Lisanne

Thanks, all, for helping me put this in persepctive. The laughs were great!

Sue, lol, if I'd gotten it at 22, I'd have assumed it was a mistake and laughed it off.

Dunster, I'd say hubby owes you an extra special birthday present for pulling that! I don't think the discounts will take any getting used to, except remembering to look out for them. Much as I hate to say it, I don't think they need to get proof of age, because the cards themselves are proof of age.

Patrice and Shelly, thanks for the opposing perspective. I know they're a lobbying group for the interests of older citizens. That sounds pretty good to me, but you made me stop and think that in politics things can be done differently than you might want or expect. What do you disagree with regarding their political activities? (You can PM me if you think it might be too political for board rules.) As for the insurance, I'm unemployed and my COBRA ends in December. Being able to get health/dental/vision insurance would be a huge relief for me.

AZdesertrat, I figure they lowered the age to get more money, but if the discounts make it worth it, I'm all for it.

Pam, I know what you mean. I've had times when I've been interested in something limited to 55+, too.

Loretta, middle age is 40 - 60, though someone told me it really starts at 36.

Beverly, you gave me guffaws! I so needed them! I think I might have gotten a brochure for a funeral recently, too. Yeesh! I can't afford to die, anyway. I love your idea of a quilt for heaven, lol, you might start a new fad! oh, and Happy Birthday!

Joan

Don't put AARP down too hard. They are very active politically and for all of us who aren't in our twenties anymore, we appreciate their efforts.

The baby boomers (like me) are going to be a very huge group to contend with and we plan to make our feelings known.

AARP puts out an interesting magazine and a newspaper style one as well. The magazine has articles about traveling and people over 50 doing exciting things (notice I didn't say "old people") The newspaper style mag is more about current legislation.

Not to mention, there are a whole lot of AARP discounts if you just ask for them.

Age is just a number---I don't plan to ever grow up! I just want to play and am not intimidated by AARP.......

Boston1954

I got my first invite be 50 also. I was insulted.

Shelley

Here's my take (and only a partial explanation since I could go on and on!) and I use the current health plan in congress as an example.

AARP has supported the plan. Yet this plan will take money from Medicare (which already has financial problems), to pay for a plan just like Medicare (did I mention it has financial problems?). The children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren will be paying for the plan TODAY, for years to come. The country is going into huge debt to pay for a complete overhaul of something that needs 'tweaking'. Do you realize that government bureaucrats will decide if you are too old to have care? Just take a pain pill and die quietly! And THAT's in the best interest of AARP members??

When you own a car, do you buy insurance for oil changes, tire changes and tune ups? No. It would be too expensive. You buy auto insurance for the unexpected. Our health insurance is so expensive because we expect it to cover Dr. visits, teeth cleaning, and vision exams. How about if we pay for that out of our own pockets (personal responsibility!) and insure for catastrophic (accidents, disease, hospitalization). No one in this country is ever turned away from a hospital if they need care. When everyone has insurance, everyone will be in the doctors offices and emergency rooms for minor things - many times a Dr. isn't needed, common sense is.

Much of the cost of medical care is CYA - Dr.s trying to make sure they don't get sued. It's the cost of the insurance for sometimes stupid lawsuits. How about we do some tort reform. Wait...we can't do that! Many in Congress are attorneys. Or they are funded by attorneys.

I'd be happy if two things would happen.

1)Each member of the House and Senate had the read their bill before voting. (Aren't we all supposed to read a contract before signing it?) Look at some of the junk we're just now finding out about in the so-called stimulus package. Do you realize that had they just said 'no taxes for anything for one year' it would have fired up the economy AND cost BILLIONS less??

2) Get rid of their special insurance and put members of the House and Senante, and all government employees, on the same plan that they want us on. If it's good enough for us, it should be good enough for them too.

My choice to answer here was not to offend anyone - these are my thoughts. I hope that it encourages you to do your own research and to think for yourself. Don't believe everything you see on TV.

nativetexan

hey they need money and lowered the age long ago.

june6995

In Ohio we have a Golden Buckeye card that many merchants honor with discounts on purchases. A person is eligible to get this card at age 50. They are available at any bank. So I marched in and said I wanted a Golden Buckeye card. The teller looked and me and said I was not old enough to have one! Had the counter not been so high, I would have climbed over it and given her a hug.
that happened 25 years ago and I will always remember how she "made my day!"

50 is the Official age... "Grin and Wear it" with pride!!

barnbum

Exactly!!

I'm 49... and haven't received this card yet....I was glad to read these thoughts on it so I know what to do with it when it comes! :wink:

patricej

HEY!!! don't pick on us powerless little government employees. we get stuck with things just like everybody else. I agree that things would be a lot different of members of Congress had to use whatever they cook up, but leave me out of it, please. :shock: :lol: :?

P.S. we need to tread very carefully in this topic so we don't turn it away from mutual education and into a political debate, ok? otherwise, i'll have to delete us. :?

Shelley

Nothing personal intended!! Provoking thought and polite discussion should not be a problem. Politics affects all of us. To bury our heads in the sands solves nothing. We are all adults. We can 'play nice'! :D

patricej

because religion and politics are standard no-no's on most sites ... this one included. we have to be vewy, vewy careful or Admin will fuss at me for not only letting it get political, but for posting my own two cents in the bargain. :? :lol: