# Damn AARP fruitcakes! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 21, 2005, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-aarp-fruitcakes/291247 "2005-02-21T22:29:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2005, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-aarp-fruitcakes/291247/1 "2005-02-21T22:29:48Z")
[Here](http://images.dailykos.com/images/user/3/aarp.gif) is an ad currently running on a couple right wing websites. It links to a right wing group named [usanext](http://www.usanext.org/). Have they really gone batshit crazy? What is the connection between old folks and a gay couple kissing? ---
**Author:** ![Homebrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Homebrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Homebrew)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2005, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-aarp-fruitcakes/291247/2 "2005-02-21T22:33:57Z")
Is that USANext site real? [quote] Taking its cues from the success of last year’s Swift boat veterans’ campaign in the presidential race, a conservative lobbying organization has hired some of the same consultants to orchestrate attacks on one of President Bush’s toughest opponents in the battle to overhaul Social Security. [/qutoe]So they’re admitting right there on the front page they don’t mind lying? Is this for real? ---
**Author:** ![MysteryFellow63427](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e4f/32.png) [@MysteryFellow63427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysteryFellow63427)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2005, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-aarp-fruitcakes/291247/3 "2005-02-21T22:37:09Z")
> [@](#): > > What is the connection between old folks and a gay couple kissing? Nothing. What do I win? ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2005, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-aarp-fruitcakes/291247/4 "2005-02-21T22:47:43Z")
I happened to see the guy who runs that organization while flipping channels the other night. He is the poster child for the angry-white-male Republican. He snarls instead of speaking. He visited every conservative talking point in about two minutes. Taxes. Social Security. Liberals. Gays. Hillary Clinton. The Free Market. It was amazing. It was like a highlight reel of the Republican National Convention. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2005, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-aarp-fruitcakes/291247/5 "2005-02-21T23:02:58Z")
> [@NurseCarmen](#): > > [Here](http://images.dailykos.com/images/user/3/aarp.gif) is an ad currently running on a couple right wing websites. It links to a right wing group named [usanext](http://www.usanext.org/). > > Have they really gone batshit crazy? What is the connection between old folks and a gay couple kissing? They [oppose (or have opposed) changes to state constitutions to outlaw SSM.](http://starbulletin.com/98/10/24/news/story6.html) ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2005, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-aarp-fruitcakes/291247/6 "2005-02-21T23:03:19Z")
AARP has 35 million members. This won’t wash at all. ---
**Author:** ![zagloba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/977dab/32.png) [@zagloba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zagloba)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2005, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-aarp-fruitcakes/291247/7 "2005-02-21T23:05:37Z")
Looks to me like the title doesn’t quite match the views of the OP – the behavior being pitted is not that of the AARP, but that of USANext and the sites carrying its ads. I guess we shouldn’t be surprised by a group like USANext popping up. AARP is an influential lobbying organization – they have money and older people vote – and AARP is strongly opposed to private accounts for social security. ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2005, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-aarp-fruitcakes/291247/8 "2005-02-21T23:21:41Z")
Sarcasm son…Sarcasm. ---
**Author:** ![cheddarsnax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@cheddarsnax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cheddarsnax)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2005, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-aarp-fruitcakes/291247/9 "2005-02-21T23:26:49Z")
> [@matt\_mcl](#): > > They [oppose (or have opposed) changes to state constitutions to outlaw SSM.](http://starbulletin.com/98/10/24/news/story6.html) If I’m reading that article right, it seems that “They” is actually a few AARP members from Hawaii who did not have approval from the state or national AARP organizations. And when the state and national organizations learned about their shenanigans, they took the neutral position. But I could be wrong, that’s a very poorly written article. ---
**Author:** ![zagloba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/977dab/32.png) [@zagloba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zagloba)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2005, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-aarp-fruitcakes/291247/10 "2005-02-21T23:32:36Z")
> [@Reeder](#): > > Sarcasm son…Sarcasm. My first whoosh :smack: I’ll be a real doper yet! ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2005, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-aarp-fruitcakes/291247/11 "2005-02-21T23:38:51Z")
