RSS
Home
AARP steps up to Baby Boomer leadership role
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
AARP demonstrated the power of its influence to Baby Boomers on health care reform.
AARP has been around for 50 years, but it is only now showing Baby Boomers the weight of its influence.
For most Baby Boomers, turning 50 years old and getting that membership invitation to join AARP was like getting a mean-spirited birthday card greeting -- that AARP invitation must mean you were really getting over the hill.
And, for most Baby Boomer joiners, membership has meant access to discounts to rent a car or hotel room or a cruise.
But AARP's mission as watchdog of public policies that affect its members meant it was at the forefront of the health care reform debate.
And its endorsement late last week of the two reform measures that ultimately passed the U.S. House late Saturday night was key to the legislation's success.
One of the congratulatory calls President Barack Obama made after the House passed the health care bills was to the AARP.
There is division among AARP members about the role of the organization in the health care reform fight.
And some could question AARP's motivation on behalf of Americans 50 years and older. Some will argue that AARP is not being completely altruistic, not when AARP advocates for legislation while also selling products that might benefit from that legislation, such as health inusrance for older Americans.
But when it comes to public policy like health care and levels of public trust, AARP has shown itself as having the highest rating of confidence among the American people.
A survey on the role of health care interest groups was done recently by National Public Radio, the Kaiser Family Foundation and Harvard School of Public Health.
Its conclusion: "The specific 'interest group' named by the largest share is AARP (6 percent of all those who feel there is a group who represents their views, 12 percent of those ages 50 and older who feel there’s such a group)."
Of all the interest groups cited in the survey, AARP had the highest confidence among Democrats (69 percent), Independents (56 percent) and Republicans (43 percent) to "recommend the right thing" on the health care issue.
According to statistics cited by an NPR story, one out of every two people over age 50 is an AARP member, which translates into 40 million members, he says, half of them of Baby Boomer age and half of them 65 or older.
It is a force to be reckoned with as other political issues come forward that affects this population.
Much has been said of who -- or what -- represents the Baby Boomers.
Clearly in this case -- and possibly into the future -- it's the AARP.
It will disenfranchise some members, but will embolden many more.
Related Articles:
Comments
