ShAARP Session: Observations from AARP

There was an interesting piece in the New York Times yesterday from Bob Herbert, talking about the Millennials. Aside from the political conversation, what’s so interesting to me is that Herbert discusses the bleak financial picture for this age group. Combine this with the new research out today from AARP on boomers and the stress they feel about their finances.

Herbert writes:
“The landscape is changing before our eyes. Younger voters struggling with the enormous costs of a college education, or trying to raise families in a bleak employment environment, or using their credit cards to cover everyday expenses like food or energy costs are not much interested in hearing that the government to which they pay taxes can do little or nothing to help them.”

The survey released yesterday found almost 25% of people ages 45-64 are prematurely taking money out of their 401(k)s and other investments. Younger boomers (ages 45-54), in particular, are doing things like postponing paying bills (27%) and even cutting back on medications (17%).

Seems like young and old alike are struggling today, even sometimes with the same challenges – meeting basic needs.

I know many have stopped paying attention and are planning their summer vacations. But West Virginia had a Democratic primary and the exit polls continue the trend we’ve seen nearly everywhere – 50 plus voters are half of those who are showing up. In West Virginia, exit polls have 55 percent of the electorate over 55 50 and 63 percent citing the economy as a key issue. A new question also centers on the recession and 89 percent of those who showed up yesterday said they are impacted by the economic downturn.

Sooo… I hear two things here – it’s the economy and it’s 50 plus voters will show up in the fall.

You may have heard that the presidential candidates are interested in holding joint forums with voters. AARP is offering to host them and have sent a letter out to the campaigns telling them. Why you ask? Because going beyond the partisan differences is important, it’s the only way were going to get anything done. It’s also why AARP formed Divided We Fail with a bunch of different organizations who have all come together agreeing to find common ground.

We’ll keep you posted on all of the candidate’s responses.

New survey out today that says boomers are feeling the pinch of the sluggish economy. 81% of Americans 45 plus say the economy is in fairly bad or very bad condition. Even more upsetting, one in ten is borrowing to pay everyday expenses and more than a third of them are helping their children pay bills.

For boomers (45-64) almost a quarter are prematurely taking money out of their 401(k)s and other investments. For those 65 plus, almost six out of 10 are having a harder time paying for food, gas and medicine.

This is tough news for the state of the economy. But it may be even tougher for politicians. Almost three-in-four (74%) say their elected officials are not doing enough to help people caught in the economic squeeze. Sounds like a warning to me.

We haven’t talked about the stimulus in awhile but since checks are in the mail starting today, I thought we'd start entertaining the possibilities. New summer clothes? A new set of golf clubs? Some bills?

Share your ideas in the comments section here or if you need inspiration, check out this great website and read what other people are doing. A notable post is from Bill and Jackie Nopar in Phoenix, who are spending their stimulus on their prescription drugs. How about you?

Sorry everyone for the light day yesterday. We were all taking part in AARP's Day of Service. I was lucky enough to spend part of my day yesterday at the National Arboretum in Washington DC mulching in their herb garden. We worked until the early afternoon when the rain and the mud just became too much. It was a really rewarding experience. What about you? Who volunteered yesterday and what did you do?

There’s a really neat website called On Day One that gives you the opportunity to tell the next President what to do on his first day in office. People are blogging, commenting, and vloggging about what they’d like to see come January 2009. There are some topics the site already lays out, mostly focused on foreign policy, but a critical health care mass would be a great thing. Check it out.

Tonight's primary showed us more of what we have already seen. And what's that? 50 plus voters turning out to vote and economic issues topping voters' concerns. According to the exit polls, North Carolina saw 55 percent of the electorate over 50 and in Indiana, 49 percent were 50+. The economy dominated as the top issue, with 61 percent in North Carolina and 67 percent in Indiana naming it as a top concern.

Hmmm... haven't we heard this before? Seems that across the nation there are two things that are pretty consistent - half the electorate is over 50 and the top issue is clearly the economy. Let's hope the candidates are paying attention.

Another good one from Lindsay:

We’re not the only ones busting boomer myths. Over at Business Week they’re talking about new research that shows how tech savvy boomers really are …

Contrary to the popular belief that tech entrepreneurs start their companies in their teens or early 20s, we found that the average and median age of founders was 39. Twice as many were older than 50 as were younger than 25. And there were twice as many over 60 as under 20. So, we may read stories about young people starting tech companies, but they're the minority. Most tech entrepreneurs have grey hair and experience.

I’m not surprised – boomers are a vast and varied group who are redefining growing older. Many will continue to work after retirement and a solid majority of them don’t let the years prevent them from using the internet.

Jonathan Martin of Politico recently wrote about Senator McCain and the issue of age, wondering if age impacts who is voting for the candidate. It seems to me like people are more focused on the issues and the media more focused on the superficial fluff. In fact, as recently as April’s Washington Post-ABC News poll, 70 percent of respondents said Senator McCain’s age makes no difference. So there.

Yes, I am preachy. Yes, health care costs have skyrocketed. Yes, Medicare premiums have doubled since 2001. Yes, you need to sign the petition. And yes, you need to check out the new ads for Keep Medicare Fair.

This one is courtesy of my colleague Lindsay Thomson:

Recently we mentioned research that links red wine with a longer life span. The mayor of Lo Prado, Chile took the lifestyle approach to managing your wellbeing one step further: the town is giving free Viagra to eligible citizens 60+ on the premise that "an active sexuality improves the overall quality of life.” It’s an idea, that’s for sure … what do you think?

Recently on ShAARP Session we wrote about the Keep Medicare Fair Campaign. We've had a tremendous response - 200,000 180,000 plus petitions signed and counting. But this isn't just about the numbers, so I thought I'd share with you one of the personal stories we've received.

"I am 70 years old and live on a fixed income of approximately $24,000 a year. I pay just under $2,000 for Medicare and a supplementary insurance plan plus an additional $400-500 for prescription medications. This year, my supplemental insurer has increased the co-payments for medications and deductibles, so my basic cost in the coming year will increase to over $3000. And this is for basic well-care. I worry constantly that I will not be able to afford treatment if I should become seriously ill."

- M.T.

She's not alone in her fears. Hers is just one of many heart wrenching stories - people are suffering because of higher premiums and out-of-pocket expenses. We need to do all that we can to make sure that their voices are being heard. Congress is expected to act on the matter very soon. So what are you waiting for - go sign the petition already!

Today, the LA Times reported that the price of health insurance for people who get coverage through work jumped 30 percent between 2001 and 2005. Thirty percent. And wages were up just 3 percent. While we might want to beat up on insurance companies, there’s a much bigger problem. The cost of health care is out of control. I’ve blogged about how the increases in the cost of health care pales in comparison to the increase in the cost of living. And who pays for it? You and me.

Health care is the theme of the week. Probably one reason is that it is Cover the Uninsured Week. Now why are people uninsured? Lots of reasons – don’t think they need it, don’t think they have access to it, but most important is they can’t afford it.

On the campaign trail, there has been some discussion of the key issue here – the skyrocketing cost of health care. Senator John McCain spoke about it both yesterday and today, emphasizing the role of personal responsibility in health care. No one can dispute the importance of this. In fact, every candidate has a nod to better behaviors (eating less junk, exercising more) in their plans. It’s all good.

But where is this in the national media? Almost nowhere! Instead of the substance focused on the things that impact people’s everyday lives, we are left to tune into the bickering and melodrama that has seemed to envelop the spin cycle. Elizabeth Edwards wrote about it for the New York Times on Sunday, but today we’re still seeing the same old thing play out. Who isn’t sick of it?

From the Huffington Post: Can you believe this? “Harry Lee Hawk” McGinnis is 80 years old and in the process of walking across the world. He walked through the US in the 1980s and then in the early 90s, he began his quest around the world. Currently in Panama City, you can track the Hawk on his website. If this isn’t a testament to the importance of staying active, I am not sure what is.

Here's an update from Florida AARP's Carmel Perez Snyder:

The Champmobile, a boat, big fish and a high-flying dog, all helped Divided We Fail Florida take Charlotte County by land, sea and air this weekend. The CM was a hot bed of activity at the Oh Boy! Oberto Redfish Tournament in Punta Gorda, FL as energetic volunteers played games with kids and helped them color Champ in the newly created Champ Activity Book for kids. While the kids were busy, volunteers talked to parents about Divided We Fail. Others were inside the Champmobile sending emails to candidates or surfing the DWF Web site.

Across the way by the water, DWF volunteers Sam Reams and Chris Folsom battled with some sea-savvy 11-year-olds in the cardboard boat races. The heated battle was captured by the local paper photographer and landed Chris and Sam and the AARP Divided We Fail boat on the front page, above the fold.

DWF also had an entry in the international splash-dog contest. "Alex," a beautiful yellow lab turned out to be a contender for the title in the high-flying competition, leading with a jump of 21 feet five inches. In between his competitions, Alex cooled down by wearing a DWF T-shirt.

Next stop? The Champmobile is on the road this week with two more stops in Port Charlotte today and Tuesday. Then up Interstate 275 to Lakeland for a downtown community event. On May 3, the Champmobile will be in Mascotte, Florida for a Cinco de Mayo celebration.

