shAARP Talk: Observations from AARP

Many positioned tonight's debate as a showdown, but it was more of a discussion then a debate between Senators Clinton and Obama. There was an in-depth discussion of health care tonight and both candidates brought up a vital piece of any health care reform - reigning in skyrocketing costs. Both candidates agreed this is an important issue and both discussed a range of options to try and manage it. Sadly, it took the end of the debate cycle for the candidates to start discussing some of the specifics in the health care discussion. Things like electronic medical records and preventive measures were discussed tonight and are critical to bringing down the cost of health care for everybody.

Financial issues were mentioned, but lacked the details that voters want to hear about. Right now, economic issues are a huge motivator for people at the ballot box. We know that people are concerned not just about the shaky housing market (since homes are such a critical piece of retirement savings), but also how they can afford to retire. It was a lost opportunity for these candidates to overlook these issues tonight.

While tonight's debate was less contentious than last night's, the questions were more focused on personality than substance. Instead of falling into the trap, the candidates chose a route of talking about the issues instead of swiping barbs. This is a good thing and we can only hope this mature tone is part of things to come.

A report from AARP Colorado’s Morie Smile, where they are gearing up for Tsunami Tuesday:

AARP Colorado has been getting into the community to talk abut Divided We Fail and do some candidate bird dogging. We sponsored the National Western Stock Show and over 16 days signed up 3,315 new Divided We Fail voters and spoke to scores more. We weren’t alone: our partners from the National Federation of Independent Business also showed up at our booth to meet and greet attendees for a while. Yee haw!

Also this week, we braved the early morning, single digit temperatures and the crowds to bird-dog Senator Obama at a rally at the University of Denver. We were able to break into two groups with ten of us making our way to the VIP area four rows back from the front of the podium and the rest sitting, taking up an entire aisle, all in red shirts, of course! We were in lots of photos, and managed to get ourselves into a TV shot. Not bad considering there were 13,000 people there.

Washington Post: Showdown Nears on Stimulus Bill

After the Finance Committee vote, AARP launched a lobbying push to win passage of the Senate version. Advocates of the Senate bill said House-Senate talks should take a few days.

Wall Street Journal: Senate Stimulus Plan Heads for Floor Showdown

Of all the differences between the plans, Senate Democrats appear most attached to the rebates for older people, and they could have leverage in talks with the House, amid a grass-roots campaign by AARP, the advocacy group for older people. Yesterday, an AARP email to its members helped generate 75,000 emails and 1,500 calls to senators' offices. The group promised to keep up the pressure.

Associated Press: Former Social Security Official Dies

John Rother, AARP's public policy director, called Ball a tireless defender of Social Security and Medicare. "His dedication has inspired a whole generation of younger advocates and leaders in the field, and his writings will continue to influence the debate for broader health and pension coverage for years to come," Rother said.

Money: Boomers: How to age gracefully

Maybe it's time to stop supporting your healthy adult children. Or downsize your home and move to a less expensive area. Or - egad! - cut some of your leisure spending. The best way to put more cash in your coffers: Retire later than you planned. "Every extra year you work is a 'twofer,'" says David Certner, legislative policy director at AARP. "It's a year that you make money and don't spend savings."

I am grateful that we are coming to the end of the primary debate season. Why? Tonight's debate was certainly a little more heated than last week's snoozer in Florida, but it unfortunately focused little on substance and more on the intra-party warfare that has just become tedious.

There was some talk about the economy, an issue that is overwhelmingly important for everyone. But instead of talking about how to bring relief, the discussion was brought back to finger pointing and he said/he said rhetoric. People want to hear about solutions, not accusations. There was no real mention of how the candidates are going to tackle skyrocketing health care costs or how they will be able to prepare for their future financially.

There is just one week left before a huge number of voters will flock to the polls. Let's hope there will be a more substantive discussion on the issues that people care about and impact their lives.

