Wow, surely you jest….it’s a tease to make us think a little sanity has set in….What a concept….You are so clever, Eli, and, once again, I love your pic….Thanks for the fun here.

Very nice.

Thanks, Bev! My first thought when I read the AARP story was, “Wow, can you imagine the NRA ever doing this?” So I did.

can i give you another mind blower story?

Military spends more to air condition tents than NASA’s entire budget
BY JESS ZIMMERMAN
17 JUN 2011 1:15 PM
Steve Anderson, a retired brigadier general who was Petraeus’ chief logistician in Iraq, says that the Pentagon spends $20 billion a year just to air condition tents and temporary buildings in Iraq and Afghanistan. That’s more than NASA’s entire annual budget.

There’s an easy fix, says Anderson: Spray tents with polyurethane foam. An existing $95 million contract to spray-insulate tents is providing $1 billion in cost-avoidance, Anderson says. But insulating tends instead of air conditioning them is still not official military policy.

http://www.grist.org/list/2011-06-17-military-spends-mo...

It just makes me want to weep. No money for poor kids resulting from forced-birth or just born into poor families trying to get ahead. Is Halliburton the airconditioning supplier? If not, who is? Where is our national press to investigate these issues. Oh, yeah, oh, well………….

Bizzaro world is here…no doubting it

False analogy.

Groups are supported by $$. NRA by gun mfgrs, AARP by insurance corps.

“Constituents” or “members” have NOTHING to do with what these orgs are about.

I like the contrast – but to set the record. or lack of record, straight

The WSJ said AARP changed position but said nothing about new position

AARP denied (as you correctly quoted).

My conclusion is that this was a non-story – the WSJ just pushing buttons for clicks on the site.

I expect the Reagan age 67 normal retirement age to be increased beginning after 2050 – simply it mathematically must given mortality improvements and the desire to not raise the payroll tax rate every year mortality improves. I expect the AARP to endorse that increase. The logical 2% solution to the shortfall in 2037 when the Trust runs out and Social security will only be able to payout the taxes it collects – meaning about 75 to 80% of the benefits under the current law – is to end the wage cap for both tax and for benefit calculation – and id we are lucky, to include investment earnings in the tax and benefit calculation. That change is equivalent to a 2% reduction in the payroll tax – or about what the projected “deficit” needs. I do not expect the GOP to allow that to happen, as they do not want to “save” Social Security, they want to end it and replace with a welfare program (means testing).

hey bee mom …how are the girlz/stepped on one by accident …my toe has been purple for 6 days …..oy

ELI!
In Corporate World, the AARP suggesting that they would support Social Security cuts and then that not quite walk back is a major lobbying power “…(finally) getting serious about the debt”. “Why…”, Bobo will chuckle jocularly,”…it’s really not a big surprise that the AARP would come to the mature conclusion”.

My girls are doing fine.

Sorry about your toe. Are you sure it was a honey bee? Not saying they won’t sting if you step on one, but there are other much more aggressive insects, like yellow jackets that are often mistaken for honey bees.

Well, if it was a nonstory, it was a nonstory in the sense that AARP has always been open to benefit cuts in the name of “strengthening” Social Security, and they just admitted it a little too openly.

ELI!

Oy!

MARGARET!

“Even the ultra-liberal AARP sees the wisdom of Social Security benefit cuts!”

KELLY!

There’s plenty of reason to believe WSJ article besides what it sez in the article. AARP nothing but an insurance sales front. No longer lobbies for it’s original cause.

AARP made 700,0000.000 million or more on insurance royalties,that aint CHUMP change…though they are surely chumps

it was tiny,im not sure what it was,but it made me sad…yea im weird

http://tinyurl.com/6b9o8aq

Yep. That’s more like something George Will would say though.

As to the AARP: I had the sublime pleasure today of writing “Fuck You” across my renewal form and sending it back in their postage paid envelope.

There isn’t a lot that I can do, but what I can do I do. :)~

My conclusion is that this was a non-story

I expect the Reagan age 67 normal retirement age to be increased beginning after 2050 – simply it mathematically must given mortality improvements and the desire to not raise the payroll tax rate every year mortality improves.

(Emphasis added)

Full of wrong. Not new for you though.

You are so good….not that you need me to tell you….but, damn, Girl, you are really on it. Savvy.

