Legendary entertainer Pat Boone on why he is re-naming the AARP as the Association Against Retired Persons.

60 Association President James Martin argues that AARP takes advantage of its members.

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60 Plus Takes Fight Against Obamacare to the Airwaves

Holding fast to the truism that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, 60 Plus has launched yet another round of TV ads to stop the budget-busting, anti-senior citizen healthcare reform bill in its tracks.

The $2 million advertising campaign targets nine U.S. Senators (in Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota) to remind them to do the right thing and OPPOSE Obamacare when it comes up for a vote in the coming weeks.

While the ad buy is sizable, it will be money well-spent if it helps stop debate on a bill that will shoulder today’s seniors and future generations with trillions in new debt and taxes. The ad puts the “60 Plus Nine” on notice that senior citizens “won’t forget” their vote come election time if they for this “Devastating” bill.

View 60 Plus ad “Devastating” at www.60plus.org.

Media coverage has been extensive, read some of the coverage here:

• CNN: New $2 million health care ad campaign unveiled
• MSNBC: Read here
• The Atlantic: Health care ad wards; lots of tv in a few swing districts
• Congressional Quarterly: 60 Plus Association targets nine senators

AARP Approval Ratings Plummet After Abandoning Seniors

It’s official, the AARP has clearly and unequivocally planted its flag in the camp against senior citizens by giving its official endorsement of the Obama-Reid-Pelosi healthcare reform legislation.

This comes just a few months after President Obama publicly stated he had the backing and endorsement of AARP for his healthcare plan, a comment that caused an immediate backlash resulting in a denial from the mammoth organization.

With the endorsement now official, 60 Plus President Jim Martin remarked his lack of surprise that an organization addicted to financial support from the federal government would side with their benefactors against the interests of the seniors they claim to represent.

“Obamacare doesn’t make sense to seniors at 60 Plus, but AARP’s endorsement makes a lot of ‘cents’ to AARP and their corporate bottom line. Clearly the AARP is a FOR-Profit masquerading as a non-profit,” said Martin.

Also not surprising – new poll numbers from Rasmussen show that the percentage of Americans that hold a favorable view of AARP (just 53%) – falls ten points when informed the group has endorsed the Obama healthcare plan.

Ironically the worst poll numbers for AARP come from Americans 50 and older; less than half have a favorable view of them. Among the 50-64 age group, AARP is seen as unfavorable by 59%.

Perhaps this is why nearly 70,000 members have quit the AARP since the summer, and phones at 60 Plus are ringing non-stop from older Americans looking to join an organization that truly represents their interests.

As Senator John McCain said on the floor of the Senate, now is the time for seniors to make their voice heard and cut up your AARP card!

We couldn’t agree more.

This is the Medicine Washington is Prescribing? Facts on Obamacare

From the office of Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) – a true hero for seniors and sensible healthcare reform – some sobering facts on the current healthcare legislation now being debated on Capitol Hill:

• Spending: The cost of the bill is $2.5 trillion over 10 years.
• Tax increases: Taxes will go up $493.6 billion – nearly half a trillion in new debt.
• Medicare cuts: Medicare will be cut – conservatively – by $464.6 billion, another half a trillion dollars (note: some estimates say it cuts could be as high as $600 billion).
• Total number of pages: 2074.

Washington Post: Obamacare Hurts Seniors

Though we may sound like a broken record on sounding the call to protect Medicare from massive cuts, its nice that 60 Plus’ message is receiving some corroboration from unexpected places; this time the Washington Post.

In a November article the Post reported:

“A plan to slash more than $500 billion from future Medicare spending – one of the biggest sources of funding for President Obama’s proposed overhaul of the nation’s health-care system – would sharply reduce benefits for some senior citizens and could jeopardize access to care for millions of others, according to a government evaluation released Saturday.”

While we appreciate the Post’s honest reporting in this instance, the question must be asked; did anyone really need to commission a report to figure out that cutting more than half a trillion dollars from Medicare would hurt the program?

60Plus On the Streets and In the News

The past month has been a virtual – and literal – whirlwind for 60 Plus as we have taken our message to protect seniors and oppose Obamacare to townhalls and Capital buildings around the nation.

60 Plus President Jim Martin was joined by best-selling author and Fox News political analyst Dick Morris and a cast of thousands of regular citizens for a bus tour of Arkansas with stops in dozens of locations.

Dubbed the “Get Your Hands off My Healthcare” bus, thousands came out at rallies and protests around the state to send a message to Sen. Blanche Lincoln that “we won’t forget” her vote against restoring Medicare cuts to the healthcare bill.

More News

New TV Ad Begins Today

Alexandria, VA — With the Senate beginning debate on the health care reform bill, the 60 Plus Association announced a new TV ad campaign targeting Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA).

The ad features Louisiana doctors criticizing the reform plan and the cuts to Medicare, and asking Senator Landrieu to oppose the legislation in its current form.

“Louisiana seniors, the Chief Actuary of CMS and now Louisiana doctors agree – the cuts to Medicare will be devastating. So why does Senator Landrieu continue to support a bill which will cut Medicare by half a trillion dollars and hurt seniors?” asked Jim Martin, President of 60 Plus.

Titled “Docs,” the state specific ad features Louisiana doctors saying health care reform should put “patients first” and should not cut Medicare. The doctors state the “Medicare cuts will have a big impact… especially on rural hospitals across Louisiana…”

“Cutting Medicare is no laughing matter. Seniors across Louisiana will be hurt. If Senator Landrieu really cared about seniors she’d negotiate for putting the money back in Medicare too,” continued Martin.

The ad began running today. A full transcript of the ad can be found below.

To view the ad click here.

Carl Forti: 703-535-3390

Alexandria, VA – In the wake of the Senate’s vote on Saturday to take up the health care reform legislation, the 60 Plus Association today announced a new advertising campaign targeting Senators in nine states – Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Maine, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota.

The target Senators are: Mark Begich (D-AK), Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), Bill Nelson (D-FL), Evan Bayh (D-IN), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Olympia Snowe (R-ME), Ben Nelson (D-NE), Kent Conrad (D-ND), Byron Dorgan (D-ND), and Tim Johnson (D-SD).

The new $2.0 million ad buy highlights the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) report which confirms cuts to Medicare of half a trillion dollars and reports seniors could have benefits cut and could “jeopardize access” to health care.

The :30 second TV ad begins running in each state tomorrow. See the national version at www.60plus.org. See the Florida version here.

“This should be a week of Thanks, but these Senators will be receiving ‘No Thanks’ from seniors. The chief actuary says the House bill cuts Medicare. The Senate bill is no better. Seniors have already lost their Social Security COLA and now President Obama, Senator Reid and Speaker Pelosi want to cut Medicare, too. Senators should take notice, seniors are upset and taking a stand to say ‘Don’t cut our Medicare,’” said Jim Martin, President of 60 Plus.

Titled “Devastating”, the ad features the new report from CMS citing the potential effects to Medicare and the coverage seniors would receive, and members of our Greatest Generation begging Congress not to cut Medicare to pay for health care reform. The state specific ad asks seniors to call their Senator, and ends with a senior reminding Congress “Seniors will NOT forget.”

“Members of Congress are trying to hide behind the AARP endorsement of this bill as a defense, but AARP makes hundreds of millions of dollars a year on royalty payments from selling insurance plans. Senators would be smart to read the bill and listen to the experts that run Medicare, instead of hiding behind the rhetoric and accounting gimmicks in Sen. Reid’s bill,” continued Martin.

With this buy, 60 Plus has now allocated over $8 million to the health care debate.

Carl Forti: 703-535-3390