Grumpy Editor figures there must have been a lot of stirring at AARP’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., following Friday’s report in The Wall Street Journal that the mammoth senior organization “is dropping its long-standing opposition to cutting Social Security benefits…which AARP hasn’t discussed publicly.”
The Laura Meckler byliner also mentioned with that position, “AARP runs the risk of alienating both its liberal allies, who have vowed to fight any benefit cuts, and its 37 million members, many of whom are deeply opposed to such a move.”
It didn’t take long for AARP to produce a response. At 2:22p.m. (Eastern) Friday, PRNewsire moved a news release under the headline, “AARP Has Not Changed Its Position On Social Security.”
AARP CEO A. Barry Rand snapped: "Let me be clear --- AARP is as committed as we've ever been to fighting to protect Social Security for today's seniors and strengthening it for future generations. Contrary to the misleading characterization in a recent media story, AARP has not changed its position on Social Security.”
“We are currently fighting some proposals in Washington to cut Social Security to reduce a deficit it did not cause,” he pointed out. “Social Security should not be used as a piggy bank to solve the nation's deficit. Any changes to this lifeline program should happen in a separate, broader discussion and make retirement more secure for future generations, not less.”
The WSJ’s story pinned John Rother, AARP’s policy chief, as the prime mover behind its change of heart.
An Associated Press story on the controversy in newspapers over the weekend noted an AARP spokeswoman said Rother was traveling Friday and unavailable for comment.
But AP did get quotes from David Certner, AARP’s director of legislative policy, who claimed the organization adamantly opposes cutting Social Security benefits to help reduce the federal budget.
Then, adding to the confusion, Certner said for years AARP has acknowledged that cuts to future benefits might be necessary to improve the program’s finances.
Getting back to the AARP news release, it also mentioned, “It has long been AARP’s policy that Social Security should be strengthened to provide adequate benefits and that it is sufficiently financed to ensure solvency with a stable trust fund for the next 75 years.”
It concluded with: “As we have been for decades, we will continue to protect this bedrock of lifetime financial security for all generations of Americans.”
Grumpy Editor notes AARP triggered another controversy two years ago when it ran into unexpected public relations problems with its seniors membership stemming from its support of President Barack Obama's health care reform plan. It lost about 300,000 members as a result.
AARP, formerly known as the American Association of Retired Persons, describes itself as “a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization with a membership that helps people 50+ have independence, choice and control in ways that are beneficial and affordable to them and society as a whole.”
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