The very worst thing about going over fifty and I mean the very worst is the wanking AARP pimping themselves at me 24/7! Besides sharing about one percent of common ground on important issues, (maybe less now), they can’t be bothered to get my name right. So far I’ve been Howell, Harwell and some others but nothing actually very close to my last name.

It looks like it could be a honey bee, and they do love white clover.

Funny thing is, though I have 2 hives, around 100,000 bees at their peak in the summer, I never see them anywhere except as they enter & leave the hives. Right now the clover are in blossom, I’ve been sitting on the porch reading a page-turner on Vietnam, and I haven’t seen one on the flowers yet.

I do get an occasional bumble bee or carpenter bee checking out the back porch pretty thoroughly, though.

You are so good…

Nah. Sunsets are less predictable than they are.

LMAO! I admire your forthrightness.

” Speaking the Truth in times of universal deceit is a revolutionary act. ”
Orwell

Prepare to be overwhelmed with e-mails and mailings when you do finally hit 50. I think AARP makes up half my trash.

ELI! Isn’t AARP a socialist front organization?

must tell you if you ever get stung ,put deodorant with aluminum chlorohydrate …boy it stops reaction

wow spell chekker 4 errors lolz

I’m over 50 Twain. Not by much but enough to have gotten to know the AARP.

Funny, I never got anything.

On second though, I might have gotten a few things, but not much.

Never responded to any ads or anything else that might have got me on their mailing list though.

Bill O’Reilly
EDIT: Whoops! That was to Bluetoe2@29. Sorry!

is it wrong that i want the Euro to collapse……..a little…well to parity

Obviously, since they’re so willing to go to any lengths to protect Social Security.

hahahahahahahah
how are your poor tootsies?Epsom salts is your friend,hope they dont raise the price of that cat litter or toilet paper…you Koch monsters

I’ve not been stung.

The two occasions when I thought I was, upon discussion with Chris, I decided that it was just the acid that they emit when they sting. They can do that as a warning without actually stinging, and on both occasions there was no stinger. They die if they actually sting bc their stinger gets ripped out.

Seems to be going down with the renewed Greek crisis.

I got my cheap cell phone service through an AARP ad, and I like it. So did my dad. I wonder if they’ll come after us when they get my renewal response? You gotta laugh. But, yes, I’ll be happy to NOT receive their advertising missives and Katie Couric specials and such. Gimme a break!

Tootsies are surviving, thanks. I’m really glad I got into and stayed in shape though when I was unemployed. Don’t think I’d have survived it otherwise.

yea i know that,that is why i was sad…i should look down sometimes…could avoid the horseshitte too…g

the PTB will never let it reach parity again…we sell em too much crap…

smartypants!

Bravo, Eli, Bravo…! If I hadn’t known better I’d would’ve bought it, hook, line, and sinker…! The Wayne LaPierre cite would’ve had Charlton Heston spinning in his grave…! ;-)

BTW, When I called AARP to complain, it is Betty White’s voice on their voice mail.

I posted this earlier today: Wouldn’t hurt to hassle Betty White’s agent either, as she’s doing this big ad campaign for AARP:

Betty White’s Agent:
Jeff Witjas
Agency for the Performing Arts
888 Seventh Avenue
New York, NY 10106

Phone: 310-273-1359

Hurt AARP’s brand, and hurt it hard! It’s one thing they understand. Brand. Tarnish it and they cry like babies.

Eli ,are you at NN?

Thanks! I pretty much used exact quotes wherever possible, and basically only swapped out the references to AARP and Social Security.

Alas, no.

this is a great idea
celebrity advertising doesnt come cheap

tarnish them

oh sorry,but im sure your in the know…ive never been to one…almost went when it was in Pittsburgh

Eli (Eli!),

This very site bitches about the republicans not being willing to put everything on the table when it comes to negotiating true solutions to our deficit and debt problems. Yet when the AARP signals that it is willing to consider all solutions to meaningful improvements to the SS program, you bitch yet again.

Eli (Eli!), you can’t have it both ways, bud.

Bette White? Celebrity? She was a minor TV actress about a century ago. (If I, a pop culture moron, know who someone is, that automatically makes her a nonentity.) I would imagine the over-the-hill gang are a dime a dozen.

