say "old people should die" her Party's position, her position, is to let SNAP benefits expire tomorrow.

Her Party's position, her position, is to let ACA subsidies expire.

Both of the positions are, in fact, saying "old people should die".

I don't know of any other way to interpret it.

[Silent Type]

42. Hate on. I'm glad she's supporting home care. I'm glad MTG is supporting ACA subsidies because we can't do it ourselves

because we lost. Better take what we can get.

[maccafan]

5. This is political

When you take out a full page ad in the state's largest newspaper with her picture and name in full print it IS a political statement. She has voted with Trump on almost everything in the Senate and has not supported the people of Nebraska in most everything she does. She doesn't deserve this kind of coverage.

[Silent Type]

6. The issue does.

[maunagirl]

13. I don't understand.

Is that a Republican and they thanked her or is there more to it?

[Omaha Steve]

14. Yes they thanked her for ONE thing she did

They ignored ALL the bad things she has done, like the BIG beautiful bill that cuts Medicaid.

OS

[Omaha Steve]

16. You heard Republican lies

Welcome to the DU.

Hospitals don't close because they can't treat illegal immigrants or trans surgeries for minors.

OS

[maunagirl]

17. I didn't really understand

what you wrote but haven't hospitals been privitized?

[Omaha Steve]

18. Yes

Medicaid is a good-sized portion of hospital budgets. Take that away and many (especially rural) will close.

[QueerDuck]

19. Are you also angry at the library for carrying books you disagree with?

🙄

[Omaha Steve]

20. That is totally differnt

And you know it!

[QueerDuck]

23. No it's not. AARP exists serve its members.

Many different members not just you. Not just Democrats.

[Omaha Steve]

26. AARP is supposed to be non-partisan

Thanking a US Senator for ONE thing she has done crosses the line. I don't see the library getting into politics.

Are you an AARP member?

OS

[QueerDuck]

32. Yes I am. And I seriously doubt that she is the only person ever thanked.

However in your case it may be the only one that you're aware of, therefore it seems from your perspective to be something new, unusual, out of the ordinary. Senator Fisher is from nebraska, the ad appeared in a Nebraska newspaper, it really doesn't make sense for them to thank a Nebraska senator in the Miami herald does it? By the same token, if they had some other local politician that they wanted to praise or thank for their hard work, they would do that in that politicians hometown paper, not yours, correct? Would this help to explain why you have seen no other recognition of this type in the past? Not everything is a conspiracy. But you do you. That kind of binary tribal thinking does not help to solve problems, it just drags them on indefinitely.

This entire thread has crossed the threshold into absurdity, and there's no point in continuing further. Clearly we have reached an impasse, and nothing further can be gained by continuing this exchange. But I know that reasonable people understand that AARP it's not the evil organization that you're making them out to be. Nor is it the evil organization that the far right makes them out to be.

[dflprincess]

33. I've never joined AARP

Because of its relationship with UHC.

I find it amusing that now that UHC is getting bad press about it's Advantage plans AARP is suddenly pushing UHC supplements.

[Faux pas]

34. I dropped them 20 years ago

when they turned into nothing but advertisements for big business and special interests.

[Prairie_Seagull]

40. I find it very interesting that AARP has not

released a statement condemning stumpy for his apparent threat to SS and Medicare.