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Honored Social Butterfly

"ENSURING THAT OUR DEMOCRACY WORKS BETTER FOR ALL"

That is an excerpt from AARP'S PUBLIC POLICY STATEMENT.

 

But, is it true?

 

Of course not.

 

AARP has chosen to quell political discussion of any type through the removal of the Political Discussion Board and removal of any comments that approach political discourse.

 

How can an organization that touts as PUBLIC POLICY........ "ENSURING THAT OUR DEMOCRACY WORKS BETTER FOR ALL" also be an organization that censures discourse?

 

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Honored Social Butterfly

The web page that @GailL1  posted only allows comments, you can't post a topic there?

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Honored Social Butterfly


@ChasKy53 wrote:

The web page that @GailL1  posted only allows comments, you can't post a topic there?


That's right - because it is the advocacy positions that is being commented upon and those originate with the AARP with research and feedback from members and others who are interested.

You can post a comment to another commenter on the site but is not meant to be adversarial.  Advocacies are a goal - the way to get there could be many, presented by an array of politicians of both parties.

 

It's Always Something . . . . Roseanna Roseannadanna
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Honored Social Butterfly

The postings in this topic are not in order. And what forum is this topic in? I got to this topic through a link that Underbat provided saying that the topic had been moved. Moved to what forum/group?

 

Why is AARP going to such length to keep older folks from discussing anything political?

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Honored Social Butterfly

@ChasKy53 

This thread was moved to this "About Our Community" board from I think, the Life and Leisure board where it was initially posted by @nctarheel.

As to your comment about not in order - ?????  the way the posting program is designed and based on "Your Setting".

It seems to me that this happens (technically)

There is only so much room on the right side of the screen so when the indentation of the discussion reaches it's peak on the right side, any subsequent new post moves under the original post.  

You would have to check with @AARPMichaelP since he knows how it works.

 

You asked:  Why is AARP going to such length to keep older folks from discussing anything political.

Political ? - I think we can talk about problems, ideas, advocacies, solutions even pieces of legislation.  I just don't think they want the discussion to drift to politicians or parties when that is the sole subject of discussion, the thread or where the thread drifts to -

There is a discussion that @nctarheel started about Getting Mail - 

https://community.aarp.org/t5/Friends-Family/ARE-YOU-GETTING-YOUR-MAIL/m-p/2412763#M5061 

It is on the edge but I think we are doing pretty in the progression of the thread - the powers that be haven't said anything to me about it YET - don't know about the others.

 

 

It's Always Something . . . . Roseanna Roseannadanna
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Bronze Conversationalist

Well let me see if dialog is a discussion and if there are a few people who disagreed with the main body the discussion turned from dialog to to political bullying intimidation and disrespect.  You can not have a discussion or dialog when there is only one thought in the house. This is why your house of cards fell apart

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Honored Social Butterfly

 

@nctarheel 
It would appear that their is a great fear of political discussion…others might find out what you actually think about how our Country is run, and how much politics influences the operation of. 
There seems to be problem with hearing the truth versus those who are lying to the American Public. 

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Honored Social Butterfly

Then Discuss policy not politics - it is policy that affects us.

 

It's Always Something . . . . Roseanna Roseannadanna
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Honored Social Butterfly

Seems that I responded to this before?

trump never discussed policy, and made everything political…and why not have political discussions. Our political system determines policy, how can our system not be political. 

 

And the site that you referenced, is that a discussion site, or info only. 

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Honored Social Butterfly

@williamb39198 asked:

And the site that you referenced, is that a discussion site, or info only. 

 

=====================

You mean this one ?  

 AARP Politics and Society web page - 

It covers many of the issues that affect us, it talks about proposed solutions - the only time that they actually use a politician's or party name is when these names are used in some descriptive way.  

 

It is both info and discussion/comment section.  - Here is the (recent) Government & Elections sub-page - pull up one of the articles - I chose the top one on the list:  

AARP CEO Urges President to Lower Prescription Drug Costs

If you go to the bottom of the page, there is a comment section - there are 33 responses to date.

 

 

It's Always Something . . . . Roseanna Roseannadanna
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Honored Social Butterfly

IMO, there is a difference in discussing public policy / potential public policy and politics (including parties and politicians)  especially when the politics side is the end-all, which seems to be what happens in many discussions, here and elsewhere.

The things that actually makes government work or not work, is much different than any party or political person.