Interesting read from the San Francisco Chronicle today about the age gaps in the electorate. While the piece talks about the different perspective on age, it digs a little deeper and brings up the issue of socioeconomic status. According to The Numbers from ABC News, it appears that how much you make is a bigger factor than how many years you’ve got. This is a valid point, especially when you consider that key issues like health care and financial security are both connected to your finances. Regardless of age, everyone is concerned about skyrocketing health care cost, but especially those who are struggling the most financially. As for financial security, it’s no different – those who are the most concerned are those who feel least secure today.

The Planning to Retire blog over at US News and World Report peeks at a new report that throws caution to the wind for women when it comes to planning for retirement. According to the report, women are twice as likely to end up in poverty when they are older. Check it out ladies...

America’s suburbs have become a source of learning for foreigner planners, according to a story earlier in the month from USA Today. There are some good things happening in this country, like mixed use development, those nice town centers and easy access to public transportation spots. Unfortunately, they are not everywhere. In too many American suburbs if you don’t drive, you are stuck at home. If our brethren from the rest of the world want a lesson to take home, it should be that suburbs need more travel choices and services close by - especially with men and women outliving their driving years by six and 10 years respectively. This isn’t just for those who are not able to drive, a little exercise never hurt. And if you throw in the price of gas these days, a walk doesn’t sound like a bad idea for just about anyone.

For those of you who are doing your part to stay young, it looks like drinking up just might aid in your efforts. Drugmaker Glaxo Smith Klein is acquiring a company that has been researching the link between a component in red wine and longevity.

Sounds like a good justification for happy hour, but whatever it takes!

As we have seen across the nation, voters 50 plus are a key part of tonight's Democratic race in Pennsylvania. According to exit polls from CNN, 59 percent of those who showed up at the polls were 50 or older. At nearly every state that has held primaries, approximately half of the voters were 50 plus.

The economy continues to dominate, with 55 percent of voters saying it is the issue they are most concerned about. This is consistent with what we have seen with our own members, who are concerned not only about their financial futures, but the financial future of their children and grandchildren.

Clay’s got some competition from Nancy Liatsis of Brooklyn, NY who won AARP Brooklyn’s Senior Idol Contest. Contestants ranged in age from early 50’s to 85, but Liatsis belted out “You Raise Me Up” by Josh Grobin to make her tops in the borough.

n honor of Earth Day, social networking site Boomj has put together a list of Top 10 Green Baby Boomers. The list includes lots of familiar names (Blythe Danner, George Clooney, Bono), but my personal favorite is the owner of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Bob Nutting, who has team scouts using “fuel flex” cars. Happy Earth Day!

Inside E Street, AARP's own TV show, had a chance to talk to all the Presidential campaigns about health care. You can watch the full show online, but what's most interesting is the fundamental difference between the candidates when it comes to how to approach health care.
Here's a highlight:

UPDATE:
Had some YouTube issues, check out videos of each campaign below:

Do you know who Kellie Pickler is? After this week, you probably do. She won the most awards at this week’s Country Music Television awards – three and is a former American Idol star. The reason I mention her is because CMT One Country donates to a charity of the winner’s choice and Kellie has designated the AARP Foundation’s Grandparents program as the beneficiary. Why? Kellie was raised by her grandparents and it’s something she has spoken about frequently as she has claimed the spotlight.

New survey out today from AARP Financial finds that over half of Americans don’t read financial literature because it’s too hard to understand. No kidding. Have you tried to figure this stuff out? I’m with the 73 percent surveyed who said that financial professionals use more jargon than car mechanics.

The unfortunate thing about this is that people may be missing out on opportunities, making investment mistakes, even not sign up for retirement plans at work because of confusion. I can’t solve all your problems, but there are good, easy to understand resources out there, particularly when it comes to planning retirement.

While tonight's debate began as most of the debates so far this election cycle - full of sniping and attacks - the debate finally settled down and we heard some substance. The candidates did talk about financial issues, which are weighing heavily on all Americans. But there was virtually no mention of health care tonight, which is unfortunate

The most interesting portion came when the candidates traded lobs on Social Security. While Senators Clinton and Obama are both concerned about the future of the program, they traded barbs about how to ensure the program is strong for future generations. It was a healthy discussion and it's a good thing to see the candidates willing to discuss a range of options. Getting to solvency is going to take a commitment from everyone.

The most disappointing thing about tonight's debate was that too much time was spent on the accusations and attacks that turn people off from politics. With just seven months left of the election season, it would be nice to see more substance and less fluff. Hopefully that's what we'll get.

Not endorsing this type of behavior, but check out a new video on health care from Senator Ron Wyden. It will give you a laugh AND give you pause when you think about health care…

Check it out from the Today Show:

New report out today that takes on some of the myths about the baby boomers, the 77 million people between the ages of 50 and 65. Full report available from Focalyst, but a quick rundown of my favorite myths:

- Boomers are retiring early. No hanging in the hat for boomers, just 11 percent say they will stop working when they reach retirement.

- Technology is not something boomers fear; 82 percent are using the Internet.

- Boomers are done with the kids. In fact, 37 percent have kids under 18 at home and a third are single.

Interesting and a reminder that the boomers are big, diverse and may not exactly what you thought.

New report out today from the Institute of Medicine that says that today’s workforce will not be prepared to handle the aging population. As an explosion of baby boomers start to age, as well people living longer, there’s going to be a larger and larger need for cargivers. The report recommends increasing pay, but also reaching out and helping to educate those who may not formally work in the caregiving field. For many families, the responsibility may fall on them.

There are some good resources out there right now if you are struggling to care for a family member or loved one, start with AARP's caregiving site.

Update: 5:12 PM: Link to the IOM report.

More Jamie Lee for your enjoyment...

Yes, America is stressed about the single largest source of retirement savings – our homes. This is especially true when too many people are faced with losing them, as we are seeing in today’s fragile economy. The Senate passed housing legislation today that just doesn’t do enough. While there are some good things to help with reverse mortgages in the bill, bankruptcy protections that already apply to some should be available to help all homeowners. This thing still is not over, now the House has its turn to provide relief to homeowners.

Troubling poll numbers on how middle class Americans feel about their lives, according to a new poll out from the Pew Research Center. One-third of those who responded to the poll believe they are worse off than five years ago – the highest number over the last 50 years.

If this isn’t a battle cry for change, I am not sure what is. Let’s just hope people actually hear it.

Feeling secure about personal finances is tough for everyone right now. Home values are dropping, the stock market is volatile, and the price of food and gas keeps rising. One of the ways to dodge the bullet is to plan and be smart about your dough. According to the Wall Street Journal, even Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke is pushing the financial literacy thing. He even thinks financial literacy classes should be required in all high schools before graduation. Not a bad idea, not a bad idea at all.

Elizabeth Edwards, the wife of former Senator John Edwards, has endorsed Senator Hillary Clinton’s health care plan. You may recall that I blogged about her tousle with Senator McCain earlier this week. In announcing her support this morning on Good Morning America, she mentioned the mandates that are included in Clinton’s plan.

Whether you mandate it or not, at least all the candidates (Clinton, McCain and Obama) agree that something needs to be done.

Some of you may have noticed our new layout and design, which is just a start for the new AARP.org. The site relaunches with social networking and daily news from the AARP Bulletin. The new online social network is geared towards the 50 plus folks and has lots of good ways to connect, including more than 500 groups ranging from the Dodgers to dog lovers.

AARP Bulletin Today will offer daily news and exclusive features, including Scam Alert, Save a Buck, Outrage of the Week, Ask the Experts, What I Really Know, Health Discoveries, Myth Busters, Ask Ms. Medicare, and Campaign Watch. That’s not the only thing - the site will also deliver breaking news specifically on 50+ issues, from hundreds of top news sources.

There are 24 million AARP members online (including you), a chunk of the more than 82 million boomers who are out there instant messaging, reading blogs, and even paying bills and downloading movies and music.

Yesterday, Jamie Lee Curtis was on Oprah dishing about being 50 plus and about posing for the AARP Magazine cover. Check it out!

Last week there was talk on the campaign trail about health care with a back and forth between Elizabeth Edwards and McCain advisor Douglas Holtz-Eakin. Now most of this is inside partisan sniping over if Senator McCain’s plan would cover preexisting conditions, but media attention has the McCain folks working on more details on the Senator’s health care plan.

More thinking on health care reform is welcome news, especially when it comes to more specifics. We need to hear more from the candidates on how they can help those with preexisting conditions as well as how they are going to bring skyrocketing health care costs down.

Over at Back in Skinny Jeans, Stephanie marvels at just what Madonna does at nearly 50 (her birthday’s in August). Her new video, Four Minutes (with Justin Timberlake), is worth a look if you want to see the epitome of defying the stereotype. Check out her site to enjoy her moves.

Medicare and Keeping it Fair. I wrote about AARP’s efforts last week and this week. The good news is that you are on it. I hear that we’ve had 160,000 petitions signed, sealed and delivered. Keep it up!

Last week I wrote about Medicare and today I will write about it again. New website launched today where you can call on Congress to keep Medicare fair. This new website is also part of a larger effort that will include advertising, an article in the AARP Bulletin, and action by AARP’s legions of grassroots activists. Join the fun!

I said it last week and I’ll say it again - Jacking up Medicare premiums because Congress has repeatedly failed to fix a flawed system just doesn’t sound very fair. Excessive premium increases could price people on Medicare out of getting the care they need most.

