AARP (American Association for Retired Persons)

The American Association for Retired Persons (AARP) is the premier special interest organization for Americans over age 50. AARP evolved from the National Retired Teachers Association, founded in 1947 and now an affiliated organization. Begun by Dr. Ethel Andrus, a pioneer in the field of gerontology and the first woman high-school principal in the state of California, AARP was created in large part to answer the need for affordable health insurance for seniors and to address the significant problem of age discrimination in society. By the end of the twentieth century AARP was commanding a membership of 31.5 million and, as critic Charles R. Morris points out, it had become known as the "800 lb. gorilla of American politics." The organization states that "AARP is a nonprofit, non-partisan, membership organization, dedicated to addressing the needs and interests of people 50 and older. We seek through education, advocacy and service to enhance the quality of life for all by promoting independence, dignity and purpose." The motto of the organization is "To Serve, Not to Be Served."

Known for its intensive lobbying efforts to preserve Medicare and Social Security, AARP has a wide range of programs that serve its members, notably the "55 ALIVE " driving course (a special refresher class for older drivers linked to auto insurance discounts); AARP Connections for Independent Living (a volunteer organization to assist seniors to live on their own), and the Widowed Persons Service, which helps recently widowed people with their bereavement. The AARP's own publications range widely, but the best known is Modern Maturity, a glossy lifestyle magazine found in homes and doctors' offices across America, offering informational articles on travel, profiles of active senior Americans, and targeted advertising for Americans over 50. The AARP also funds research through its AARP Andrus Foundation, primarily in the field of gerontology, which exhibited rapid growth resulting from the aging of the enormous postwar "Baby Boomer" generation.

Probably the most visible program—and one that is a key part of its success in Washington politics—is "AARP/VOTE." This has informed and organized voters to support AARP's legislative agenda, particularly in its ongoing campaign to protect entitlements in the late 1980s and 1990s. Social Security was once the "sacred cow" of American politics: former House Speaker Tip O' Neill dubbed Social Security "the third rail of American politics—touch it and you die." AARP maintains that Social Security is a lifeline for many seniors, and has resisted any attempt to limit the program. It has also successfully weathered a challenge, based on a belief that Social Security is insolvent and is forcing young workers to pay for seniors with no hope of receiving future benefits themselves. The AARP was termed "greedy geezers" by the media, and its support of the ill-fated Medicare Catastrophic Care Act (since repealed) during the 1980s was an image disaster. The organization regained the high ground when Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich led a fight to slash entitlements as part of his "Contract with America" pledge, a centerpiece of the 1994 midterm elections. The AARP skillfully deflected the conservative assault on Social Security by utilizing its fabled public relations machine: member phone trees, press releases, and media pressure on Gingrich, who was singled out as "picking on the elderly."

The AARP has long been a controversial organization, subject to investigation by Consumer Reports magazine and the television show 60 Minutes in 1978 for its too-cozy association with the insurance company Colonial Penn and its founder Leonard Davis. That association subsequently ended, and Davis' image and influence was banished from the organization's headquarters and promotional literature. In the 1990s, the AARP was attacked in Congress by long-time foe Senator Alan Simpson of Wyoming, who relentlessly investigated their nonprofit status. The AARP frequently testifies before Congress, but no longer functions as a lobbying organization because of Simpson's efforts. Yet it has continued to grow in numbers and influence, due in large part to a savvy marketing scheme that grants members attractive discounts on insurance, travel, and other services for the price of an eight-dollar membership fee. In return, the AARP can boast of a large membership in its legislative efforts and can deliver a highly desirable mailing list to its corporate partners.

The AARP has made a significant effort to define itself as an advocacy organization which is changing the way Americans view aging, yet this has been a difficult message to sell to Baby Boomers in particular, many of whom are more interested in preserving a youthful appearance and attitude than in considering retirement. It has been attacked from the left and the right of the political spectrum: in a May 25, 1995 editorial, the Wall Street Journal opined: "AARP's own studies show that only 14% of its members join it to support its lobbying efforts. Its largely liberal staff has often felt free to go against the interest of its members…. AARP is the field artillery in a liberal army dedicated to defending the welfare state." At the same time, the AARP is viewed with suspicion by many on the left who deplore its size and moderate politics.

—Mary Hess

Further Reading:

Hess, John L. "A Warm and Fuzzy Gorilla." The Nation. August 26-September 2, 1996.

Lieberman, Trudy. "Social Insecurity: The Campaign to Take the System Private." The Nation. January 1, 1997.

Morris, Charles R. The AARP: America's Most Powerful Lobby and the Clash of Generations. New York, Times Books/Random House, 1996.

Peterson, Peter G. Will America Grow Up Before It Grows Old? How the Coming Social Security Crisis Threatens You, Your Family, and Your Country. New York, Random House, 1996.

Rosensteil, Thomas. "Buying Off the Elderly: As the Revolution Gets Serious, Gingrich Muzzles the AARP." Newsweek. October 2, 1995.