For those of us who have been stuck out in the cold, at last it appears that we have an alternative to the extremist Left-wing organization AARP. For years now conservatives have known that the AARP which purported to represent all retired people and those of us over fifty was in actuality a Left-wing organization with an extremist socialist agenda. AARP has been busy acting in the interest of the Democrat Party rather than the interests of the elderly.
In spite of the many discount programs offered for being a member a great many of us, myself included, refused to join AARP simply because of their political agenda. It has been a long time coming, but it now appears that we conservatives finally have an alternative. The decision by AARP to name Harry Belafonte as their “Man of the Year” was sufficient insult to Conservative Americans to inspire Jerry Barton, a retired businessman to begin NASCON, the National Association for Senior Concerns. NASCON opened its doors (figuratively speaking) in September of this year. NASCON is setup on the AARP model as a private “S” corporation with an associated 501c3 foundation. Jerry Barton issued a statement following the announcement by AARP of their selection of Harry Belafonte as their “Man of the Year,” in part saying:
“If you don’t stand for what is right, you stand for what is wrong. The latest slap at the millions of senior conservatives who have had no choice for representation is the awarding of a “Man of the Year” award from the AARP to Harry Belafonte. They are putting on their pedestal a man that said, “Bin Laden didn’t come from the abstract. He came from somewhere, and if you look where. you’ll see America’s hand of villainy.” He is a man that stood on his soap box and proclaimed, “I not only think that they (the leaders of his own country) are misguided, but I think they know exactly what they are doing and I think that they are men who are possessed of evil.” He called both Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice, “slaves with the privilege of living in the house of the master. exactly the way the master intended to have you serve him.” Enough is enough.”
It is truly a great feeling to have an organization to represent those of us in or near retirement age with views similar to my own. I have long lamented the fact that holding firm in my own political and philosophical beliefs was costing me money in the form of discounts offered by AARP which were unavailable to non-members. NASCON does not yet have the full slate of discounts for the elderly that AARP offers, but as there are more conservatives than Liberals in America, it won’t be long before the full panoply of benefits offered by AARP will be available to members of NASCON.
With the organization being only four months old, it has a lot of growing to do, but it has already been recognized and saluted by the Heritage foundation. Jerry Barton’s efforts have been saluted by Steve Forbes (of Forbes Magazine), Drew Bond (publisher of TownHall.com), Sean Hannity (of Fox News) and Peter Marshall, the former game-show host, has agreed to be the national spokesman and honorary Chairman.
Heritage Foundation writer Brian McNicoll wrote in a TownHall Op-Ed:
Barton is a longtime supporter of conservatives and their causes. He served as finance chairman for one of Mitch McConnell’s Senate campaigns. He has worked with John Linder, Johnny Isaacson and Saxby Chambliss.
Now, he wants to use his connections. Boortz is going to host a coming-out gathering for the group in August, Sean Hannity is reportedly ready to help, and Peter Marshall, the former game-show host, is the honorary chairman and national spokesman to take on AARP. Why? “He believes it’s becoming one of the most dangerous organizations in America,” says his son, Stuart, who will help honcho the new organization, known as the National Association for Senior Concerns (http://www.nascon.org on the web). “He wants to punch AARP in the nose.”
And what about USA Next, the longtime voice of conservative seniors for whom Art Linkletter is the national spokesman? If attacking AARP is the goal, USA Next is well on its way. Items on its web site include “Seven Deadly Sins of AARP” and “AARP against taxpayers” and “AARP against trustees of Social Security.”
Stuart Barton says the group has had its chance and has yet to make a dent. “We have a plan to make an impact for our members on the issues they care about,” he says. “It’s taken them 20 years to get 1.5 million members. We’ll have that in 18 months.”
It sounds like we on the Right may finally have an organization with the guts to stand up to the bomb throwers on the Left. It is about time that AARP is taken down a few pegs. They no more represent the best interests or the rank and file elderly person than does NAMBLA represent the best interests of young boys. For far too long we on the Right have acquiesced to organizations with euphemistic names like People for the American Way and American Association of Retired Persons claiming to represent all Americans while in actuality working for their own extreme Left-wing Socialist Agenda.
I have long lamented the lack of choice for us “old folks,” and now it appears that we finally have the advocacy for which we have been looking. It will require some time to see if this organization can live up to its promise, but I for one am going to sign up to become a member and recommend that other conservatives do the same. A one year membership is only $15.00 and that is a small enough price to pay for the chance to get equal lobbying representation in the halls of Congress.
The mere chance that the tremendous clout of such an anti-American, anti-capitalism, anti-Bush, and clearly anti-Republican organization could be diluted and broken is a long looked for promise. All I can say is “WOO-HOO!” Let’s get it on y’all!