Yes, this is a soapbox. I wrote about it yesterday and the day before and the day before that too – the economic stimulus package. Today, the Senate Finance Committee agreed that Americans need help, including the approximately 20 million Americans who live primarily on Social Security and those who are unemployed and facing a tougher time getting back on the job.

What went down today in the Senate was bipartisan, thankfully, which hopefully will increase the chances of success in the full Senate. And AARP will be watching and reporting to its members how every Senator votes tomorrow. That’s more than 39 million members, in case you didn’t know. And you sent over 75,000 emails, faxes and phone calls to the Senate today, so thanks!

Breaking through the gridlock in the House yesterday was also progress. Hopefully the sentiment will extend to see the stimulus proposal all the way through so Americans can get relief and get it now.

Last night, Floridians went to the ballot box to select their candidates in the primary. Over 60 percent of those who showed up in Florida yesterday were 50 and over, according to CNN’s exit polling.

In the Democratic race, health and financial security mattered. In the CNN exit poll of Democratic voters, 55 percent overall cited the economy as the top issue. Just as interesting: those who supported Senator Clinton, 55 percent cited health care as the top issue.

Financial concerns were important in the Republican race as well. Florida attorney Justin Sayfie, author of the online Florida political bible Sayfie Review said in a recent interview in National Review online, “Economic issues are at the forefront in Florida, as the cost of living in the state has become unaffordable for many, and we have seen our population growth go flat in the past year. Property taxes and high property insurance rates are top of mind for Florida voters.” He wasn’t wrong. In the same CNN exit poll, 45 percent of Republicans cited the economy as the top issue.

Politico: Medicare revamp revived

Still at the crux of the debate are efforts by the American Medical Association and AARP to raise Medicare reimbursement rates for doctors by supporting cuts to private Medicare Advantage plans.

Wall Street Journal: Employers Explore Health-Care Options

Other small and medium-size employers are also providing stipends to workers who buy their own coverage through similar defined contribution programs.

Associated Press: House approves economic recovery plan

The House, seizing a rare moment of bipartisanship to respond to the economy's slump, overwhelmingly passed a $146 billion aid package Tuesday that would speed rebates of $600-$1,200 to most taxpayers.

Wall Street Journal: Lawmakers Offer Plans For Homeowner Refinancing

Lawmakers, looking for ways to aid homeowners in need of refinancing, are considering raising the caps on how much money states can borrow to finance housing projects, and easing other restrictions.

Yes, we are Florida obsessed today, but so is the rest of the blogosphere. Check out this posting on Huffington Post about yesterday’s rally in Hollywood. Good stuff.

I mentioned it last night briefly when talking about the State of the Union, but it looks like chapter one of the tale of the economic stimulus package could unfold later today with an anticipated vote in the House.

In the current environment, with so many people concerned about their finances and the economy, we need relief that is quick and helps those who need it the most. And the Senate plan super sizes what the House has put on the table. It would help approximately 20 million Americans who primarily depend on Social Security for retirement income AND also enhance unemployment insurance, which is critical for 50+ workers who have a more difficult time finding new employment after a job loss.

Word today is that both Democrats and Republicans are getting behind the Senate bill, which is good news. Maybe they can break through the partisan gridlock and actually pass something.

If you thought last night's presidential address was severely lacking on the issues that matter most to Americans, you're right. In fact, an analysis by the National Journal’s Congress Daily showed that the president spent just 10 percent of his 53 minutes on the economy and even less on health care. Meanwhile, our economy is stumbling, more than 47 million Americans don't have health insurance, and millions more are underinsured.

AARP's Florida State Director Lori Parham brings us this report from the Sunshine State:

We had more than 200 folks come out on Monday to a Divided We Fail rally in Hollywood, with interest from both Democratic and Republican state legislators who agree with the bi-partisan message of our efforts. Also surrogates for Romney, Huckabee, Giuliani, McCain were there. Craig Romney's son, loved Champ and even danced with him.

Staff and volunteers were in Pensacola to greet Huckabee today, share the side by side and ensure a presence in the often overlooked north. Folks covered McCain in Tampa, were on stage with Romney in Ft. Myers, and followed both of these candidates to Orlando as well. We’re everywhere!

