Stop blaming AARP and seniors

In his Aug. 15 column, “AARP plus all those boomers equals bust for U.S. Treasury,” James Hancock states that because of AARP's efforts to enroll millions of baby boomers, “the benefits of AARP membership appear to include bankrupting the country.” He further states that AARP's growing financial resources “promote programs the country can't afford.” He specifically targets Medicare and, to a lesser extent, Social Security. Perhaps the country could better afford these programs if government weren't doing the following: n Launching billions of dollars into space for little or no discernible benefit to mankind. n Giving or trying to give billions in huge tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans. n Spending billions trying to be the world's policeman by getting involved in unwinable sectarian wars. n Preventing Medicare from negotiating with pharmaceutical companies for the best possible prices. n Handing out millions or billions annually in political pork. One of Hancock's solutions for fixing Medicare “would require ceasing coverage for drugs or treatments that don't work or don't work well.” Who would decide this? On what basis? If someone needs a medication to manage a chronic condition for more than a couple of years does that mean it's not working? And he would have the government play God by “stopping expensive efforts to prolong life by a few months.” Terminally ill? Just let 'em die! Of course, it's easy for someone 50 years old, whose health care is covered at least in part, if not entirely, by the newspaper that pays his salary, to make such recommendations. I wonder if he will feel the same way 15 or 20 years from now. When Hancock becomes eligible for Social Security and Medicare, will he decline so as not to be part of “bankrupting the county”? Somehow I doubt it. Charles Myers, Ventnor - Published in the Atlantic City Press, August 26, 2006