# Old-enough American Dopers: AARP member or not? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 1, 2017, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-enough-american-dopers-aarp-member-or-not/785624 "2017-05-01T04:11:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2017, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-enough-american-dopers-aarp-member-or-not/785624/61 "2017-05-04T15:59:04Z")
At this very moment, AARP and the AMA are lobbying vigorously against Trumpcare. Worth the donation to me. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2017, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-enough-american-dopers-aarp-member-or-not/785624/62 "2017-05-05T05:18:17Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > AA is Alcoholics Anonymous. AAA is the American Automobile Association; many hotels and rental-car companies have discounts for AAA members. Whoosh, hehe. Unless you’re just in denial about your drinking. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![MikeF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MikeF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeF)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2017, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-enough-american-dopers-aarp-member-or-not/785624/63 "2017-05-05T16:45:57Z")
I joined when I retired but never renewed after the first year. It seems that the are really just trying to sell insurance. Or at least that was most of the mail (by far) that I ever got from them. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2017, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-enough-american-dopers-aarp-member-or-not/785624/64 "2017-05-05T21:02:21Z")
> [@MikeF](#): > > I joined when I retired but never renewed after the first year. It seems that the are really just trying to sell insurance. Or at least that was most of the mail (by far) that I ever got from them. They do sell insurance, but the power is in the lobbying, which is what your membership is paying for. If you don’t like their products, don’t buy them, but right now AARP is planning an all-out assault on the people who voted for this health care bill to try to defeat them in their next election cycles. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2017, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-enough-american-dopers-aarp-member-or-not/785624/65 "2017-05-05T21:52:07Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Whoosh, hehe. > > Unless you’re just in denial about your drinking. 😉 I was so addicted to booze I had to join AAA to get off it! AA just didn’t cut it. ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2017, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-enough-american-dopers-aarp-member-or-not/785624/66 "2017-05-05T22:19:32Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > They do sell insurance, but the power is in the lobbying, which is what your membership is paying for. If you don’t like their products, don’t buy them, but right now AARP is planning an all-out assault on the people who voted for this health care bill to try to defeat them in their next election cycles. The lobbying is precisely why I want nothing to do with them. They claim to be an organization for anyone over 50, they need to be politically neutral - not working against the interests of potentially half their membership. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2017, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-enough-american-dopers-aarp-member-or-not/785624/67 "2017-05-06T07:34:52Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > I get the same discounts at hotels with AAA. I don’t see the point. > [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Reformed alcoholics get discounts? 😕 THREE As. Alcoholics Anonymous _Anonymous_. So, relapsed reformed alcoholics, apparently… ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2017, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-enough-american-dopers-aarp-member-or-not/785624/68 "2017-05-06T14:21:25Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > For a couple, only one person needs to be 50+. So the younger partner can join much earlier depending on the age difference. > > I.e., there are people considerably younger than 50 out there with AARP cards getting “senior” discounts. To them, a discount is a discount. I guess maybe in some circumstances- but I’ve never seen a place that offers “senior discounts” to anyone holding an AARP card. (I suppose hotels might, but I get other discounts at them) I only see “senior discounts” that are available to anyone over a certain age - and it’s always at least 55, sometimes even 65. Which is why I am not a member- I can get pretty much any benefit they offer some other way. Discounts on glasses- I have vision care coverage from my job. Free coupon book at Tanger outlets- get that with my AAA membership. Cell phone discount- I get a larger one through my job. Movie ticket discount- I get that through a professional organization. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2017, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-enough-american-dopers-aarp-member-or-not/785624/69 "2017-05-06T14:40:17Z")