 

IMO, these things can be be discussed without actually mentioning any party or political person - and these are the things that actually affects each of us.  I like to know as much detail as possible the things that affect me and my fellow citizens in order to make any decision that affects real people.  AARP's public policy basis is POLICY not party or politicians.  Policy is what should be the focus of discussion.

  • issues,
  • programs,
  • laws, potential laws,
  • rules, potential rules,
  • how various programs work,
  • how various agencies work -
  • ETC.

Problems and concerns have to be discussed specifically, without relying on just general information from whatever its source, specifics have to be known be that what is happening now and what is the direction of potential changes - why and how.

 

Knowing all the facts, and not just from general sources, makes for a better discussion about the issue.

 

Your recent post on "Are You Getting Your Mail" ?   is a good example - a good question and yes, there is a problem, several of them, and they have been going on for a very long time.  When the conversation drifted just a political party, that was the end-all.  The overreaching problems are still there regardless of political party - it is the problems solving that should be the discussion.  Before a good discussion can take place, the people wanting to discuss it has to get their knowledge on how the agency works (by law) and how they are considering helping the problem.

AARP's public policy basis is POLICY not party or politicians.  Policy is what should be the focus of discussion.

 

 

 

It's Always Something . . . . Roseanna Roseannadanna
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Honored Social Butterfly

 


@GailL1 wrote:

 

IMO, there is a difference in discussing public policy / potential public policy and politics (including parties and politicians)  especially when the politics side is the end-all, which seems to be what happens in many discussions, here and elsewhere.

 

AARP's public policy basis is POLICY not party or politicians.  Policy is what should be the focus of discussion.

Here is where we disagree.

 

I believe for an organization to have as a policy.....

 

"TO ENSURE THAT OUR DEMOCRACY WORKS BETTER FOR ALL"

 

and then squelch political discourse, is hypocritical at best.

 

It creates an atmosphere where one must consider their public policy insincere at its core for "democracy works better for all" when there is political discourse.

 

 

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Honored Social Butterfly

@nctarheel 

Not in my opinion - politicians and parties are only individuals - the things that affects us is policies, laws, rules at the government level especially if they are put into play by some problem which government attempts to correct.  Politicians and sometimes even parties can come and go - problems, stay and even fester, until something has been done about them.  Discussing politicians or parties does nothing to solve some problem in the workings of our government or our society.  

 

While it is true that these entities (politicians or parties) have certain viewpoints on government and society issues and how to solve them - it is the issues and the ideas of solutions that is the important thing that is most important; not the who of politicians or parties. 

 

Issues and Solutions is where any specific advocacy would come into play "TO ENSURE THAT OUR DEMOCRACY WORKS BETTER FOR ALL"

 

Case in point:  AARP has a Politics and Society web page - 

It covers many of the issues that affect us, it talks about proposed solutions - the only time that they actually use a politician's or party name is when these names are used in some descriptive way.  

 

If members of this  online board had learned to do the same thing - we might still have a Political and Current Events Board.  

 

 

 

It's Always Something . . . . Roseanna Roseannadanna
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Honored Social Butterfly


@GailL1 wrote:

 

While it is true that these entities (politicians or parties) have certain viewpoints on government and society issues and how to solve them - it is the issues and the ideas of solutions that is the important thing that is most important; not the who of politicians or parties.

Your argument is that the issues and solutions to those issues are the most important, not the politicians or the parties.

 

How do you think the solutions to the issues are addressed, @GailL1.

 

Through the bills passed by POLITICIANS in the Congress or Executive Actions taken by the President, a POLITICIAN.

 

AARP's advocacy is to influence POLITICIANS.

 

That is why, with the removal of the Political Discussion Board, that AARP'S policy(small "p"is on purpose) of "TO ENSURE OUR DEMOCRACY WORKS BETTER FOR ALL" rings hollow.

 

They don't want anyone to discuss that T**** has made a mockery of that very democracy.

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Honored Social Butterfly

@nctarheel 

Well said. How does one separate politicians, politics, and their policies? Especially when the policies are terrible because of the policies made for political reasons, by biased politicians. 
It’s all connected. 
Was AARP trying to tell us that if we ignore politics, Our Democracy will work better?

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Honored Social Butterfly

@nctarheel wrote

"AARP's advocacy is to influence POLITICIANS"

 

While that is correct - they don't care which politician - as long as they support their advocacy position.  The advocacy position does not have to be very specific like "reduce the price of drugs for seniors" - that advocacy can take on a lot of different specifics to reach the end goal of "reducing the price of drugs for seniors".  If it works - why not.

 

 

It's Always Something . . . . Roseanna Roseannadanna
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