Think Progress today points out some confusion about Senator McCain’s position on Social Security. While in a Wall Street Journal interview a few weeks ago, McCain reiterated his support of private accounts. According to Think Progress, yesterday Senator Lieberman was out denying McCain’s stance. Hmm? Cloudy, I’d say.

I’m always happy to bust myths about technology and the 50-plus set and here’s another one. New studies out today find those who are 65 plus are willing to embrace technology to allow them to age at home. This makes perfect sense, since 90 percent of people want to live at home as long as possible. Technology can monitor a person’s physical condition, dispense medicines, or even provide a social outlet for folks who may be stuck at home.

While there are concerns about cost (as always when it comes to health care), people clearly recognize the value of technology in caregiving. Sounds like a new way to have some peace of mind and grapple with aging family members.

Congress passed an economic stimulus package, but you gotta fill out a tax form. Confused? Check out AARP’s new tool to help with the economic stimulus payment application process. It’s easy and you might even get a few bucks from the feds for doing it.

It’s coming… in June, Congress will decide whether to increase Medicare premiums yet again to cover the cost of paying doctors more. Jacking up Medicare premiums on seniors because Congress has repeatedly failed to fix a flawed system just doesn’t sound very fair.

Since 2000, the monthly premiums people on Medicare pay has more than doubled and most of these folks have no other option for health care coverage. And paying monthly Medicare premiums is just the tip of the iceberg. .. overall skyrocketing health care costs sting people who are on fixed incomes the most. This typically includes those who are receiving Medicare, with the 65 plus population having an average income of just $25,000 a year. Not much when you have to not only pay premiums, but for things like prescription drugs, deductibles, co-payments, hospital visits.

At the end of the day, 44 million Americans rely on Medicare for affordable health coverage. Excessive premium increases could price people on Medicare out of getting the care they need most.

Washington needs to start tackling the core of the problem, the outrageous cost of health care. But in the interim, they shouldn’t put excessive costs onto seniors because of Congress’ failure to act.

It’s early, so I will rain on your parade and get it over with. Yesterday, the Social Security and Medicare Trustees report brought us some not very good news. The Cliff Notes version is that Medicare is facing a tough future, one that's not likely to get any easier if we contine to ignore the elephant in the room: skyrocketing heatlh care costs.
And Social Security also faces a tough outlook. It is a reminder that it’s time for our political leaders to get to work on our nation’s problems. Bottom line, the sooner we tackle these problems, the more feasible the solutions.

People say they are ready for the solution – a new survey out this week by the AFL-CIO on health care says it all. According to U.S. News and World Report:

Among those surveyed, 95 percent said health care in America needed fundamental change or a complete overhaul. Seventy-four percent of 18- to 29-year-olds said health care was a very important election issue, as did 80 percent of 50- to 64-year olds.”

Sounds like pretty much everyone is ready for a change.

Angie’s List, an online tool for consumers to rank painters, plumbers and the like is now creating forums for their users to rank physicians, dentists, pharmacies and health insurers. According to the Indianapolis Star, the founder of the company said this came from customer demand, with nearly three quarters of the website’s customers requesting the information. While Angie’s List is not the only group in the health care ranking business, this new venture is certainly taking a new approach to health care by lumping it in with other types of consumer providers.

Information is power and can help consumers make smarter choices about their health care. That being said, as we all know an experience whether with a doctor or an electrician is certainly a subjective process. Caveat emptor!

There’s been quite the buzz in the blogosphere on Ms. Curtis since Friday, so I thought I would share:

Over at Pink is the New Blog, Trent voices his approval. Va Voom!

Celebrity Mound discusses the pressure women face to look a certain way, regardless of age.

Women’s Voices for Change is grateful that AARP the Magazine is not Penthouse.

Inspiration 365 Days is just that – Inspired!

Bad News - the Supreme Court today declined a request to review a federal rule that would allow employers to reduce or eliminate health benefits for retirees when they reach 65 and become eligible for Medicare. AARP has challenged the rule in lower federal courts, but the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) finalized and published it late last year.

Aside from being age discrimination, the EEOC rule ignores the skyrocketing cost of health care. It shifts costs onto older retirees who often have limited incomes and have been facing higher premiums and out of pocket costs in Medicare. And don’t forget, this just puts further strain on a health care system that is struggling because of exploding costs. Pretty lame.

Concerns about the economy are not just for those 50 plus. Check out this story in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette about how college students see the economy as the top issue facing the country. Students are talking about the price of gas, the price and quality of health care. Sounds familiar? I guess it doesn’t matter where you are in life… we are all feeling the pain. And more importantly, we are all looking for action on these issues from our political leaders.

Check out the cover of this month's AARP the Magazine, which is highlighted in the current issue of People magazine and online at people.com, for the splashy cover of Jamie Lee Curtis. Curtis, who turns 50 later this year, is looking fit and sexy as she dishes on being comfortable in her own skin and embracing aging.

New research out of the Harvard School of Public Health today says just over half of Americans think health care in the U.S. may not be as good as other nations. And when it comes to costs, America received less than stellar grades with just 40 percent of Republicans, 19 percent of Democrats and 22 percent of independents saying the U.S. did better on affordable health care than France, Canada and Britain.

Sounds like some dissatisfaction with the status quo. Now we just need people to actually let their elected officials know about it.

New report out today from Divided We Fail that shows Generations X and Y are thinking about their future financial security – that they are not as prepared for it as they should be and they know it.

In the survey, 86 percent of Gen Xers and Gen Yers know they should be more prepared for a "rainy day," many report that they know more about their iPod (40 percent very knowledgeable) than they do about filing their taxes (26 percent), buying a home (21 percent), investing outside of work (15 percent) and saving for retirement (15 percent). Also, three out of four Gen Xers and Gen Yers said saving for retirement is a personal financial goal, and an overwhelming majority (92 percent) feels that they can achieve their most important financial goals in the next ten years. However, many younger Americans grade themselves poorly when it comes to saving money (42 percent gave themselves a D or F) and investing their money outside the workplace (47 percent gave themselves a D or F).

At least we know what we aren’t doing – it’s the first step towards change, right?

I try to keep up with the activities of our colleagues across the nation and what’s been coming up lately is a number of surveys about health care. A sample for you:

- In New Jersey, 79 percent of those in the state think everyone should have access to affordable quality health care.

- In Iowa, 93 percent think everyone should have access to affordable quality health care.

- In Hawaii, 60 percent of residents believe the state’s health and long term care services are in crisis.

Health care, a problem everywhere.

Divided We Fail is out with new ads on the nation's critical need for health care and financial security. The TV spot highlights a woman injured in a car accident but forced to continue working because health care costs are too high. Check it out below.

The budget process is creeping along in Washington. While this may seem like a snoozer to some, it is pretty important in terms of locking Congress in to spending and/or cutting. To this end, they’ve got to do this thing right. Doing it right means rejecting the deep Medicare and Medicaid cuts proposed by the Administration and moving toward reducing America’s skyrocketing health care bill in both programs.

Bottom line, if Congress is spending our money, they should be spending it on things that matter, like improving health care and financial security for everyone.

As I have for the other primaries, I did a little poking around in the exit polling from Mississippi. Where people are in Mississippi is pretty emblematic of where things are in the other states so far. According to the CNN exit polls, half of the Democratic and over 60 percent of the Republican electorate was over 50. As for issues, the economy continues to dominate, with 55 percent of Democrats and nearly 40 percent of Republicans saying it is the issue they are most concerned about. Health care was also mentioned by almost a quarter of Democrats.

AARP’s issues, as well as 50 plus voters continue to dominate the landscape. It’s a wonder why the candidates are still sniping instead of talking about the issues that people constantly bring up as important to them.

Reuters reports that just one in four Americans are reading political blogs. The big readership, according to the poll is those who are 44 and older, with 26 percent of those over 63 saying they read political blogs. This is right on with what we know about those who are over 50. The 50+ group buys computers at twice the rate of younger consumers. Most of 50+ America has a computer and more than 42 million use the Internet. Boomers learned to use the Internet at work and are extremely savvy when it comes to technology.

See? We know you’re out there.

In the March edition of the AARP Bulletin, there’s an interesting piece about a new website, seniordecision.com that can help you and your loved ones get the skinny on adult day care providers. With recommendations, comments and firsthand accounts (with over 500 reviews available) the site is an interesting resource. Below, check out the founders Rob and Jennifer Liebreich discussing the site.

Drugs ain't getting any cheaper. I know you know this, but there's a report out today by AARP to back up the pain you're feeling. In fact, drug companies have substantially raised prices on 220 brand name prescription drugs most commonly used by people in Medicare Part D since the implementation of the drug benefit four year ago.

Ouch! When you dig in the news is especially grim - the prices of brand name drugs most commonly used by people in Medicare Part D rose by an average of 7.4 percent in 2007 - nearly two and a half times the rate of general inflation. The average cost of drugs to treat chronic conditions (like asthma and diabetes) exploded from $80 per year per prescription in 2002, to $151 in 2007.

Check out the full report. What stinks is that these skyrocketing prices increase the likelihood of higher insurance premiums and the chance that people will fall into Medicare's coverage gap (also known as the donut hole). Everyone needs help with drug costs, which is why it's time for things like importation and speedy introduction of low cost generic drugs.

