Russel Hanson recently published a great expose about AARP at American Thinker, which in part reads…
We’ve all heard of AARP: that friendly, non-profit organization that just wants to help our seniors? Wrong. While AARP, formerly known as the American Association of Retired Persons, is technically considered a private not-for-profit organization, they were founded in 1958 with a primary mission to sell seniors health insurance. That’s right, sell. As in to make money.
Obviously, I have no problem with people or businesses selling things; the more products and services on the market, the more selection and the more competition. The free-market system has allowed us to become one of the greatest nations in the history of mankind. But when an organization’s primary mission is to sell a product (in this case health care insurance) and spends tons of money on lobbying and political contributions, it should not be eligible for tax-exempt status.
Many Republicans in the 112th Congress recognize this. In fact, in April, Reps. Wally Herger and Dave Reichert released a report entitled “Behind the Veil: The AARP America Doesn’t Know” to address the reality that AARP has violated their 501(c)(4) tax-exempt status. As to why it took this long for people to wake up to this fact, who knows? But as least some have seen the light.
The report points out that AARP makes its money primarily from insurance industry royalties, which accounted for nearly 46% of their revenue in 2009, whereas membership dues accounted for a measly 17%. It is highly unlikely that AARP would be such a political behemoth (and bully) if not for these royalties.
What many AARP members don’t know is that their money is often being spent on lobbying and political contributions, primarily on Democratic causes. AARP claims that they do “not endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to either political campaigns or candidates.” Of course, because that would be illegal. But its employees do make such contributions. According to Open Secrets, from 2007-2008, AARP employees contributed to twenty federal candidates, 16 of whom were Democrats. Only $550 went to Republican presidential nominee John McCain, while Barack Obama received $30,901. AARP employees also contributed $496,169 to state candidates in 2008.
As Russel concludes there are a lot of “dirty secrets” not the least of which is the fact that while operating as a for-profit business, AARP benefits from non-profit status.
It begs the question, does AARP stand for American Association of Retired Persons or American Association for Ravenous Profit?
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IT TOOK ME FOREVER TO FIND A PLACE A COMMENT,SO HERE I GO.
I WOULD LIKE AARP TO CONSIDER HELPING SENIOR CITIZENN FIND FREE GOVERNMENT GRANT MONEY AND FREE GRANT WRITING ASSISTANCE . I THINK THIS IS A GOOD IDEA EVEN IF YOU DONT.THERE IS MONEY OUT THERE FOR SENIORS USE BUT IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO OBTAIN. IF YOU CAN HELP THEN MAKE IT KNOW TO WE WHO ASK. A REPLY WOULD BE NICE WITHIN A SHORT TIME,NOT NEXT YEAR.
THANK YOU