It continues on Tuesday, with folks in Tampa at the Romney site and in Miami at the McCain event. We'll have students and volunteers in front of the capitol in Tallahassee waving signs and have asked more than 700 people since last Wed to go to the polls in their DWF shirts. Today, Florida will be a sea of red shirts.

Marketwatch: Senate stimulus bill would include seniors, jobless

The AARP applauded the inclusion of 20 million senior citizens who live on Social Security.

"In addition to tax rebates, the Baucus stimulus proposal would help approximately 20 million older Americans who primarily depend on Social Security for retirement income," said Bill Novelli, CEO for the group, which represents retired Americans.

Wall Street Journal: Baucus Stimulus Plan May Spur Conflict

The AARP, an advocacy group for retired people, has pushed for the elderly to be included. But "it's going to be hard to get people to take advantage of it," said David Certner of AARP, if they don't normally file tax returns.

Bloomberg: Half of U.S. States Facing Budget Gaps, Report Finds

Following the U.S. recession in 2001, 34 states reduced funding for health care and education programs, according to the center's report. More than 1 million people lost their health- care coverage because of those cuts, according to the report.

Even though there's been a huge focus on the next occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, tonight the current occupant had some thoughts about the state of things. The focus naturally, as on the campaign trail, was on domestic issues and in particular the economy.

While the calls tonight from the President about ending partisan gridlock are encouraging, action would be nice. It's a good thing that Washington jumped in with the stimulus package and what the Senate Finance Committee is offering up is worth another look. No matter what, quick relief is needed for the economic crisis that many Americans are facing right now and it sounds like the Administration recognizes that.

Today everyone's playing nice. Hopefully tomorrow they still will. It's the only way they can begin developing solutions to our most important domestic problems - ensuring access to affordable health care and lifetime financial security.

This morning Good Morning America highlighted the winners of AARP The Magazine’s 2008 Faces of 50+ Real People Model Search, showing men and women who show that beauty and style don’t expire as you age. Check out the beautiful winners here or in your mailbox in the March/April issue of AARP The Magazine.

How did they get chosen? After combing through over 14,000 applicants from online submissions and entries gathered at the 2nd annual AARP The Magazine Road Show, AARP The Magazine selected eight “faces” and left it up to America to choose the final two “Reader’s Choice” winners. Contestants entered the model search by having their pictures taken at the AARP The Magazine Road Show stops or by submitting their photos. The magazine’s editors then hand-selected eight of the winning models in age groups 50-59, 60-69, and 70+, in addition to 16 Reader’s Choice finalists, which were selected after over 10,000 votes were cast online.

Winners include Thadette Nelson(left), and Carol Defore (right).

We're trying to keep up with these milestones... today the Lego brick celebrates its 50th anniversary . It's hard to believe such a simple toy has endured over the years, especially with all the new things kids have to choose from. I wonder if kids will still be building houses and cars and whatever they can dream up 50 years from now.

Sunday was a whirlwind day, with events following both a Democrat and a Republican.

The day started at a rally for former Governor Mitt Romney at the Jorge Mas Canosa Center in western Miami. The center is a small community center attached to a park in the middle of a residential area a stone's throw from Calle Ocho, the main street of Miami's Cuban community.

We've noticed in South Florida that frequently we get comments about the red shirts - red is affiliated with Chavez and Castro, which is not a good affiliation in Miami. But here, the crowd seems to be very friendly to us, and several people ask for side-by-sides. One man asks "who is the most bipartisan candidate?" Now we're getting somewhere!

The school we passed in the neighborhood has a motto painted on the side of the building facing the turnpike: Bilingual, Biliterate, Bicultural. Speaking of multicultural, son Craig Romney speaks to the crowd in Spanish, then Romney, clad in a guyabera shirt, chatted with the crowd.

