AARP and AMAC
Founded as the American Association of Retired Persons in 1958, the organization has a reputation of being a huge liberal lobbying group, but is it?
Today the organization is known simply as the AARP, and it has grown—a lot. To give you an idea of the reach of this organization, consider that the magazine and bulletin they send to members are the two largest-circulation publications in the United States. The current CEO of AARP earns more than $1.5 million in salary and benefits.
Services provided by AARP include member discounts on rental cars, cruises, vacation packages, lodging, and special offers on technology, gifts, pharmacy, and legal services. While it is not an insurance company, the organization earns more from marketing AARP branded insurance than from membership dues. There is no minimum age to join, and membership is twelve dollars a year.
With nearly 40 million members the AARP is one of the most powerful lobbying organizations in America. By comparison, the National Rifle Association has less than five million members. Being large and powerful is not a bad thing however, over the years, the AARP has been accused of lobbying for liberal political causes. I wanted to know if that is true.
I soon discovered a Forbes Magazine report by Avik Roy that asserted the AARP had supported Obamacare. I had heard that before, but the report went on to say that with the healthcare expansion the federal government cut $716 billion from Medicare. This was done to help pay for the expansion of coverage to low-income families. According to Roy the implementation of Obamacare together with the cut from Medicare “saved the AARP about $1.8 billion in Medigap reforms, while potentially earning the group an additional $1 billion in royalties from seniors who are forced out of Medicare Advantage.” The reasons for that AARP windfall are complex and beyond the scope of this article but they are included in the Forbes report.
While there has been much talk about the AARP alignment with Democrats and liberal causes, the organization’s support for the big-government single-payer Obamacare health plan was the only issue I’ve been able to document. If that concerns you, there is an alternative.
The Association of Mature American Citizens (AMAC) calls itself the conservative alternative to the AARP. (I like the slogan.) The organization was founded in 2007 and has gained support from several conservative figures including Glenn Beck and Mark Levin. Current membership stands at just over two million Americans.
AMAC and AARP offer comparable benefits including discounts on rental cars, hotels, and dining. They also offer information on branded insurance plans, insurance discounts, and Medicare plans and information. Full membership is available to those fifty and older. Younger people may join as associate members and receive most benefits.
AMAC continues to oppose Obamacare and has printed in its newsletter how the law has increased healthcare regulation, taxes, and created an assortment of new entitlements.
If you are a member of either AARP or AMAC let us know what you think of the organizations in the comment section below.