Last night was a big night in the race for the White House. And where were 50 plus voters? Making up nearly half of the electorate, according to the exit polls. In Texas, 44 percent of Democrats and 51 percent of Republicans were 50 plus. In Ohio, the trend was similar, with 46 percent of Dems and 52 percent of Republicans over 50.

And the issues? Economic issues are dominating with all voters - in Texas, one in three Republicans and half of Democrats cited it as their top issue. Nearly half of voters in Ohio (59 percent of Dems and 42 percent of Republicans) also named economic issues as the topic they are most concerned about.

These issue continue to reign supreme in the hearts and minds of voters. When will the candidates really pay attention?

Seems that our friends over at the National Farmer's Union have a blog. And what are they blogging about? AARP Board President Erik Olsen speaking at the group's annual conference in Las Vegas about Divided We Fail. Check out the posting here.

In today’s Wall Street Journal, there are some excerpts from a recent interview with Senator John McCain. Included in the myriad of questions is one about Social Security. While private accounts don’t really address the problem with Social Security, McCain does bring up a key part of getting to a solution. He said:

“The way I would fix Social Security is to sit down with Republicans and Democrats together at a table, voicing my opposition to tax increases, and sitting down and negotiating a fix to Social Security, which is the only way that Social Security is going to be fixed. That's my solution to the Social Security system.”

McCain (as well as the other candidates) have ideas about how to shore up Social Security, but the good news is that he understands that a real solution is going to mean everyone gets together at the table in order to get something done.

An update from Google on Google Health, their effort to create a product for electronic medical records that’s worth reading about and keeping an eye on. I’ve talked a lot about the benefits of electronic medical records, so read about what the googlers are planning on doing.

The housing crisis has spread like wildfire and for many it can mean losing their homes. It doesn’t end there; the economy is also a victim.

The Senate is gearing up to debate legislation that can help the over half a million people who are facing foreclosure to stay in their homes while they work out a way to pay their loans. The Foreclosure Prevention Act wouldn't let people run off without being responsible. Instead, it would help them to try and save their homes by allowing them to go to court to restructure their loans. Right now, people can restructure loans on vacation homes and yachts - this protection should include a person's home.

Too many people are facing a dire financial situation today. If Congress can give them the opportunity to prevent total disaster, they should. Plain and simple.

Homes are a vital part of retirement security and any opportunity for folks to stay in their homes is an opportunity for a more secure financial future, something we're all trying for.

Divided We Fail (AARP, Business Roundtable, SEIU and NFIB) and WISER are co-sponsoring an event today to examine how women can increase their lifetime financial security. An array of perspectives and solutions ranging from implementing new public policy to rethinking financial planning options will be presented, with panels to include Martha Hamilton of the Washington Post, Mary Beth Franklin of Kiplinger, and folks from a whole range of groups.

This comes on the heels of a new report that shows women are nearly twice as likely to be poor as men as they reach pre-retirement and retirement ages, according to a new report. The Public Policy Institute Report found that variables such as marital status, labor force participation, and health status affect the risk of poverty for women as they age. In fact, the poverty rate in retirement for African-American women is nearly three times the rate for white women. African-American women, even those who are not poor, are only one-third to one-half as likely as white women to have income from assets.

Check out the conference.

It’s not only in America now… AARP’s Global Network is joining with the Canadian Association for the Fifty-Plus (CARP) and Fenacom, an organization headquartered in Rome serving Italy’s aging population to help these groups better meet the needs and interests of their 50 plus populations. All the details are forthcoming, but this could mean a range of AARP endorsed benefits will be available in Canada and Italy. They join Copenhagen-based DaneAge, who joined last year.

Yes, in Ohio the temperatures are freezing. But if the candidates are out, so are AARP volunteers and staff. Across the state, they are bird dogging candidates and talking to people about health and financial security. Some photos from AARP Ohio's Kevin Craiglow, who is currently counting to make sure he still has all 10 fingers and all 10 toes.

The WE Media Conference is happening in Miami today and it looks to be a pretty cool event focusing on how communications in general can impact both economic models and social change.

While there's a bunch of cool panels, one worth looking at is called the Future of Information and Communications Technologies on Health. AARP's Chief Brand Officer, Emilio Pardo, is on the panel and talking about how the stories and pledges all of you have sent in as part of Divided We Fail are an example of how individual voices can contribute to community building and social change in the healthcare arena.

AARP is also in the healthcare tech game with the organization's push for improving health IT. Ultimately, the online universe brings huge opportunities when it comes to policy, action and ideas. The digital world is not only the future, it is an intergenerational medium where knowledge and wisdom can be shared by all.

An interesting piece in Kiplinger’s about the National Federation of Independent Business and Divided We Fail that’s worth checking out. The piece brings up a key argument in the health care reform discussion that cannot be overlooked, which is that even business recognizes there needs to be a change in the way health care is delivered in this country. When Starbucks spends more on health care than on coffee, you know that something’s gotta give.

Another night, another debate. And we're not hearing anything different than we have before. The same argument over the health care plans of Senators Clinton and Obama that we've heard since the first debate in South Carolina 10 months ago. Yawn.

It's amazing that the issues the people are concerned about, health care and financial security, were barely touched upon tonight. The debate covered no new ground and failed to give voters any new information to help them make a decision. The issues were abandoned tonight and instead we heard and saw clips of the candidates on the attack. This type of bickering only deflects from what's really important- how these candidates are prepared to solve the challenges that are plaguing our nation.

I'm all for the candidates to have the opportunity to go on national television to talk about the issues. But come on... talk about the things people care about.

Yesterday, Senator Barack Obama was out on the stump talking about Social Security. It's about time we started hearing about this issue from the candidates, particularly with people so concerned about their financial futures. Reform is important and yesterday the Senator mentioned just one option when it comes to making sure Social Security is around for future generations - raising the payroll tax. There are lots of other ideas out there and with 80 million Americans likely to retire in the next 20 plus years, it seems like a great time to start looking at the ways to make sure that Social Security is around for the next generation.

Solutions will involve answering difficult questions and making tradeoffs, no doubt about it. Whoever is elected in November will have to lead in finding a solution.

Yesterday’s NY Times opined about the Medicare debate. It’s a little in the weeds on the policy front, but they do mention some good ways to help with soaring health care costs across the system: electronic health records and paying doctors for the quality of their care. These ideas are right on because they address the broader issue in the health care system, costs.

What they also mention - forcing high income beneficiaries to pay more for drugs- does not help with the larger issue. Beneficiaries already contributed their fair share through higher payroll and income taxes throughout their lives. To boot, they are paying a second tier of taxes on their Social Security benefits for the Medicare program. And they are already paying more for doctors, with their premiums doubling since 2000. If you’re working past age 65, you may even get hit by this proposal.

Ultimately, the sentiment of the Times is laudable, but trying to lower costs this way is no way to reform healthcare.

I wrote about it yesterday, but U.S. News and World Report has an interesting Q and A on the Supreme Court’s 401(k) ruling from earlier this week. It gives a little more detail about how this impacts consumers, so get smart and check it out.

After watching another debate, the conclusion remains the same... these debates are just not a helpful forum for getting any details from the candidates on the real issues. Health care and financial security were barely mentioned; just one question was asked about financial issues. The candidates themselves brought up health care, or else the issue would have just been left out in the cold tonight.

Where is the commitment to addressing health care? What about doing something about the financial squeeze people are feeling? Don't look to the debates, you won't get any answers.

The papers were all over it today… the Supreme Court’s ruling that will allow employees to sue their retirement plans. But what does this mean for the average person? It means that if the people who we have entrusted our 401(K) plans to are not responsible stewards of our dough, we now have the recourse to sue them. AARP filed a brief in support of the plaintiff in the case, calling the lack of ability to sue a barrier to retirement savings – I mean, who wants to trust their money to someone that is not really accountable.

Some say it will result in more lawsuits, but clearly it is a win for consumers at the highest level.

USA Today was on it early, but AARP is pairing up with musicians of all stripes to promote their upcoming 50th anniversary. This includes priority seating at the upcoming Foreigner concerts (14-cities to be announced in March); exclusive member-only pre-sale events to Ramsey Lewis and the Legends of Jazz (in April); the One Love Gospel Choir Competition (starting in March); and a June concert in Atlanta featuring soul music stars Yolanda Adams, Patti Austin, Shirley Caesar, Chaka Khan, Queen Latifah, Dionne Warwick, CeCe Winans.

Time to get rockin!

AARP today announced it’s 2008 legislative agenda and it includes some important stuff that lawmakers need to work on this year. You can read the whole thing, but I’ll give you the Cliff Notes version. The big thing is modernizing and improving health care and containing costs by supporting things like health IT (including e-prescribing) and greater reliance on evidence-based medicine. Not to be forgotten is strengthening Medicare and Medicaid; expanding health coverage not just for children (SCHIP), but also the 50-64 set; and making prescription drugs more affordable.

Your pocketbook shouldn’t be forgotten either. The focus on the financial side will include getting lawmakers to establish programs in the workplace that help Americans save for retirement, like automatic enrollment in IRA and 401(K) plans and greater use of payroll deduction through the work place. Other things include broader protections for consumers from financial fraud and abuse and improved transportation and housing options for older Americans. On housing issues, protecting funding for federal housing programs and promote more affordable reverse mortgages will take front and center. And don’t forget about working for better utility regulations and more affordable energy.