> [@Doug\_K](#): > > The lobbying is precisely why I want nothing to do with them. They claim to be an organization for anyone over 50, they need to be politically neutral - not working against the interests of potentially half their membership. I don’t understand your math, nor your logic. If you all think AARP is annoying, wait until you start getting mailings for cremation services; talk about depressing. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2017, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-enough-american-dopers-aarp-member-or-not/785624/70 "2017-05-06T15:20:47Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > I don’t understand your math, nor your logic. > > If you all think AARP is annoying, wait until you start getting mailings for cremation services; talk about depressing. ☹ This is neither a math nor a logic problem. I’m saying if they’re going to be engaged in partisan politics, they need to be upfront about it. An “all-out assault” on representatives who voted a certain way is also an “all-out assault” on any members who voted for and/or agree with those representatives. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2017, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-enough-american-dopers-aarp-member-or-not/785624/71 "2017-05-06T15:46:57Z")
> [@Doug\_K](#): > > This is neither a math nor a logic problem. I’m saying if they’re going to be engaged in partisan politics, they need to be upfront about it. An “all-out assault” on representatives who voted a certain way is also an “all-out assault” on any members who voted for and/or agree with those representatives. Ah, I see. Too early for logic, I guess. I don’t think it’s partisan politics to lobby against legislation that has the potential to harm seniors. Not all seniors are retired, and this bill could affect them adversely by allowing insurers to significantly raise rates for those with existing conditions. ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2017, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-enough-american-dopers-aarp-member-or-not/785624/72 "2017-05-06T18:09:41Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Ah, I see. Too early for logic, I guess. I don’t think it’s partisan politics to lobby against legislation that has the potential to harm seniors. Not all seniors are retired, and this bill could affect them adversely by allowing insurers to significantly raise rates for those with existing conditions. Trying to use logic when it comes to opinions is like trying to use your shiny new hammer to cut a board in two. It’s the wrong tool for the wrong job. I know too many people over 50 who ended up paying much more for health insurance **because** of ACA. You can argue that benefits to some outweigh the detriments to others, but it has everything to do with opinion and nothing to do with logic. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2017, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-enough-american-dopers-aarp-member-or-not/785624/73 "2017-05-07T17:07:58Z")
My SO joined AARP soon after she became eligible. Found membership discounts to be too much of a hassle to actually obtain. Let membership lapse the the next year. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2017, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-enough-american-dopers-aarp-member-or-not/785624/74 "2017-05-07T18:16:31Z")
Eh, haven’t been in for very long but I’ve been able to use the discounts enough to pay for the membership so far. I suppose if some of their lobbying began to really tick me off I could walk away but so far they have not. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Mapp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miss_mapp/32/369_2.png) [@Miss\_Mapp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Mapp)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2017, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-enough-american-dopers-aarp-member-or-not/785624/75 "2017-05-07T19:13:24Z")
I signed on when I turned 50 three years ago, but let the membership lapse last year since I never used any of the discounts. They still send me their magazine and flyers about life insurance, though. Actually, they were sending me mail inviting me to join even when I was in my late 20s. My mom has the same name, and they obviously were confused about which one of us turned 50 back then. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2017, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-enough-american-dopers-aarp-member-or-not/785624/76 "2017-05-07T19:26:30Z")
I returned to the US last August and have been living in this apartment since September and nary a peep from AARP. But for voting purposes while living in Thailand, I always used the address of the family manse back in Texas even though that was sold off years ago. I wonder now if they’ve been getting inundated with AARP mailings for me. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Little\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Pig)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2017, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-enough-american-dopers-aarp-member-or-not/785624/77 "2017-05-07T21:03:58Z")
Well this is different. [“Appeals court reinstates AARP insurance lawsuit”](http://www.sfchronicle.com/business/article/Appeals-court-reinstates-AARP-insurance-lawsuit-11122441.php). “A federal appeals court has reinstated a lawsuit accusing AARP, the nation’s largest holder of policies for Medigap insurance — a widely used supplement for Medicare coverage for older Americans — of conducting insurance business without a license in California and illegally collecting substantial fees from customers.” Who woulda thought. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-enough-american-dopers-aarp-member-or-not/785624.md?page=3)