matt_mcl: They also opposed Ohio’s marriage amendment on the grounds that it would “deny rights of property ownership, inheritance, pensions, power of attorney and other matters of vital interest to the health and well being of unmarried older couples.”
The amendment was also opposed by both of the state’s Republican Senators, along with the Republican Governor and Attorney General. So I guess these gentlemen will be USA Next’s, uh, next targets.
Maybe we’re misjudging USA NEXT. Some people might interpret the ad as claiming that the AARP is anti- Brave American Soldiers and pro- ungodly sodomite marriage, but the ad is too vague to be sure that was their intent. There are other ways to take it. Here are three:
1.)The real AARP agenda is to teach people who have, or know people who have, severe respiratory problems to avoid environments that have high rates of particulates in the air and to learn mouth to mouth resussitation.
2.)The real AARP agenda is to remind people that, in the immortal words of Michael Jackson, the AARP is “a lover, not a fighter”.
3.)The real AARP agenda, as stated in its annual Oscar preview newsletter, is to give advice on what is, and is not, appropriate attire on the red carpet at the Academy awards.
So let’s not jump to conclusions, people. The AARP is almost never mentioned on USA NEXT’s website. With such a paucity of information regarding how USA NEXT feels regarding the American Association of Retired People, I prefer to withold judgement.
Here’s what the NEXT USA has Art Linkletter saying about the AARP:
http://www.usanext.org/full_story.cfm?article_id=101&category_id=1
Dammit! Are we going to have to go 10 rounds of “Gee, it isn’t clear to me that this is linked to any other prominent republican” with this one too?
I have to hope that this is simply that point in the witch hunt when the accusers finally make an accusation that causes all their supporters to stop, take a look around, put their torches and nooses down and leave the room with their heads hung.
Okay. Given the Ohio and Hawaii stuff, I understand where the pro-gay marriage part comes from (it’s weak as all hell, given that in both cases they weren’t for SSM as against the amendment for other reasons, but that’s good enough for smearing purposes).
But what’s the justification for the anti-soldier part?
That’s an interesting rant. Not very coherent, and oddly enough directed at someone who said “I have no opinion on USANext”, but interesting. Do you have anything to say that makes any sense, or was it merely time for your daily spleen venting and I just got in the way?
You could bend a steel bar with your sphincter, couldn’t you?
I have no love for AARP, but these asshole are getting pretty fucking bold, no? Because AARP opposes a phony SS “fix” that actually does nothing to “fix” anything, they hate the military and love gays to have teh ghay sexh? What a bunch of asswipes.
Why yes, yes I can!
Can you recognize a smear campaign when you see one?
What I find interesting is the quick reversal of rhetoric from this administration*:
Last year the Bush administration used AARP’s endorsement to jam through a massive Medicare prescription drug bill that even the GOP wasn’t enthusiastic about. The AARP provided very necessary cover for GOP congressmen, and this bill might not have passed without AARP support.
This year, the AARP is anti-soldier and pro-gay. Not real Americans. Scum. Traitors.
*yes, the rhetoric is from USANext, but does anyone doubt that this ad (and no doubt the coming talking points that we’ll hear over the next week or so from the right) isn’t a new PR front in the administration’s war on Social Security?
There’s more. In this ad, AARP is shown in a lineup with the Clintons, Ted Kennedy, and Jesse Jackson as one of “America’s Liberal Powerbrokers.”
In this one, you are asked to choose the most liberal organization. The choices are: AARP, ACLU, NAACP, and NARAL.
Somebody should tell these guys about AARP’s support for Bush’s medicare plan.
Please, Usual Suspects, rewrite history for us so that we can understand what we should believe about the AARP!
If this follows past campaigns, we might see:
President Bush on Wednesday praises & hugs AARP, calls them great americans or somesuch. Uses issue to discuss how important <whatever, unrelated> is for america.
By Friday, a book or movie is announced from a deniably GOP-sponsored group, that shows the AARP leadership to be pansy hypocrite anti-military fag-huggers.
By Sunday, talking heads will be wondering why Liberal America Hates Seniors who Like Fags, so, therefore, the Left is hypocritical.
It’s business as usual. The GOP has “plausible deniability;” USANext is “not connected” with the GOP. It’s the same old smear and fear, fear and smear. It worked in the campaign, and it will work here.
I’m hoping that this turns around and bites USANext/Swifties in the ass. I don’t think a lot of Americans will accept the smearing of a group of senior citizens – after all, that could be your grandmother they’re talking about…
(Emphasis mine.)
Um, excuse me, and I don’t intend to wrestle you to the ground over this, so don’t fret that I have any hijack intentions, but you DID make the highlighted assertion, and as a member in good standing, I have the privilege to respond to it, kindly extended to me by those who represent the board’s owners…
Anyway, the thing is, I’m not going to let the Republican Party steal any more liberal buzzwords and abuse them into meaninglessness.
They’ve already made freedom a dirty word — manifestly intent on shoving it down the throats of the whole world, but equally intent on obliterating it here at home. They’re not going to get “free market”. Some of the most elephantine bureaucracies ever created were created by Republicans. They are full-on participants in proscribing the most ridiculous and arbitrary restrictions on free trade among free people. They collect and spend government loot like an F5 sucking up and spitting out whole towns. They are not going to make “free market” mean something other than a market free from coercion. Not as long as I can type.
Iunno, man… my grandmother actually is for SSM.
Robin
Exactly what I was trying to convey in my OP. Thank you for putting it so clearly.
As is mine. She’s remarkably open-minded that way.
I gotta admit, taking on AARP as opposing a republican issue is pretty fucking bold. If AARP’s membership isn’t a significant contributor to the republican party I’ll eat my cat.
Pissing them off when they can make sure the next 12 issues of the AARP magazine distributed to members has pictures of Bush and Frist and Delay pissing on the flag.
This isn’t like when Clinton told the NRA to take a hike. He knew they weren’t going to EVER back him. This is republican’s alienating a large voting bloc. And that’s weird.
I found it a great rant, and a very telling use of USANext rhetorical techniques against you, you kitten rapist.
