That's a lot of muscle:

In a Washington Post story, AARP Leads With Wallet In Fight Over Social Security, we read:

"We're going to [fight Bush's Social Security plan] as long as it takes," said William D. Novelli, AARP's chief executive. "We will put just about everything we have into it."

No organization has more tools or more money to wage such a battle. So both its friends and adversaries agree: AARP holds the key to how or whether Social Security will be restructured this year. "It will be very difficult to do anything without AARP's support," said Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa), chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. "And it would be a heck of a lot easier if they came along."

AARP's 35 million membership base is 10 times the size of the National Rifle Association's, and its $800 million budget is five times that of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the country's biggest business association. In number of members, AARP is surpassed only by the Roman Catholic Church.

Now membership in AARP isn't like membership in the NRA. A substantial proportion of the AARP are less hostile to Bush's plans. But given that qualifier, it does appear that the AARP will be able to make a big difference in the current debate.

ADMINISTRATIVE NOTICE: We, like others, are having trouble posting to Blogger in a timely manner.

posted by Quiddity at 3/30/2005 02:21:00 PM