Phew, that’s a lot of work…

Last night there was another set of primaries/caucuses in the march towards November and as part of my regular commentary, here’s the skinny from the CNN exit polls. There were only exits from Wisconsin (since Washington and Hawaii had caucuses) and again, 50 plus voters were half of the electorate on both the Democratic and Republican side – 51 percent for the Dems and 52 percent for the Republicans. As for issues, Democrats cited the economy tops, with health care coming in second. For Republicans, 41 percent called the economy the most important issue.

Wisconsin is following a what we have seen across the nation – AARP’s top issues continue to dominate the landscape.

Worth a Look: Over the weekend, the Wall Street Journal did a really interesting piece about the 12 people who are changing retirement. AARP’s John Rother was included, but he’s not the only one doing remarkable things. The list includes Professor Joe Coughlin of the MIT Age Lab, who is helping companies find ways to use technology that can help everyone as they age and Dr. Bill Thomas, who has led innovation in nursing homes.

Check out the full piece, but there’s one thing that comes through on all these profiles – these are people who recognize that how we age is changing and their innovations are making life better for all of us.

In the dark of a Friday night before a long weekend, the Administration proposed a non-solution to exploding health care costs – raise premiums on those in Medicare. Unfortunately, this ignores the elephant in the room, the entire health care system needing reform. I’ve written about this a dozen times, but the entire health care system need attention and is the cause for the explosion in Medicare spending.

Before completely dissing the proposal, there is some interesting stuff in the White House’s proposal that are worth a look. Things like electronic medical records and paying doctors for quality, not quantity. These types of measures would be helpful in lowering costs in the entire health care system, not just Medicare.

Enough tiptoeing around the edges; it’s time for a real solution on health care.

Our colleagues at New Jersey AARP are working hard to curtail predatory lending practices, particularly when it comes to annuities. Instead of me explaining it, check out the video below courtesy of bluejersey.com.

Over the next few days, Tammy Gordon will be filling in to give you the latest and greatest on all things AARP. Be sure to check back often to read her posts. As for me, I am off to warmer climates.

Last night, the Senate addressed something I know concerns all of you – the sluggish economy. It is continually cited as people’s top concern, regardless of party affiliation. They did it by passing an economic stimulus bill that is fair and timely and includes help for those who need it, including the 20 million Americans who receive Social Security. And all of were a part of making it happen. Over 200,000 emails, faxes, and calls came into members of Congress to ask them to do it. Check one off for the people.

It couldn’t have happened without a little bipartisan cooperation. A unusual but welcomed thing in Washington. Maybe a sign of more to come?

Yes, I’ve written about it before. And yes, I am going to talk about it again – Medicare and Medicaid. Our growing fiscal stress is not really about the coming retirement of the baby boomers, but the ever exploding cost of health care for everyone. Check out the graphic below, courtesy of the Congressional Budget Office. Thanks to Ezra Klein, who wrote about it here.

How can Washington solve this? Tackle the skyrocketing cost of health care for everyone.

Variety’s talking about it, so we should too. AARP The Magazine held their 7th Annual Movies for Grownups Awards this week, taking home the coveted La Chaise d'Or (the Golden Chair), a trophy in the shape of a vintage theater chair. The awards honors those in the 50+ crowd that are continuing to engage grownup audiences challenging topics, thoughtful new approaches and sterling work by actors, actresses, directors and writers age 50+, all at the top of their game.

John Cleese and Dana Delany were the hosts for the evening and in true John Cleese form he made a joke out of Dana Delany being a last minute substitute for Jamie Lee Curtis who was sick with the flu. Winner Ruby Dee won for Best Supporting Actress over 50 for her performance in American Gangster. After a standing ovation, she had this to say, "I'm so happy this organization exists and this magazine exists. I'm so happy to join the ranks of folks who are no longer retired. I'm trying to form this army of the elders. Get motorized wheel-chairs and medications and hit the world, go up and down Congress, on the internet-worldwide seniors on the march. We'll make a difference. We're gonna put on our gloves and get going. Retirement...ha...what's that?"

Hal Holbrook accepted the Lifetime Achievement award from his wife, Dixie Carter (who presented him with the award) read a heartfelt letter written by his colleague, Robert Redford. Robert said that Hal has integrity, stamina, intelligence, humor and talent - all characteristics that make him "uniquely American." In his acceptance speech Hal said receiving the award was one of the "most awesome moments" of his life.

I have been digging around the exit polls this morning/afternoon and there’s a couple of interesting trends worth highlighting.

50+ voters continue to make up nearly half of the electorate in Super Tuesday states. In Alabama, California, Missouri and Tennessee, roughly half the voters were 50 plus. In Arizona and New Mexico, over 60 percent of the electorate was part of the age group. Also the economy dominates, even across party lines, with anywhere from a third to one-half of voters in primary states calling it the most important issue. Health care is a significant issue among Democrats, with as much as a quarter of Democratic voters calling it the issue they are most concerned about.

Yes, there is collective nail biting across America tonight as we all watch the primary results roll in. There are some exit polls coming out tonight that give us a sense of what the electorate looks like. And we know, as expected, that folks are overwhelmingly concerned about economic issues and nearly half of the voters are 50 plus. A smattering of results:

In New York, 52 percent of the Democrats and 58 percent of the Republicans were 50 plus. In both primaries, over 40 percent of folks cited the economy as the issue they were most concerned about.

In Arizona, over 70 percent of the electorate in both primaries was 45 and over. The economy was a key issue for half of the Democrats and nearly a third of Republicans.

Illinois followed the path, with nearly half the Democratic voters and over half of the Republican voters in the 50 plus group. The economy also dominated, with 42 percent of Republicans and half of Democrats calling it the issue they are most concerned about.

Doesn't three make a trend?

Today, millions of Americans will hit the polls to decide who should represent their party in the upcoming Presidential election. One thing we know about the electorate is that as many as half of them could be over the age of 50. In 2006, about half of those who went to the polls were 50+. So far in the primary season, we’ve seen:

- In the Republican primary in Michigan, half the voters were 50+.

- In South Carolina, just over half the Democratic voters were 50 plus; and for the Republicans, nearly 70 percent of voters fell into the age group.

- 61 percent of the Democratic voters in Florida were 50 plus and 65 percent of the Republicans were over 50 too.

The bottom line is that the 50 plus vote will be big today, of this there can be no doubt. Our research shows they are interested in hearing about health care and financial security. We’ll be watching and blogging through the night about 50 plus voters.

I’ve blogged about the stimulus before, but here’s an update… a new poll out today by AARP finds an overwhelming majority of Americans (90%) think the government must ensure that those who rely on Social Security are included in any stimulus rebate package, even if they are divided on whether a rebate plan would effectively stimulate the economy (52% v 48%).

Sounds like the American public is saying if you are going to do this, it should be fair. Who can argue with fair? The proposed Senate plan (Baucus-Grassley) would provide rebates to most Americans, including approximately 20 million Americans that depend primarily on Social Security for retirement income.

We’ll be watching the vote as it unfolds, so stay tuned.

The White House's proposed federal budget came out today and it isn't pretty. Among the ugliness is a proposed $200 billion cut to Medicare and Medicaid over the next ten years that just ignores the real reasons for skyrocketing healthcare costs and instead passes along higher out-of-pocket costs and potentially fewer services. Another painful cut comes in the $570 million slashed from heating and energy assistance, which would leave one million low income households out in the cold.

One ray of sunshine is some additional Social Security Administration funding, which is a needed first step toward eliminating the disability backlogs and improving service. But overall, this thing needs a rehaul. Thankfully, this is the first step in the budget process and Congress has the opportunity to do a better job.

Here's an update from Pat Jones from AARP Arkansas where they have a mini Super Tuesday campaign going and they are bird dogging the candidates.

AARP volunteers in red shirts holding up red and white Divided We Fail signs were hard to miss amidst a sea of Clinton campaign signs at the Hillary Clinton campaign event last week at North Little Rock High School in Arkansas.

Introduced by the state's three Democratic congressmen and Governor Mike Beebe, the senator spoke for about an hour to the audience of 2,500 supporters and students. She shared her thoughts on making health care affordable for all, and to improve financial security for all Americans. And she also promised not to privatize Social Security.

And the red shirts saw and heard it all!

Nearly half of the women at the focus group today think that the candidates have not addressed health care or financial security adequately. Also, 54 percent of them do not have 401k or similar retirement savings. No wonder economic issues have been tops in the early primary states.

Here's some interesting poll numbers from an iVillage and AARP poll about women and politics:

* Over 20 percent of women believe the economic issues are the most important facing our country
* More than 80 percent of women agree that there are some goods things in our health care system, but fundamental changes are needed to make it work better
* Half of women are concerned about having enough money to live on later in life

Sounds like health and financial issues are weighing pretty heavily on women..

Right now, live from LA there's a webcast with a diverse focus group of hundreds of women interacting in real time on a discussion of issues with panelist including Ron Brownstein, Political Columnist, Los Angeles Times; Frank Luntz, Political Consultant and Pollster; Donna Addkinson, Political Consultant and Pollster; Paula Madison, Executive Vice President, Diversity, NBC Universal and Nancy LeaMond: AARP Group Executive Officer and Director of the Divided We Fail initiative.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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?