Later in the day, it was a different scene outside the Lucky Strike on Miami Beach, where Senator Hillary Clinton was scheduled to appear at a fundraiser. AARP staff and 30 plus volunteers from around the state clad in red shirts and stood with Champ and Divided We Fail signs. While we waited in 58 degrees (that is cold for Florida), State Director Lori Parham kept us from freezing by leading the rowdy group in a cheer - "What do we want?" "Health care and lifetime financial security!"

South Florida is a wacky place and this came through, particularly on Miami Beach. Among those in the melee waiting for Senator Clinton included a man who was singing and stripping down to a bathing suit. We considered drawing straws to talk to him about Divided We Fail, but focused instead on the passers by and reporters. We even got a few converts.

Associated Press: Senate Democrats ponders adding retirees to rebate plan, extending jobless benefits

But it would leave out about 20 million senior citizens living chiefly on Social Security. They wouldn't get rebate checks unless they have at least $3,000 earned income or pay income taxes based on other sources such as earnings, interest, investments or private pension plans.

"Less than half of all Americans 65 and older would get it," said AARP spokesman Jim Dau.

Chicago Tribune: Seniors tapping homes for cash

Bronwyn Belling, project manager of the AARP Foundation's Reverse Mortgage Education Project, worries that people are tapping the equity in their homes before they really need to.

"The money they borrow now, that money won't be available later," Belling said.

Associated Press: AARP Hands Out 'Movies For Grownups' Awards

So said AARP magazine, which announced "The Savages" will be receiving its top award at its seventh annual Movies for Grownups Awards on Feb. 4 at the Hotel Bel-Air in Los Angeles.

Washington Post: No Country for Old People?

It's a tough time for seniors these days, and getting tougher as the economy slumps. How can we enrich Americans' later years?

While we are in Florida, there's been some big happenings in South Carolina on the Democratic primary front. One of the more interesting things from last night's exit polls is this nugget reported by the Associated Press:

"Given three choices, half the voters said the economy was the most important issue facing the country — up from 38 percent in the only other competitive Democratic primary to date, in New Hampshire on Jan. 8. About a quarter picked health care, comparable to New Hampshire. Only about one in five picked Iraq, down from 27 percent in New Hampshire."

There was chatter on the blogs about this last night, but this is not revolutionary. What we know from AARP members, AARP surveys and even just informally talking to people across the country that health and financial security are the top issues they are concerned about day in and day out and it's time for politicians to start addressing them.

Yes, it is warm here and in no small part to the energy and enthusiasm of AARP volunteers and staff across the state. Here's an update from AARP's Jeff Johnson:

"On Saturday, we saw volunteers walking through orange groves and eating pork at 10 am with former Governor Mike Huckabee, handing out side by sides and bird-dogging former Mayor Rudy Giuliani at trendy St. Armand's circle in Sarasota, attending rallies and town halls for Senator John McCain in Fort Myers and Lakeland and former Governor Mitt Romney in Lutz, and prepping for Monday's rally. We are also rallying our volunteers who live too far from the Monday's rally in Hollywood to alert them to the what each candidate is doing around the state. Essentially, we could accomplish a lot by painting Champ logos on the runway of every small plane airport in the state. I'm guessing the FAA has rules about that stuff, though."

We're headed to Miami today to remind Senator Hillary Clinton and former Governor Mitt Romney about the importance of health and financial security issues. While the Democratic candidates are not officially campaigning in Florida, we have heard a rumor that Senator Clinton will be here today. We'll let you know.

On Friday, volunteers and staff from the AARP Florida office went to Miami's historic Versailles restaurant in the heart of Little Havana to remind former Governor Mike Huckabee of the importance of health and financial security issues. While waiting for the Governor to show up for lunch, we spoke to the people milling around about the importance of ending the partisan bickering in DC and finding solutions to the issues that affect us everyday. Also in the crowd were the Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives Marco Rubio and Florida State Senator Alex Diaz de la Portilla. Pics below.

Also, the staff volunteers and members in Florida are gearing up for a big rally on Monday, the eve before the big day of voting. Check out what the blogs have to say about it.