This very site bitches about the republicans not being willing to put everything on the table when it comes to negotiating true solutions to our deficit and debt problems.

Link?

Pittsburgh was the only one I went to. I pretty much had to…

She’s big now. Believe it.

i bet you are wrong….not easy to live into your 90s and not be obese,nutz,or really nasty……..g

And yet Abe Vigoda still isn’t. How is that fair???

SpiderMonkey is the Bizarro SpiderMan.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KZWE5Qt2p1Y/TdV6Sn_twDI/AAAAAAAAG1o/OigohOprvzA/s1600/jack.jpg

RIP Jack
you woulda made a great cover for AARP

A syncytium-forming (foamy) virus was isolated from a spider monkey brain cell culture. Cytopathic effect was observed both in the brain culture and in human embryonic kidney cells. Neutralizing antibody was present in the sera of the spider monkey from whom the isolation was made. The virus was inhibited by 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine (20 μg/ml), contained a ribonucleic acid-dependent deoxyribonucleic acid polymerase, and had an infectivity peak at 1.15 g/cm3 in a sucrose density gradient.

Foamy. Hmm.

Come on, khan. You’ve seen just as many posts on this site saying that all repubs want is to lower taxes and won’t consider revenue increase in the deficit talks. Don’t try to distract from a very valid observation.

Don’t you have some sort of clever rejoinder instead?

is he alive?edit,just saw the ad…good on Abe,love him

When I read “Betty White” I mentally think “Betty Boop.”

Wow, more snappy reparte’

What’s she in? She was born in 1922, making her 90.

Nah just a POS Paid TROLL… Worse than the empty tinman…

What happened to your screen name, Kel? Someone hack you?

OH, spider, you need a hug again? You so miss the point and yet cannot help but bring your wet blanket to the gathering. So sad, really.

Yes.

Alas, the Abe Vigoda Status extension for Firefox appears to be gone…

Have you ever seen a post here arguing that the deficit is a problem? Using tax increases on the rich is what’s known as a second order condition, IF you think the deficit is a problem. Many here, myself included, think the deficit is too small.

And, spider, damn…..SS isn’t a part of the deficit problem. It self-funds. If they would raise the cap as they did in, what 87 or so?, then everyone would pay up and all would be good. Let’s stop war, not care.

She’s in this sitcom deal, and “but an overall hot commodity so to say; advertising and such.

Evidently her birthday must be a bit later in the year as her publicist website says she’s 89 right now.

i love him

and Betty is a critter person like myself so i muchly love and adore her

http://pet-peeves.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Betty_White_BW.jpg

Spoken like a true socialist.

Come on khan. You and I both know the prigs (uh, progs) have pilloried the GOP for only looking at the cost side of the equation when finding solutions for the debt limit and deficit. Don’t try to say otherwise with a straight face.

To argue that the AARP is somehow bad for at least coming to the table with an open mind is just ludicrous.

If they would raise eliminate the cap

Fixed it. ;-D

…negotiating true solutions to our deficit and debt problems

Where’s the ‘shared sacrifice’ from the top 1%…? I’m sure they could spare a dime or two…! *gah*

Come on khan

eCAHN’s screen name is eCAHNomics. What is this “khan” business? That’s at least twice; is it meant to be insulting?

Her wiki claims 1/17/22. Guessing I had a brain fart and I was thinking it was 2012 already. *g*

Either that, or I flunked first grade arithmetic.

At my age, either is possible.

Well wise one, what exactly are your suggestions for solving the SS problem? Or lack thereof? Especially since it is self-funded.

Oh, you’re a trust fund baby that has never had a job, and, hence, has never noticed the social security and Medicare deductions on your pay stub.

‘scuse me, spider, but how do you think SS is funded? You remind me of my neo-con brother…..always angry, always put-upon, rarely knowledgable…. are you hooked on right=wing radio like he is? Bring your blood pressure down. Ease back. Take a breath.

oh shes a Capricorn…wunnerful

A trust fund baby would be having dinner at Per Se or some other fancy restaurant, not bothering with us “socialists” here. Just a wannabe.

im figurin minimum wage pd troll..hey ,but thats alright

off to see a Vivein Leigh movie…niters

Trustafarians Unite !