> [@Reeder](#): > > Sarcasm son…Sarcasm. Screw sarcasm. When the wingnuts engage in another campaign of lies and deception, _they_ should be called on it. Blaming the victim, even in jest, isn’t sarcasm, and it isn’t funny. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2005, 11:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-aarp-fruitcakes/291247/12 "2005-02-21T23:40:21Z")
At least as far as external appearance goes, Charlie Jarvis looks like the results of a gene-splicing experiment involving Newt Gingrich and Rush Limbaugh. Who says body habitus and political views aren’t linked? yeah, I know, Michael Moore. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2005, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-aarp-fruitcakes/291247/13 "2005-02-22T00:05:52Z")
> [@Reeder](#): > > Sarcasm son…Sarcasm. Been on the board for over 5 years, and they _still_ can’t spell my name correctly. ☹ What? Oh. _nevermind_ ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2005, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-aarp-fruitcakes/291247/14 "2005-02-22T00:16:39Z")
Shoot!! I thought I was gonna get a really good fruitcake recipe! ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2005, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-aarp-fruitcakes/291247/15 "2005-02-22T00:18:02Z")
I have no opinion on USANext, but I do find all of the love for the AARP amusing. You do realize that the AARP was started by a couple of insurance companies for the purpose of selling insurance to older folks don’t you? It’s, er, not exactly what you might call a non-partisan organization. Frankly, I don’t trust them. Look what they did to CatCare a few years back. ---
**Author:** ![zagloba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/977dab/32.png) [@zagloba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zagloba)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2005, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-aarp-fruitcakes/291247/16 "2005-02-22T00:35:35Z")
CatCare? Is that some kind of feline HMO? ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2005, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-aarp-fruitcakes/291247/17 "2005-02-22T00:54:13Z")
> [@Weirddave](#): > > I have no opinion on USANext, but I do find all of the love for the AARP amusing. I’d like to thank you **Dave** , for taking time out from your busy schedule of raping kittens and fundraising for al Q, to portray anyone who objects to wild attacks on an organization as being a lover of that organization. AARP fucked up medicare big time. That doesn’t mean they spit on soldiers or advocate gay marriage. Even if they did, those charges are _irrelevant_ to the social security debate. Of course, no one really cares what a kitten fucker, such as yourself says about anything, do they? Likewise, anyone who says you are not one of bin Laden’s major benefactors is in love with you. -very amusing! ---
**Author:** ![armedmonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@armedmonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/armedmonkey)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2005, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-aarp-fruitcakes/291247/18 "2005-02-22T01:00:00Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > Blaming the victim, even in jest, isn’t sarcasm, and it isn’t funny. I dunno, Christmas was only two months back, and the only people to ever give me fruitcakes were AARP members. I don’t think damning AARP fruitcakes is “blaming the victim”. The last one I got had _prunes_ in it fer Christ sakes. Seems to me I was the victim in that situation. On preview, I see that **ouryL** has beat me to the obligatory fruitcake joke. I’ll post anyway ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2005, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-aarp-fruitcakes/291247/19 "2005-02-22T01:12:20Z")
Here’s a little on USA Next, the group behind the ads: [A New Target for Advisers to Swift Vets](http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/21/politics/21social.html?ei=5094&en=31aa371bb47479ad&hp=&ex=1109048400&partner=homepage&pagewanted=all&position=) > [@](#): > > Taking its cues from the success of last year’s Swift boat veterans’ campaign in the presidential race, a conservative lobbying organization has hired some of the same consultants to orchestrate attacks on one of President Bush’s toughest opponents in the battle to overhaul Social Security. > The lobbying group, USA Next, which has poured millions of dollars into Republican policy battles, now says it plans to spend as much as $10 million on commercials and other tactics assailing AARP, the powerhouse lobby opposing the private investment accounts at the center of Mr. Bush’s plan. ---
**Author:** ![chique](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4491bb/32.png) [@chique](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chique)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2005, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-aarp-fruitcakes/291247/20 "2005-02-22T01:20:16Z")
> [@ouryL](#): > > Shoot!! > > I thought I was gonna get a really good fruitcake recipe! ☹ Like [this one](http://www.livejournal.com/users/chique/35918.html)? 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-aarp-fruitcakes/291247.md?page=2)