Perez Hilton highlights an important milestone... Ellen DeGeneres turned 50 on Friday and AARP was there to help her celebrate. Check out the video.

Wall Street Journal: Tempering Health-Care Goals

Democrats backing universal health care long favored a single-payer system, with government replacing insurance companies and covering everyone. More recently, most have advocated a more modest -- and politically feasible -- system that provides universal coverage by building on the employer-based system.

Los Angeles Times: Saving becomes a campaign issue

A dawning reality that millions of workers face an income squeeze when they retire has elevated building a nest egg to the national political agenda.

Washington Post: Longing for Size and Speed

Small-car options appeared limited, pushing aging baby boomers onto the unfamiliar territory of Scion, Toyota's youth-car brand.

"I shouldn't even be in this section," said Larry Waldron, a 60-year-old retired federal worker. The Scion could be a real draw for older people, he said. It is easy to get in and out of and has thin windshield posts, giving drivers a wider view of the road. But he said Toyota will have to dress the brand down so the car doesn't look quite so funky.

U.S. News & World Report: Health Insurance Options That Squeeze Individuals

Many people have no choice but to buy healthcare coverage on their own, despite its downsides.

The spin room post debate is a clutter of bodies and voices, all clamoring to give reporters their own "spin" on the evening's festivities. All the campaigns have surrogates who speak on their behalf and they range from current and former members of Congress to campaign staff to family members of the candidates.

There were placards notating all of the candidates, but only one little purple character was out and about...

Is it possible that these debates are getting more underwhelming? It's the closing stretch for the candidates, you would think their might be a focus on the real issues that concern people day in and day out. Fewer than a quarter of tonight's questions were about health care or financial security. Instead, tonight's discussion focused on question of religion and campaign ads- issues that at the end of the day don't alleviate what ails us as a nation.

There was a brief mention of Social Security, but honestly, all the options need to be discussed and neither Congressman Paul or former Governor Romney (who both talked about the issue) laid out the full scope of what is happening. It is important that we reform Social Security for the long haul, but we've got to do something that will be fair for all generations.

It would be great if the candidates took these debates as an opportunity to show the American people that they are committed to change. I guess there's next week.

They're already prepping for the onslaught of spinners...

Here in the spin room, press are watching the debate attentively. The early focus is on financial security issues, finally. Jim Dau mentioned it yesterday and it looks like the debate moderators are finally paying attention to the issues that families across the country have been talking about. While talking about how the candidates will improve the economy is important, there are many issues that have yet to be discussed, such as retirement security or the need for help when it comes to savings. The big picture things are important, but it's the day in, day out that people are focused on.

We're in the spin room, just across the courtyard from where the candidates will debate in under an hour. Things are definitely picking up here, with numerous prominent Republicans swirling through the room. A couple of sightings include former Senator Connie Mack, as well as chairman of the Florida Republican Party, Jim Greer. No candidates...yet.

There is a special campaigning area set up for the debate groupies. Thought you'd enjoy a look.

We're camped out in sunny Boca Raton, Florida preparing for tonight's Republican debate. A little chaotic here, with several hundred media running about preparing for the showdown.

Lots of candidate signs, but the only candidate sighting we had was on the plane from Washington, where we shared the jet way with Congressman Ron Paul. Also, his supporters took advantage of the warm weather by camping out on the main thoroughfare into Florida Atlantic University with homemade signs, lawn chairs and coolers.

Not to be forgotten, there are AARP signs and Divided We Fail signs everywhere.

USA Today: Trucking industry faces rough road

Schneider National also became an employment team member with the AARP and has increased its number of drivers older than 50 by 46%.

Wall Street Journal: Economic Slowdown Could Widen U.S. Budget Deficit

But lawmakers were more alarmed by the CBO's warnings about the approaching budget squeeze as baby boomers retire and begin drawing Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security benefits. The CBO projected that Medicare, the health plan for the elderly, and Medicaid, the program for the poor, will together cost 5.9% of the entire U.S. economic output by 2018, compared with about 4.6% this year. Over the next 75 years, the CBO expects such entitlement programs to create a fiscal gap measuring 7% of GDP.