Someone pointed out to me earlier (or yesterday) that wingnut trolls are not paid, but rather unpaid “interns” supported by their parents.

Now I don’t disagree in theory, but your response doesn’t explain the Koch’s.

They gotta whip out the phone whilst taking a wiz to counter the unwashed masses.

Keep it self-funded and make it pay as you go -money in goes to money out. But don’t make people at the top pay more to a bunch of people at the bottom. Sorry, but there’s enough wealth confiscation as it is.

There, fixed it.

Kochs have specific agendas, like GOTV and providing buses for laughingly-referred-to-as-rallies, and buying corp media and pols. Don’t think they stoop to the level of having trolls patroll the lefty blogs at 10pET.

Though I could be wrong about the last. Kochs are pretty thorough.

Well, according to that neat map of longevity by county, poorer areas are showing declines in longevity. So maybe the arithmetic isn’t as bad as it looks. Those in the upper income levels live longer than those in lower income levels and outright poverty.

And since the wealth is being transferred upward to the top 2-1%, there will lots more lower income people to get to enjoy shorter lifespans!

See? Tax cuts for the rich do benefit the economy and, in the loooong run, may lessen SocSec and Medicare outlays….

Die, cheap laborers, die! And hurry up about it.

Sorry, buddy, but yer nuts……a real know-nothing. Waste of time.

“You and I both know the prigs (uh, progs) have pilloried the GOP for only looking at the cost side of the equation when finding solutions for the debt limit and deficit. Don’t try to say otherwise with a straight face.”

You said what has been on FDL, so rather than admitting you were wrong, you try and change what you said and hope nobody notices.

IIRC, the improvements in life expectancy are largely an illusion created by lower infant mortality.

Never expected that from you, Monty.

Yet again someone avoiding the truth. I’m on my brand new, fancy, expensive iPad and just don’t have the time to search this rag’s archives. But you and I both know that emptysuit ( uh, wheel) and others have had plenty of posts that have hit the repubs for not putting tax increases on the table.

But, just to prove my point, go ahead and say that you’re ok with the republicans’ cost-cutting only approach. That will prove me wrong, perhaps. I’m betting you won’t.

Shorter lifespans for the poor are part of the soln for SS, dontcha know.

Was built in from the beginning.

Wealth confiscation, you have the gall to bring up wealth confiscation. Taxes on the wealthy are at all time lows. The middle class is paying for everything and you are concerned with wealth confiscation.

Sorry, folks. Promise I won’t feed again. Thread catcher is anathema.

Tasty it is

When the republicans stop the wars, then we can talk. Until then, they are not interested in cutting costs.

Tho, once again those Infant Mortality rates are going up and once again we’re at the bottom of the list of the ‘developed nations’…! 8-(

51% of this country pays no federal taxes. Yet they reap the same benefits, or more, as the rest of us. I am tired of being bled dry by a bunch people who don’t contribute and at the same time rag on me for being greedy and evil.

Before you ask for another dime from me, start putting up your own dimes, Comrade.

Best health care system in the world.

U.S. has one of the highest infant mortality among developed countries, but I’m sure you don’t need me to tell you that.

Also, U.S. has one of the lowest longevity ratings among “developed” countries. (Scare quotes used bc U.S. won’t stay in that category for long. But you also don’t need me to tell you that.)

IIRC, the largest improvement in longevity in western history was antibiotics. But given my mental state, I coulda got that wrong.

Since then, pretty marginal improvement in longevity.

Surely that can’t be possible. We have the best healthcare in the world!

Uh, who’s the CINC now?

For the rich.

I didn’t say it was *good*, just improved from, say, the Depression.

Stop feeding the troll, people!

S
C
R
O
L
L

Still can’t get aetna to pay for my lipo, though. Tough out there.

Love it when your writing goes down the page like that.

You didn’t say your basis of comparison was the depression. Would have clarified if you had.

Makes me all warm inside

One of the bogus arguments for raising the retirement age is that life expectancy is so much longer now than it was when Social Security was first created.

*heh* You should check out the whole host of other socio-economic indicators we lag behind in too…! Got a couple of hours to spare…? ;-)

looks like the UK is gearing up for massive pension strikes as Cameron tries to raise the retirement age and in general pull an American Style Health Care System over on the angry populace.

if only.

