Vincent Carroll had a wonderful opinion piece in the March 17, 2013 Denver Post about the powerful organization’s adamant resistance to doing anything to change Social Security. I suggest you read the entire article. It was inspired by the flood of radio ads bought by AARP to oppose a suggested change in the way cost-of-living increases are calculated. Mr. Carroll points out that the change would have reduced the growth of a $1,000/month benefit that began in 2002 from the current total of $1,309/month to $1,263.

AARP is continuing its policy of opposing any change in the program that would improve its fiscal health. They prefer to change nothing and march it closer to insolvency. Mr. Carroll’s lead sentence says it very well.   “Some things never change: death, taxes, smoke rising from the Sistine Chapel, and AARP’s zealous commitment to the fiscal collapse of Social Security.”

The Social Security Program has been a favorite topic since AARP joined with Democrat lawmakers to block George W. Bush’s proposal to let workers voluntarily put a third of their “contributions” into a private retirement account. I continue to be baffled that proposal failed to pass Congress. The idea of individuals voluntarily choosing to manage some of their own retirement funds was defeated when those opposed to anything that would reduce the size of any government program proclaimed it would enrich Wall Street. It is true that Wall Street companies compete to manage investment accounts, and they do that because they make a profit. The fact that investment companies make a profit doesn’t make me want to give up my retirement accounts. I certainly prefer making investment decisions rather than having the government do it for me.

I wish workers could have voluntarily made the same decision I would have made and managed a third of their Social Security accounts. They could have decided on beneficiaries for that money. Children and partners will now get nothing when the person dies.

Savers in Cyprus are facing having their saving accounts taxed to rescue a government that has been spending more money than it takes in taxes. I wonder whether AARP admires the way things are done in Cyprus. They oppose a small change to a program that is paying more in benefits than it takes in. They are willing to support taking more in taxes from workers. That’s a nice message to young people unlikely to get benefits unless someone is willing to make changes.