I try to keep up with the important birthdays and today’s a big one… the Smurfs turn 50! Yes, the lovable blue cartoon characters are now eligible for membership in AARP. Although you have to wonder Papa Smurf’s real age.

Some new research coming from both ends of the political spectrum point out that the American health care system is broken. The Urban Institute has a new report that says 27,000 Americans died in 2006 because they didn't have health insurance. Meanwhile, The Commonwealth Fund is reporting the U.S.---which spends more on health care than any other nation---ranks dead last in preventing avoidable deaths among the industrialized world. We're spending more and people are getting less. If researchers on both sides agree isn’t it time we see some action from the politicians?

More fun from Stepheni Schlinker, Associate State Director for Communications for AARP Michigan:

Nearly 2,000 Lansing, MI-area residents packed the Big Ten Room of The Kellogg Center on the campus of Michigan State University to listen to presidential hopeful Sen. John McCain speak at a rally on Sunday, January 13.

Among the attendees were 15 Divided We Fail volunteers, including five members of the MSU Democrats, who graciously offered their time to help promote the Divided We Fail campaign by wearing red Divided We Fail tee shirts and carrying Divided We Fail signs.

The rally kicked off with a short speech from Cindy McCain. On stage, behind Cindy McCain, sat a large group of sorority sisters from MSU’s Kappa Alpha Theta chapter. They were asked to be on stage for the event because Cindy McCain was a member of the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority when she attended University of Southern California.

McCain spent most of his time talking about Michigan’s lagging economy and the need for alternative energy. He said he believes Michigan can lead the way in green technology and helping the United States reduce its dependence on foreign oil. Additionally, McCain he would support community-college based training programs for Michigan’s many displaced workers.

“We are going to give them another chance,” McCain said. “We are going to be what America is all about and give them the education and training not to go back to an old job, but to come back for a new job and one that will earn them more money and be more satisfying and will contribute to the challenges that this nation faces.”

The DWF volunteers at the event could be seen in several different shots on the 11 p.m. local news in Lansing on all of the major networks – ABC, FOX, CBS and NBC. Overall it was a great showing for Divided We Fail.

In Michigan, AARP Associate State Director Stepheni Schlinker, is criss-crossing the state tracking the Presidential candidates. Here's her weekend dispatch:

Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee spent several hours in Grand Rapids, MI on Saturday, January 12, starting the day at 8 a.m. with a prayer breakfast with about 100 pastors at the Amway Grand Hotel, focusing on social issues. Immediately following the prayer breakfast, also at the Amway Grand Hotel, Huckabee told a crowd of approximately 600 people about his modest upbringing in Hope, AK and about his father, who held two jobs to support their family. Several Divided We Fail volunteers attended the rally.

“I understand the workers in this state,” Huckabee said. “I can see the fear in their eyes. They know that any day could be the day when they are told their jobs are headed to Mexico or the Middle East, and when that happens they will wonder how they are going to put food on the table.”

He also talked about industries building tanks and planes during World War II, pointing out President Franklin D. Roosevelt referred to the state as “the arsenal of democracy.”

"Michigan helped save America, and now, America needs to help save Michigan,” he said.

Huckabee told the crowd that if he were elected president Michigan would get help from training programs for displaced workers and fair-trade policies protecting employers and consumers.

He closed the rally by picking up a bass guitar and joining students from the Belding, MI High School jazz band to play “Mustang Sally,” reportedly one of Huckabee’s favorite songs.

I have written about reverse mortgages before, but with folks so anxious about the economy, I thought it might be a good opportunity to mention it again. Below is an excellent piece from NBC Nightly News with AARP Foundation President Robin Talbert on the basic ins and outs of reverse mortgages. Bottom line, be wise, read the fine print and talk to someone with knowledge about reverse mortgages before moving forward. For the full scoop, check out AARP’s website.

An interesting press release from the Lt. Governor in South Carolina about next weekend’s primary. What does he say about voters who are 65 plus? That they will be key to whatever happens. Also, he makes a nice plug for the recent AARP survey in South Carolina that showed 8 in 10 Republican voters 50 plus are undecided about who they will support in the upcoming South Carolina primary next week. Also worth mentioning here that 61 percent of Democrats are also still undecided.

Last time I checked, things were pretty tight. Probably worth talking about what folks are concerned about. And what did the recent poll say on this? About nine in ten AARP members surveyed say the issue of health care will be important in making their decision about who to vote for (96 percent of Democrats and 88 percent of Republicans), and virtually all of them say that issues related to financial security such as Social Security, incentives for savings and investment and pension protection will be important to their voting decision (97 percent of Democrats and 94 percent of Republicans).

I know everyone is tired after staying up late for the election returns over the last few days, but a little p.s. on what has been happening in Iowa and New Hampshire. AARP, its members and the issues that are so important to them have been a big part of the action. The 50-plus bloc remains a force in this election, especially on the most important issues regarding health care and financial security. In Iowa, 60 percent of Dem caucus goers and more than 70 percent of GOP caucus attendees were baby boomers and older. In New Hampshire, nearly half of all votes were cast by someone 50-plus.

It’s not just the boomers who are breaking records. Younger voters are turning out, and in record numbers. Their concerns seem to be the concerns shared by people over 50: health care and financial security. In fact, one IA entrance poll showed that GOP caucus goers under 25-years old were more concerned about the economy than the rest of the Republican caucus goers (33 percent of under-25s listed it as most important compared to 26 percent of all other GOP caucus goers).

The record turnout by all ages shows the importance of these elections and how much all Americans want change, regardless of age; especially when that change will come to the benefit of all generations. Look, if the gridlock of Washington is going to be broken, that change is not only going to come from Democrats and Republicans getting together, but also from older people and younger people coming together for common goals.

If we’re going to solve our health care crisis or address financial security issues then Washington’s going to need a change. The good news is it looks like a whole lot of people also think so.

The Center for Medicare Services released a report yesterday (and the Wall Street Journal blogged about it today) which found health care costs growing at a slightly slower rate. It also showed, however, that increases in health care spending are still outpacing both economic growth and general inflation. For the average person, this means health care is less and less affordable.

We can’t ignore the good news in the report : that the new Medicare Part D drug benefit has begun to lower out-of-pocket spending on prescriptions and greater use of generics is also helping to keep costs in check. But it is time to really restrain health care spending system wide with things like adoption of legislation establishing a national health IT system, and beginning to pay for high quality health care services, not just the number of services provided.

Until Washington is prepared to dive in and really address the issue of out of control health costs, we’ll be lucky to see any future small victories like this one.

All the cool kids are...

I’m not even in New Hampshire and even I’ve heard it… “Your signs are everywhere”. By this, I mean Divided We Fail signs. So, for those of you in warmer locales, a little taste of what you’re missing.

AARP has a team of folks in New Hampshire leading up to primary day tomorrow and they are attending candidate events all over the state – Nashua, Manchester, Keane, you name it. But sometimes it is the less direct education that can have an impact.

The team came up with these cool coasters that they have been handing out to the candidates. They have clever sayings like, "A Republican and a Democrat walk into a bar to discuss health care. This shouldn't be a joke." On Saturday, they took it a step further. While chatting up reporters at New Hampshire’s notorious Wayfarer Inn, they stumbled upon an even better idea – they left our Champ coasters at the bar. The bartender said she'd be glad to use the "Champsters" (that's Champ and coasters - get it?!) when serving the media folks.

Influence any way you can, I say!

Today, the universe is focused on Iowa, but the next stop on the way to November 2008 is New Hampshire. And what’s happening in New Hampshire besides watching Iowa? They are being besieged by lots of campaigns and not just the candidate kind. And Boston Globe’s online political guru James Pindell tells the Hippo Press, “There’s such a [glut] of them now. I don’t think they’ve had much effect or any effect on the race, with the exception of AARP’s ‘Divided We Fail,’ They were able to bring the candidates to them instead of going to the campaigns,” he said. “A smart organization is one that figures out the new model.”

Not bad, not bad at all.

An interesting story today from WCBS on just how far companies are prepared to go to get their employees to drop a couple of pounds and save them some dough on health premiums- pay ‘em a couple of hundred bucks to do it. It’s an interesting idea and a great example of how everyone can do their part to lower health care costs. And besides, someone paying you to stay on your diet isn’t a bad incentive.

Over the next week, blogging may be lighter than usual due to the holidays. But, we will have a guest blogger who is covering the Iowa caucuses. Mark Fetterhoff, who works with AARP Iowa as part of Divided We Fail will be giving all of you the highlights of the Iowa caucuses. Look to Mark for some of the fun and games unfolding in Iowa.

The green thing is not just for kids. As Ray mentioned below, USA Today picks up a new report out from AARP Services and Focalyst on boomers and how social consciousness is alive and kicking when it comes to how they spend their money. According to the survey results 40-million boomers vote with their wallets and buy environmentally safe brands. Referred to as “Green Boomers,” this large segment is often more demanding of quality in the products and services they buy, more attuned to advertising, both positively and negatively, and exhibit higher brand loyalty than other boomers.

Good to know if you are thinking about last minute holiday gifts.

Last night, AARP was lucky enough to sponsor a reception and movie screening of The Bucket List starring Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson to benefit Plan!t Now formally known as The Grenada Relief Fund. Check out some fun video from the event.