New York Times: The Unavoidable Update

While people like to complain that there is nothing to watch on television, about 21 million American households may find that literally true in February 2009. On the 17th of that month, most TV stations will quit broadcasting analog TV signals over the air, and older sets will go blank.

USA Today: Employers put health coverage in workers' hands

Nick Trikolas plans to drop health insurance for his employees and give them money to buy their own coverage. He says doing so will put him in the vanguard of a movement by employers searching for answers to rising health costs.

Some thoughts from AARP's Jim Dau:

It’s hard to find a silver lining in the news coming out of Wall Street and Washington, where global economic volatility is further threatening the financial security of millions of Americans. However, we’re at least grateful that the political media is finally spending more time discussing the economic plans of various candidates (for instance here and here), rather than breathlessly dissecting horse race numbers, photo-ops and slung mud.

The campaign press is waking up to what voters already knew – economic security is a critically important issue. In the Iowa caucuses three weeks ago, voters cited economic concerns as their top issue. Even back in November, both AARP polling and Washington Post polling showed big concern from voters on financial security issues.
Voters want impartial and substantive information on the candidates’ economic plans. It may be that an economic stimulus package is less sexy than decades-old allegations of wrong-doing, but hopefully reporters get that it’s more important.

MSNBC: Save your parents' finances (before they ruin yours)

If our Moms and Dads are relying on us to pay for their expenses — from groceries to utility bills in early retirement to long-term health care in their 70s and 80s, how will that impact our own financial future?

Los Angeles Times: Good for borrowers, bad for savers

"It's bad for seniors who are living on fixed incomes, but this gigantic baby boom generation is largely made up of borrowers," said Gary Schlossberg, senior economist with Wells Fargo Capital Markets in San Francisco.

Wall Street Journal: Wal-Mart Insured Ranks Rise

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said the percentage of its work force enrolled in its health plans has increased significantly from a year ago after it expanded choices, including lower-cost options.

Washington Post: Braving a Downdraft

The stock market heads south just as you've retired, or are about to. It's the worst-case scenario you've always feared. Is it time to scour the help-wanted ads? Do you have to put your post-work life on hold?

Here’s an update from Amy Gilbody from AARP Virginia, who is trekking around Virginia and talking about Divided We Fail:

Last week, we brought DWF to the Virginia General Assembly! We camped ourselves out for the week in the lobby of the General Assembly Building – an AARP first. Volunteers from our Driver's Safety, Tax Aide, Faith in Action, Rebuilding Together, and Divided We Fail programs all hung out and chatted with legislators and others about the good work they are doing. We finished the week with a day dedicated solely to Divided We Fail. Not only did we give away fun goodies, we also were able to talk to folks about health and financial security and get them fired up about learning about the issues.

It wasn’t just the staff and visitors who we chatted with - even those in the executive branch got involved, including Virginia Department for the Aging’s Ben Garrett.

Blogs in Florida are talking about a new survey that shows AARP members in Florida are far from settled in their candidate preferences, with over half of potential Democratic and Republican voters saying they are likely or very likely to change their minds between now and Election Day based on what the candidates are saying about the issues.

The hot stuff? Health care and financial security. In particular, financial security issues remain a concern for AARP members. More than one in four members cited the economy and jobs as the most-important issue facing the country. Just as interesting is financial security has replaced Iraq as the top issue among AARP members, with the war falling as the top priority by 30 points among potential Democratic voters and 15 points among potential Republican voters since the summer.

New York Times: Justices Add More Cases on Job Discrimination

The employees won a jury trial, but the federal appeals court in New York eventually overturned the verdict on the ground that the employees had failed to carry their burden of showing that the evaluation system was unreasonable. In their Supreme Court appeal, supported by a brief filed by the AARP Foundation, the employees are arguing that the structure of the statute makes clear that the employer must prove reasonableness of an action that would otherwise be prohibited.

