Here's someone who feels more strongly than I about AARP's devious role in Medicare Part D in particular and health care in general.
ahgoldberg: AARP Blows Smoke on Health Care
... The "Terminator's" "bold initiativel" which AARP praises would cover "all of 20 per cent" of those not covered by any health insurance. "Wow!" "Damn," now that's "just the most pumped up leadership" any state can get. Now "isn't it?"
Maine, which has already adopted legislation which would provide health care of all its people by 2009, but is keeping private health insurance companies, gets no such raves, and actually doesn't get a mention by AARP. Yet obviously Maine has gone further than all the other states put together. A single payer plan would have been better, but having universal health care coverage of some kind even if it does rely too much on the private sector should have gotten an honorable mention by AARP.
But AARP, headed by Bill Novelli, a real phony, con artist for the right and far right, has been doing things the wrong way and supporting the neo con job/rip off market concept fraud all the way on this issue for some time. A good while back when W's administration was seeking to sneak through legislation on prescription drugs with regard to Medicare coverage, AARP jumped in to back this neo con job, rip off, and likely contributed mightily to its passage, thoroughly ripping off seniors. AARP is there when seniors really don't need them to help the neo con gang rip them off. Isn't that "just lovely?" ...