In case you didn’t know, Plan!t Now is a charity that Freeman works closely with. It is working in the US and other countries’ coastal regions as well as the people of the Caribbean islands to provide companies, groups and individuals in these areas with unique information that will assist them in protecting their homes and businesses, and upgrading for the sake of preparedness before severe storms and hurricanes hit.

Wow has Congress has missed the boat on health care this year! The package of Medicare improvements winding its way through the Senate only helps Congress get out of town. Instead of taking the opportunity to help Medicare beneficiaries by keeping premiums affordable or permanently fixing the payment cuts that could drive doctors out of Medicare, they punted.

How many times have we seen this? It's time for real action and answers on these important issues. This is the stuff that affects all of us.

This weekend was a big one for health care along the campaign trail: Senator Clinton in New Hampshire getting asked lots of questions, Governor Romney on television talking about the issue of mandates in health care, and Senator Obama and former Senator Edwards sparring over their health care proposals.

It’s good that there’s talk, but it is also time for action. After the Children’s Health Insurance Program was vetoed again last week, it begs the question about how serious politicians are about actually doing something when it comes to health care. Guess the season for determining that is upon us.

Here’s a dispatch from my colleague, Jamie Bulen in New Hampshire from an AARP event where Governor Richardson spoke to some members:

“Media today included a fifth grade reporter and two videographers - accompanied by their principal – from Beaver Meadow Elementary School. What a hoot. They were reporting for Scholastic News and were able to ask questions of the Governor before the event started. The two things that interested them: (!) Why should my parents vote for you? (2) What was the most important thing you learned in 5th grade. Cool!

"I had to help some folks so I only heard a bit of the Governor’s response, but he talked about a 5th grade teacher that really pushed him to succeed.”

They certainly learn young these days, don’t they?

A lot is happening in New Hampshire too. The entire Congressional delegation, the Governor, Executive Council and all 24 members of the State Senate have all committed to working to make health and financial security a priority. This is good news considering that a new poll of AARP members in New Hampshire shows that over 60 percent of those who say they plan to vote in the primary consider financial security an important issues and concerns about healthcare continue to climb.

You can join these elected officials by signing the pledge.

An article in the Washington Post this week highlights the perfect holiday gift…. A gift card for health care. Unfortunately, you can't gift your way to decent health.

Check out the latest from us on the Huffington Post.

Check it out... Perez Hilton talks about how cool Divided We Fail is.

While there is still a lot of concern and talk about mortgages overall, there’s another side of the mortgage market that folks should be aware of – the reverse mortgage market.

What’s a reverse mortgage? It’s complicated, but it’s a loan available to those 62 and over that does not have to be paid back for as long as the person lives there. Because there are no monthly payments, the amount owed grows larger over time. As the debt grows larger, the amount of cash that would be available after selling and paying off the loan (the equity) generally grows smaller.

The Senate Aging Committee is examining this issue today, as is a new AARP report that is fresh off the presses. Two things of note from the study: Use of reverse mortgages is growing; over the last seven years, the number has grown nearly threefold. Also, while reverse mortgages can be a promising way to help those who are 62 and over, there are still concerns about high costs and abusive marketing practices.

In these uncertain economic times, it is important for folks to read the fine print and learn the right and wrong reasons to get (and spend) a reverse mortgage. Also, you should talk to someone who knows about this stuff and you can trust before you make any decisions. Check out some good advice on reverse mortgages before you make any decisions for yourself or your parents.

Mr. Orszag (head of the Congressional Budget Office) in the Wall Street Journal brings us today’s ah ha moment “…we have to pay even more attention to the health-care costs that exert the dominant influence on our fiscal future.” It’s worth checking out the whole piece, where Orszag reminds us that our growing fiscal concerns are not really about the coming retirement of the baby boomers, but the ever exploding cost of health care. He also makes the important point that it is not a Medicare or Medicaid problem – the challenges in health care are system wide and reform is needed to ensure our nation’s long term fiscal health.

Ah ha!

It’s not a bad thing to be either and it looks like, according to a new Harris poll, that AARP is both. Eighty-five percent of people have heard of AARP and 83 percent cited it as a trusted organization. Not too shabby.

I mentioned Martina last week, but today there is a great column by LZ Granderson over at ESPN about her and her new relationship with AARP. Check it out. My favorite line is a reminder that growing old has nothing to do with age anymore. Ain’t that the truth!

With just three weeks until Iowa’s first-in-the-nation caucuses, Iowa AARP members of both political parties say they are following the campaign closely, but like many polls, they are not yet settled on their candidate preferences. It’s gonna come down to the wire.

Full survey here, but some interesting tidbits:

The survey also asked AARP members their opinion on how well the candidates are addressing the Divided We Fail issues of health and financial security. Member responses show that only five candidates are rated as addressing financial security at least somewhat well by 50% or more, and six are rated as addressing health care very or somewhat well by half or more.

When asked to name which candidate respondents feel has best addressed financial security issues, Gov. Mitt Romney came in at 15 percent and Gov. Mike Huckabee 7 percent. On the Democratic side, Sen. John Edwards was cited by 14 percent, Sen. Hillary Clinton by 14 percent and Sen. Barrack Obama by 10 percent. A majority in both parties say they still do not know enough about the candidates' positions to make a judgment - 61 percent of Republicans and 52 percent of Democrats.

When asked to name which candidate respondents feel has best addressed health care issues, Romney was cited by 15 percent and Huckabee by 9 percent. For the Democrats, Clinton was mentioned by 27 percent, Edwards by 22 percent and Obama by 8 percent. A majority of Republicans, 58 percent, and a plurality of Democrats, 31 percent, say they do not know enough about their party's candidates' position to say.

Sounds to me like some folks still have some work to do…

Ray mentioned it below, but there was a really interesting story in this weekend's Washington Post about people over 65 who have no access to transportation. I don’t expect this is a problem limited to the Washington area. In fact, 20 percent of Americans over 65 are living like this. And I can’t imagine with the demographic shift that this number is going to get any smaller or that most of us are not going to face a parent or loved one in this situation. After all, 70 percent of Americans are living in the suburbs today.

What can be done? A couple of ideas:

- There are a host of interesting non-profit organizations that allow people to bank time while they are able to drive, so they can earn credits toward rides in the future, or even other things. Check ‘em out here .

- Build communities where lots of amenities are close by. Some good examples are Arlington's Ballston neighborhood; Burlington, Vermont and even Traverse City, Michigan.

- Provide people choices when it comes to transportation. Buses and subways can go a long way.

As with most problems, this one will only get bigger and more expensive to solve, so hopefully we will see more innovation and good ideas before it gets out of hand.

Lots of talk on the blogs about the mortgage situation and now today’s announcement from the President. Left, right, you name it – everyone is concerned.

A sampling for your enjoyment this afternoon:

Red State gives us the lay of the land; and

Eschaton on what the mortgage rate freeze plan will do.

Often, home ownership is a key part of financial planning for the future – this is something we aren’t hearing enough about. If we can’t afford our homes, how are we ever going to be able to stop working and start enjoying our lives?

As promised, some video from AARP The Magazine’s Inspire Awards. No picking favorites here, but a sampling of the winners below. See them all by clicking here.

Some pictures from our colleagues in Iowa, who yesterday kicked off a multi-city bus tour across the state delivering copies of "In Their Own Words", AARP's presidential candidate side-by-side booklet.

AARP has a new health and fitness ambassador, someone with exceptional expertise when it comes to leading a healthy and active lifestyle. Guess who it is. Here’s a hint – just six weeks before she turned 50, she won the mixed doubles at the US Open.

Give up? It’s tennis great Martina Navratilova! Martina will be engaging with our members throughout the year, talking to them about what she knows best – how to lead a healthy and active life. I hear there is more to come in the coming year, so stayed tuned.

The news today in America is a stark reminder of where we are as a nation when it comes to our health care – it’s pretty bad. Twenty percent of Americans cannot afford their health care according to a new Center for Disease Control report. Government cannot seem to get its act together when it comes to covering kids. And the National Federation of Independent Business Foundation is out today with a report linking a decline in employer sponsored health insurance to new small-business owners. Why? Because they fear rising costs will force them to take benefits away from employees.

People can’t afford it, government can’t afford it, business can’t afford it. It’s time for a change, it’s time for those who want to lead to talk about how they are going to help people.

There’s another debate today and while it is only one half of the field, it is certainly time for these folks to talk about health care and how they are going to solve this crisis. We haven’t heard enough on these issues in the past. It’s time for candidates to step up and talk about the issues our members and all Americans care about – how to help with exploding health care costs.

What’s here you ask? A key resource as 2008 comes upon us…. “In Their Own Words”, a comprehensive online tool that can help provide AARP’s nearly 25 million households with the information they need about the candidates positions on health and financial security.

This won’t just exist in the virtual universe. During the first few weeks of December, Iowa AARP members who are likely Iowa caucus voters will receive a mailing that includes the candidates’ positions on six health care and financial security principles. Over the coming weeks, these same mailings will reach likely primary and caucus voters in New Hampshire, South Carolina, Nevada and Florida.

In addition, the December issue of AARP Bulletin—which reaches 23.5 million households November 30—includes a side-by-side look at the presidential candidates’ positions on affordable health care.

Check it out!

Just a taste of what AARP members and elected officials are saying and doing when it comes to Divided We Fail and health and financial security:

In Texas, people concerned about the cost of their health care are signing the Divided We Fail pledge.