Washington Post: Homeowners in Alleged Scam Get Settlement

Many of the homeowners didn't realize or didn't want to accept that their problems could have been solved if they sold their homes. The plaintiffs each had tens of thousands of dollars in equity in their homes. The amounts due on their mortgages ranged from $8,000 to $16,000.

"Each person was attached to their homes," said Jean Constantine-Davis, an AARP lawyer. One plaintiff, Idriis Bilaal, was born in the home he was trying to keep.

Chicago Tribune: A New Deal for a New Economy

These days, middle-class families across America are understandably concerned about the new economy and the prospect that globalization will send their jobs overseas or change their way of life. As they confront these new challenges we need a plan -- a New Deal for the New Economy -- that will address working Americans' concerns and prepare them for the future.

Newsweek: Careful What You Wish For

The numbers are staggering, but no longer shocking: about 47 million Americans are uninsured and millions more struggle to pay expensive health-insurance premiums.

Tonight's debate was certainly the friskiest we've seen so far, but unfortunately not as substantive. Yes, there was some talk about the economy, which was key for voters in South Carolina and Nevada this weekend. With the news of the stock market and a still shaky housing market, people are concerned about the economy. There was even a brief discussion about health care and the need for reform to the system. The candidates even talked about the importance of reforming Social Security for generations to come. This is all good stuff.

But the candidates spent as much time talking about the stuff people care about as they did sniping at each other. The hand to hand combat is part of the problem in Washington, these folks need to instead focus on the solutions. There's still at least three, maybe four debates left, so there's still a chance for these candidates to dig in and get to the things that really matter. We'll be watching.

Today's dispatch from Florida AARP staff member Jeff Johnson, who continues to follow the candidates all over the state:

Martin Luther King Jr.'s holiday weekend appears to be the launch of the Florida Republican primary campaign in earnest. Till now, the only candidate actively campaigning in Florida was New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, and I lost track of how many stops his bus tour has made in the Sunshine state, but we've covered 26 in the last 11 days. Now he has company, and even in our sprawling state, it makes for some interesting intersections. This morning, Divided We Fail volunteers and staff greeted Arizona Senator John McCain at his appearance at the Versailles Restaurant, a venerable hotspot in Little Havana, before sprinting north to Miami Gardens for that town's MLK Day festivities. In Tampa, more than 300 people signed on to Divided We Fail at the Tampa Bay Black Heritage Festival. Giuliani, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and McCain will all be in Jacksonville at some point today, and in Orlando, staff and volunteers have only three blocks to walk between a Romney appearance and a Giuliani one.

Defamer’s on it, so is Showbiz Tonight. Here are some highlights from an interview with Jack Nicholson in the upcoming AARP Magazine…

On falling in love again: “I can’t hit on a girl in public like I used to. I never thought words like undignified would come into my own reflections on myself, but I can’t do it anymore…I feel uncomfortable. I don’t think anybody cares what I do in these areas, but it feels a little bit off to me.”

On Sex at Age 50+:“I’m trying to not eliminate sexuality from over-50 literature. People don’t want to know that Dad or Grandma is over there kootching it up a little bit. These things should be put in balance.”

“Viagra. My initial feeling about it was that this could save marriage. Obviously Till death do us part is in there because someone knew you don’t go through any relationship exactly the same way every day, day after day.”

Check out the full interview online January 24th.

Marketwatch: More employers seeking 50+ workers

AARP is adding three federal government agencies and six private companies to its list of employers looking to hire people 50 and older for a variety of full-time, part-time and seasonal jobs, the group announced Thursday.

USA Today: Reverse mortgages aren't for everyone

"It's a generational shift," says John Rother, policy director at AARP. "Our parents' generation saw the home as a bedrock of security, and it was a good deal to pay off the mortgage and own it free and clear. Many boomers, on the other hand, are treating the home as a financial asset and are using it to borrow against its value."

AP: Nicholson Says He's Looking for Love

"I never minded being a fool for love," the 70-year-old Oscar winner tells AARP The Magazine. "It's nice to have a place to be foolish. Ask any old friend of mine, they'll say, `Jack's pretty smart, but in this area the man is beyond the pale. Don't ask him anything about love. Or if you ask him, don't listen to him.'"

