House Republicans seek IRS probe of AARP.

[Crowman1979]

Source: Associated Press

By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR and STEPHEN OHLEMACHER, Associated Press – 1 hr 9 mins ago

WASHINGTON – AARP lobbied for the new health care law and now it stands to profit, Republican lawmakers charged Wednesday as they called for the IRS to investigate whether the powerful interest group representing millions of older Americans should be stripped of its federal tax exemption.

Three veteran GOP representatives released a report that estimates the seniors lobby could make an additional $1 billion over 10 years on health insurance plans whose sales are expected to pick up under the new law. They also questioned seven-figure compensation for some AARP executives.
"Based on the available evidence, substantial questions remain about whether AARP should maintain its tax-exempt status," said the report, released by Reps. Wally Herger of California, Charles Boustany of Louisiana and Dave Reichert of Washington.

AARP said profit had nothing to do with its support for President Barack Obama's health care overhaul, which expands coverage to nearly all Americans, a goal that the organization has long pursued.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110330/ap_on_re_us/us_aarp_probe

---

Oh man! The Rethugs just woke up the sleeping giant, BIG TIME! It's over for them.

[atreides1]

1. Another Bill of Attainder

Like they did with ACORN!!!

[HankyDubs]

12. it amazes me

that no one ever mentions that these clearly are bills of attainder.

[sinkingfeeling]

2. When do we strip pro-GOP churches of their status?

[glinda]

4. That and all of their non-profit think tanks and organizations highjacking Government.

[Frisbee]

10. My very first though too....

Churches and repuke think tanks. I hope they have awoken a sleeping giant come election time.

[glinda]

3. I hope AARP Magazine shows a cover picture of a ballot with Dems "checked" on it.

[Ian David]

5. They didn't complain when The AARP pushed for Bush's Medicare Part Donut Hole...

and in fact gave Carol Burnett the Medal of Freedom for schilling the thing.

[vanboggie]

15. Right!

That's when I cancelled my AARP membership.

[Gin]

20. Me Too!

[Ian David]

6. Republicans can't beat old people, because they get up too damn early in the morning.

[ixion]

8. I was thinking of the same episode

:rofl:

[DeSwiss]

7. K&R

- Ha-ha! Dumbass Republicans......

[DiverDave]

28. Gawd thats funny

lifted the pic, great one.

[Blue Meany]

9. Another attempt to defund the opposition...

They can complain all they want to about AARP doing things that all their for-profit corporate sponsors do on a regular basis and they may even have a valid point. But there's nothing in those complaints that has any relevance to their non-profit status.

[RC]

25. What does that have to do with anything.

This is the GOP doing this after all. Rules and law are for the other guy.

[reformist2]

34. Yep. It's so obvious what they're doing.

[Javaman]

11. LOL Poking the hornets nest!

this will be amusing.

[Yavin4]

13. I Thought They Wanted to Lay Off IRS Agents

How can they do the audits?

[Sonicwall]

14. Request denied. First thing you need to start investigating is your own goddamn corporate sponsors

and why they fail to pay taxes year after year.

[SemperEadem]

16. now, they are hunting their own base

stupid fucks.

[eilen]

35. They need to silence the one of the largest lobbies

for the interests of senior citizens before they shred Social Security.

[jwirr]

17. And so did Medica and all the other insurance companies. What is

going on with this one?

[jaysunb]

18. Go GOP GO !

These have got to be the dumbest bunch of idiots I've seen in my lifetime. :rofl:

[Hotler]

27. Heee! n/t

[sofa king]

31. Amazing.

It's the answer to the question, "what's the last group of constituents the GOP has yet to piss off?"

Thank goodness corporations had record profits last year, so they can dump them all down the Republican well.

[gtar100]

19. So glad to see the pugs working on all those jobs, jobs, jobs they talked about

during the campaign.

Republicans love America like bank robbers love banks. Beyond that, I can't tell what it is they like about our country because everything they do is about tearing things apart.

[Faygo Kid]

22. +1

Same thought here. I have to believe that a lot of folks are getting really, really tired with these distractions.

[groundloop]

24. Well of course they're working on jobs..... tax cuts for big business ->

oh..... never mind.

[lbrtbell]

21. GOP: Quit f---ing with the elderly!!! n/t

[opihimoimoi]

23. Never mind seniors...WHERE IS THEM JOBS YOU PROMISED..?

Instead of a gain...all the Bagger cuts will LOSE JOBS...WTF?

[rocktivity]

26. After all they've done for you?

:eyes:
rocktivity

[Democat]

29. What about churches?

A brave Democrats should mention that.

[TomCADem]

30. Yesterday It Was Unions, Now The GOP and Corporate Media Will Turn On The Elderly

At the end of the day, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce will stand alone as the power broker in DC.

[No Elephants]

32. Yesterday, it was voter registration (ACORN). Today, iti's unions and AARP.

The goal is killing the Democratic Party, so "two-party system" will refer to Rethugs and Teabaggers.

[No Elephants]

33. Grandstanding: IRS=Executive Branch. BUT I question 7 figure salaries, too.

[AnneD]

36. AARP represents....

Folks over 55, retired folks, and folks on Social Security. This is an organization of folks that vote. Just like the GOP effort to smear and destroy collective bargaining rights in an effort to destroy organized labor-this is an attempt to destroy the elderly and older voting block in the effort to undo the last of the great liberal reforms of the Progressive Era-Social Security.

Problem is, this is a group of folks with a long group memory and are not easily swayed. Many remember WWII, the Depression, McCarthyism, etc. In many instances this is GOP Base too. I think they are shooting themselves in the foot on this one-a definite over reach.

[stubtoe]

37. The GOP always overreaches when they've got power.

We can always count on that to swing the pendulum back.

[stubtoe]

38. This is not just an attack on the AARP. It's also an attack on health insurance reform.

The GOP does not want you to have affordable health insurance. No how, no way.