EDITORIAL: Bread spread

Nov. 8, 2009 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- Health insurance companies have outrageous earnings while the working poor go uninsured. Let's spread the wealth, eh?

Perhaps we should start with an organization that took in $1.08 billion in 2008.

Aetna (NYSE:AET) ? Humana (NYSE:HUM) ? WellPoint (NYSE:WLP) ?

No. The AARP, with a budget five times larger than that of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and a membership 10 times the size of the NRA's.

For the year ended Dec. 31, 2008, the latest for which AARP provides data, the organization took in $249 million from dues and $120 million from ad revenues. But royalties from the products it hawks, mostly insurance, generated $653 million.

When news reports focus on suffering seniors, AARP leaders are among the loudest voices in demanding that government spend more. It's happening now in Oklahoma in the wake of cuts to senior nutrition programs.

In 2005, syndicated columnist Robert J. Samuelson got "The Letter" from AARP inviting him to join. He declined, saying that AARP "has become America's most dangerous lobby. If left unchecked, its agenda will plunder our children and grandchildren. Massive outlays for the elderly threaten huge tax increases and other government spending. Both may weaken the economy and the social fabric."

AARP gets millions of dollars in federal grants. Perhaps that money could be redirected to senior nutrition programs. Better yet, why doesn't AARP just cover the Oklahoma shortfall until conditions improve? The $7.4 million needed represents about 1 percent of what AARP takes in from royalties alone.

Spread the wealth, eh?

Newstex ID: KRTB-0148-39533782