You are just a monkey on a chain to Rush or Beck. Give some thought to why people don’t pay taxes. And, no, I’m not going to educate you…..educate your own damned self. Local taxes can take a huge bite, though. Bet you didn’t know that. Medical costs may be deductible….and a family may pay huge premiums. And old people pre-Medicare certainly do. If high enough, that may be deductible. My neo-con twin brother thinks everyone should just save up, but I know that raising a family {or would you prefer that poor people simply stop bearing children….I’m sure you would!} cannot save enough to pay for unexpected broken bones or cancer. Whatever. Go enjoy your nastiness. Hope it makes you feel good about yourself.

Yes, but (1) you didn’t say that. (2) The origin of SS was to provide for the poor of its day without respect to longevity. Wingnuts fond of touting line that poverty programs didn’t solve poverty, but it sure went a long way wrt elderly.

antiwar.com interview with Andy Worthington mentioned in passing that U.K. still thinks O walks on water. Sooo depressing.

LN up.

interesting link – you’re right, the Brits fell head-over-heels for Obama, when they should have been prosecuting that awful Bliar. They’ve still got it bad, kind of like when everyone thought Blair was great on this side of the pond, when it was obvious he was a fox in the henhouse.

ONe woulda hoped foreigners woulda caught on sooner than U.S.ians, but one woulda been wrong.

I’ve been enjoying the whole fracas of Cameron being labeled as an ‘American’ and all…! A jolly good show indeed…! ;-)

The Greeks, home of Democracy, is truly leading the ‘charge’ tho…!

Even the Chamberpots are being utilized…!

Yeah – it’s great to see those unruly peloponnesian’s get all up in their GOVT’s face. It remains to be seen whether it ends well, but they’ve sure got a good start.

Actually, I DO wish poor people would stop breeding, or at least do it on their own dime. And why don’t the lower class pay taxes? Because they can get away with it by following the law. But the evil rich follow the same laws and they are somehow terrible and greedy.

Prigs will only be happy when the top 1% pay all the taxes.

Very tasty – may I please have more?

AARP took up lobbying for seniors late in life. moving from a agent/broker business to the current “royalty” from insurance and income from sales promotions to seniors.

Yes – you and ELI are correct – AARP has always been open to changes that strengthen SS – but those were always (in the last couple of decades) options suggested by the Chief Actuary of SS as ways to solve a problem (the actuary suggested 20 some ways to move toward no benefit change in 2037 – wage cap removal was one, retirement age change was discussed but starting much earlier than what is being discussed now – after 2050 – these suggestions are in the Trustee’s Report from a few years ago)

Making this a story is an attempt by the WSJ to imply momentum behind major changes to SS – despite the facts being there is no such momentum and that the age change AARP is likely to endorse is indeed both minor and phased in long into the future.

I sound like a lobbyist for AARP – and that I know what the AARP Board has decided. I am not a lobbyist for them and do not know what they decided. The above is just my opinion based on way too many years wasted watching their activities and my knowing what is currently on the table and why what is on the table has been put there.

At least in this round – the debt limit – there will be no changes to SS. I do expect retirement age and wage cap limit changes to SS to be passed in the next 4 years under Obama or whoever replaces him in 2012.

That happens in 2037 if we do nothing. Indeed it is a better solution that the GOP ideas that cut benefits below what they would otherwise be under a pay as you go system.

“One of the bogus arguments for raising the retirement age is that life expectancy is so much longer now than it was when Social Security was first created.” is true because so much has changed in the design of the system since my acquaintance Bob Myers designed the system in 1935 – eventually becoming its Chief Actuary (yes – I know a few old people).

But in terms of the current payroll tax rates, and the mortality improvement since those rates were agreed to, the mortality improvement is very real and forces an increase in the retirement age as long as folks refuse to increase the payroll tax rates. The slowness in moving to a higher age has caused the need to remove the wage cap just to catch up. Now great job growth and corresponding GDP growth – over 5% for 10 or 20 years – would allow the system to simply absorb the mortality improvement. But such growth has never happened so we are back to a future higher retirement age.

Instead of writing “Fuck you” on the return envelope, take a page from Abby Hoffman and tape the pre-paid postage envelope to a brick. Let them pay first class rates on a 2 pound package.