Quick thoughts

Some quick thoughts in the news.

First and foremost, Representative Tom Lantos passed away yesterday. We should all be grateful for his service in the name of people and human rights. All the news stories about him will say far more than I could ever imagine. I never knew or met him, and only know him by his work. And that's enough for us citizens and human beings in this country.

On other issues you could argue about his personal goals and agenda. But that's being a human being, you have to take everything they are, all the good, bad and indifferent about them. I would disagree with him on some issues, but that's just my personal view. But I will agree with him on many others, more than enough to say, "Thank you Mr. Lantos."

And it raises the question, where will the next Representative who fights for people come from without sacrificing their own values to all of us and politicizing the issues in the name of some agenda. We are richer as a country and a nation because of Mr. Lantos, and the next person has to carry the torch farther and stronger. So who will step forward?

Second, and something against my own values. I saw an ad on TV about the Divided We Fall campaign with a logo saying it was sponsored by the AARP. Well, it turns out it's more than sponsored, it is part of it. And while I may agree with their goals and agenda, I can't support in the name of the AARP.

Harsh you say? Well,I joined the AARP when they opened it up to those 50 and over, down from 55. I left it two years later when I realized they're not an organization which supported older people, they're a corporation which markets and sells insurance and other services to older people. While they may do good for many people, a scam is still a scam. And that's what they are, pure and simple a commercial scam.

And to create another organization in a disguise for values and issues is just another way to scam people into becoming members to market products and services to them, both their own and others. They don't have older people in their hearts, but ways to sell to older people under the guise of help. The AARP has a history of supporting commercialization of healthcare industry to get more money for themselves and other companies.

Don't buy that? Well, they supported the Prescription Bill with the hole where many people paid more for their drugs with it than without it. Why? Because they knew those over the hole would enrich themselves and the other insurance companies at our and the government's expense. Our pocketbook.

And they're doing this with healthcare again. They'll support healthcare reform if it enriches themselves to market new services. They won't represent the people for a better healthcare system, just a better one at our expense. Watch and read the fine print of the statements, press releases, etc., and you'll see the disguise. If you want a good healthcare system, don't follow AARP's leadership, express your own views directly to your elected officials.

Be a citizen and don't be scammed by the AARP.