New York Times: Health Care Could Sway Nevadans

But with the Nevada caucuses coming Saturday, little seems to concern people here as much as health care. The state has an unusually high number of people with no insurance, doctors are hard to come by, Medicaid reimbursements are low and health care safety nets are eroding.

It’s January, at least two more months of winter. What’s the best way to pass the time? Movie watching of course! Check out AARP’s Movies for Grownups, a guide to some of the best movies of the year, with some interesting categories. The big winners were The Savages with Laura Linney and Philip Seymour Hoffman for Best Movie for Grownups; Chris Cooper won Best Actor 50 and Over honors for his under-the-radar performance as a CIA spy in Breach; Julie Christie was named Best Actress 50 and Over for her spellbinding turn as an Alzheimer’s stricken woman in Away From Her; and Tony Gilroy was honored as best director for his complex tale of corporate greed, stricken consciences and murder, Michael Clayton.

Check out the entire list, but here's some of the more unusual highlights include:

Best Movie for Grownups Who Refuse to Grow Up: Enchanted: This story of an animated princess stuck in real-life New York city is both cute and cutting edge.

Best Intergenerational Movie: The Namesake: In this cultural portrait, two parents from India raise their children in the suburbs of New York and find that their traditions clash with the U.S. culture. Both sides eventually awaken to a comforting understanding: where we’re from, and where we live, are always trumped by who we are.

Last night, Michael Douglas was on the Late Show with David Letterman, talking about his new role as the announcer as The News with Brian Williams. Check it out here and find out the backstory on the deal, which was forged at Life@50+. Also, Douglas shares with the audience what he learned while in Boston – one in four voters are members of AARP. Thanks for the reminder Michael!

There's a new, interesting website called Big Think that is working to build a discussion online about the issues of the day - the broken health care system, baby boomers, the state of the political system, you name it. They have interviewed a bunch of different folks, including AARP CEO Bill Novelli to talk about this stuff. What is really cool is that the videos are timely, capturing today's issues and offering anyone the opportunity to interact and react. It's an interesting evolution of technology and public discourse, so check it out.

A dispatch from Jason Merritt of AARP Florida. Yesterday he was at Florida Atlantic University, where things are gearing up for next week’s Presidential debates:

Divided We Fail volunteers and those interested in the campaign have used many forms of transportation to get to events; car, bus, train, plane...and now, skateboard? Two Florida Atlantic University students rolled up to a recent informational gathering at the campus Starbucks on skateboards. At the same time, just down the hall, AARP volunteers sat in on policy sessions to discuss health care and social security with students.

It was part of a day of activities with aRock The Vote rally on campus; free food, music, coaches and players from the FAU football team speaking about the importance of voting. We had a table and were collecting pledges and handing out side-by-sides plus CHAMP buttons. It was in their main breezeway with various student organizations and groups each having an informational table.

After a day of talking to 1000 plus students, I was happy not to have to skateboard home.

The New York Times editorial board has an interesting blog posting about one of the ways we can start lowering health care costs. It's a fancy term - comparative effectiveness - but it essentially means giving people the ability to research medical treatments to determine which one gives us more bang for our health care buck.

It's a good idea considering that we already know our costs aren't rising because people are getting older; they're rising because of pricey new technologies and services. Why not find out which of those are really worth the sticker price before we pull out the checkbook?

USA Today: How do you make a lump sum of your life's savings last?

"When you're facing retirement, and you're feeling desperate (because you haven't saved enough), you're more apt to fall for those too-good-to-be-true pitches," says Jean Setzfand, director of financial security for AARP, the advocacy group for those over 50.

USA Today: Will aging boomers lose benefits?

Baby boomers grew up skeptical of authority, so it's hardly surprising that some of them doubt the government will deliver the full Social Security and Medicare benefits it has promised.

Marketwatch: Health care is personal for presidential candi