In Missouri and Ohio (see below), prominent elected officials are signing the pledge.

What about you? Click here to join them.

OH Gov. Ted Strickland reading the pledge (which he signed) and AARP Ohio President Joanne Limbach at the Governor’s Conference on Aging on November 28, 2007.

There has been some past opining about holiday fears, so I don’t want to continue to scare folks. BUT… you are out there spending and out there using your credit cards, so a reminder to be careful about identity theft. A recent AARP study found that 80 plus percent of those 50 and over are concerned about becoming a victim of identity theft, but just a third had ever read or heard about a security freeze.

One thing you can do is take advantage of a security freeze, which can stop identity thieves from fraudulently opening new lines of credit and bank accounts. More info here, but basically it requires the three consumer reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) to block access to a consumer's credit information and score without the consumer's express consent or authorization.

Last night’s debate is a hot topic this morning on blogs of all stripes for all sorts of reasons (see here and here). But one glaring hole in last night’s discussion was the complete lack of health care questions. Is it possible that no one asked a health care question? That is hard to believe. Did the organizers think that folks are not concerned about their health care? That is even harder to believe. When we poll our members, we consistently see that health care (and financial security) consistently rank as the nation’s top domestic concerns.

A lost opportunity? You bet. These debates should be about the pocketbook issues the majority of Americans care about--not just special interests of a small group of folks. Last night was a lot lacking in that department. This was a shot for both CNN and the candidates to address the number one issue for voters and more specifically, 50 plus voters. And in the last election, one in four voters was an AARP member.

The word is out… AARP The Magazine has announced their 2008 Inspire Awards, which pay tribute to 10 extraordinary people whose contributions inspire others to action through their innovative thinking, passion and perseverance.

Lotsa big names being honored this year, including Caroline Kennedy (Community Service Advocate), Gary Sinise (Fundraiser for Operation Iraqi Children), Gladys Knight (Champion for Diabetes Research), Barbara Morgan (Courageous Educator), Liviu Librescu (Virginia Tech Hero), Helen Thomas (Trailblazing Journalist), Cynthia Kenyon (Pioneer in Longevity Research), Ed Boyer (Founder of Air Transportation Aid), Roslyn Hill (Leader of Neighborhood Revitalization), and Pete Garcia (Affordable Housing Advocate).

Full details here. There’s a big fancy lunch on Monday in New York at the New York Public Library, we’ll be sure to get some pictures for you all to enjoy!

There’s an interesting new poll today out of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, sponsored by AARP, giving the pulse of African American voters just a month out of the primaries.

Two things worth noting:

Respondents named Senator Hillary Clinton over Senator Barack Obama as having the best position of the Democratic candidates on two important issues – affordable health care (47.3 percent to 18.7 percent) and strengthening Social Security (41 percent to 18.6 percent).

Among African American Republicans polled, former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani had the favored positions on Social Security (28 percent) and healthcare (25 percent). Senator John McCain ranks a distant second to Giuliani on Social Security and former Senator Fred Thompson ranks a distant second on health care.

Check out a wonderful editorial/blog posting from Brad Warthen, an editorial writer from South Carolina’s The State. Brad recalls not only the misery of a doctor’s visit (who hasn’t endured that one), but more importantly, the need for serious reform in the health care system.

We are featured again the Huffington Post. Check it out here.

The blogs, as well as the mainstream media, have been chatting about Social Security over the past few days mostly as a result of this column from Ruth Marcus and blog response from Paul Krugman, as well as this AP story. A sampling for your pleasure:

Heading Right's take on Krugman v. Marcus;

Clive Crook of the Atlantic, also serving as a referee; and

My DD on the language of Social Security.

There is no crisis, but Social Security needs to be there for the next generations. And this may mean tough choices that everyone should be prepared to make. Some of us are ready, now it’s time for our elected leaders to get on board.

Many of you may be part of the sandwich generation, which includes over 8 million people who are caring for aging parents at the same time as caring for young children. Yesterday, the Today Show did a great report about those who are feeling the squeeze. I blogged about the recent AARP study last week that shows only 40 percent of women have begun to plan for their parents future. I said it before and I’ll say it again… get a plan, have the conversation. You are going to see your mother, father, grandfather, aunt or someone you love over the next few days, so take a minute and ask them how they want to live as they age. And don’t eat too much!

‘Sandwich generation’ caught in middle

For those of you reading that are Medicare recipients (and just to clarify, 13 million of our members ARE boomers), November 15 began the period of open enrollment for Medicare Part D. This means it is time to get smart and choose a plan that works for you. Research shows that people are satisfied with their plans and in order to remain so, folks need to really consider what they need before they choose a plan and make a decision based on what they need.

AARP has a pretty comprehensive list of tips here and the feds do a pretty good job here with a good comparison chart. Check it out and get smart!

Just in case you haven't seen it, AARP is featured in the Huffington Post today. Check it out!

Blogland is talking about the mortgage lending mess (here, here and here) that we are facing in this country and the need for reform in the biz. There is legislation make its’ way through the House with an expected vote tomorrow that would help. It is not perfect – is legislation ever perfect? But, it would bring some fairness and transparency to the mortgage lending industry. There are some forces that are looking to use this opportunity to eliminate even better and stronger consumer protection laws at the state level, which would hurt would be homeowners in those states.

Congress should beat back proposals to water down H.R. 3915 and this bill should move things forward, not backwards. We’ll watch tomorrow and see if they do the right thing. The status quo is untenable for America’s families, hopefully our leaders will make the right move on this one.

Tomorrow, business leaders, unions and AARP are having a roundtable discussion about hybrid pensions plans. What is a hybrid pension plan? I wondered too, which is why I poked around for you. A good background from the BBC here but the short version is that it is an interesting cross breed between a defined benefit pension and a 401k. Sounds like an interesting idea for those who may not have a chance to save for retirement at work - the risks are shared and there is an element of personal responsibility and planning.

Hear more about it tomorrow at 9 am by clicking here. It looks like there are some interesting people attending, including folks from Honeywell and Eaton, two companies who are actually doing this. Enjoy!

The big story today on health care is a new Congressional Budget Office report about the long-term outlook for health care spending. What do the wise ones over at CBO tell us? That health care costs are skyrocketing (I am actually on hold with the insurance company right now) and costing not just the government, but business too much money. Taken directly from the report:

“The main message of this study is that, without changes in federal law, federal spending on Medicare and Medicaid is on a path that cannot be sustained… the degree to which the system promotes the population’s health remains unclear.”

Sounds like something’s gotta give.

The latest in the healthcare ad blitz is former Senator John Edwards, who is running ads in Iowa on universal health care. Video here.

AARP is cooler than you think. Today they are announcing a new public service announcement campaign featuring Ben Affleck, Garth Brooks, Dakota Fanning, Morgan Freeman, Eva Mendes, Joaquin Phoenix, Jeremy Piven and Reese Witherspoon highlighting the need for affordable, quality health care and financial security for all Americans.

This also brings two new groups under the Divided We Fail umbrella, the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF) and the Motion Picture & Television Fund (MPTF). Directed by actor and director Tony Goldwyn -- grandson of legendary producer and EIF Founder Samuel Goldwyn -- with music composed by Philip Glass, the PSA urges everyone to let their voice be heard on the need for affordable, quality health care and peace of mind about financial security.

New online campaign... if you think so too, click here.

Just in time for Caregiver Awareness Month, AARP has released a survey about those who are doing most of the caregiving – boomer women. Turns out these women are talking to their parents about how they want to live as they get older, but not enough are actually doing the planning. Nearly 70 percent of these women also believe their parents can afford their care, but the reality is that a nursing home can cost as much as $75,000 a year and a private home health aid about $19 an hour.

What does all this mean? It means it is not enough to have the conversation, it’s time to get a plan.

Yesterday, Senator Barack Obama was out on the campaign trail talking about economic security and he echoed his support for automatic IRAs. Not enough candidates are talking about what they can do to help American families build lifetime economic security; after all a key component to saving is saving at work and today 75 million people (too many) are not able to do this.

These two don't have to be the only ones - the nine Democratic and Republican candidates who currently serve in Congress have a chance to show Americans they are committed to helping them save by co-sponsoring the Automatic IRA Act of 2007 (S. 1141 and H.R. 2167).

Also, today the House Education and Labor Committee is having a hearing on the very same topic, so hopefully it will gain more traction. By allowing people to save at work, almost two thirds of those I just talked about could get on the savings train.

It doesn’t have to be so hard – retirement that is. A cool new tool online to help business help employees to save, check it out. After all, every little bit adds up!

We read and watch so you don’t have to. Three things of note...

- The Early Show on CBS examines some of the Social Security ads that are out there.

- Paul Starr over at The American Prospect incites many over his examination of the Democratic candidates on Social Security, including Ezra Klein and Megan McArdle who both have something to say about raising the cap on taxable earnings.

- Josh Marshall over at Talking Points Memo also comments on the Democrats and Social Security, with some reaction from the National Review Online.

The House Financial Services Committee is voting on a bill today that is supposed to reform the mortgage industry and prevent the kind of abusive practices that have been widely reported over the last months.

Both the NY Times and the Wall Street Journal today have something to say about the bill. Neither of the editorial pages likes it, albeit for different reasons. The Times says the bill doesn't hold Wall Street accountable enough; the Journal says Congress is trying to punish business for the "excesses of the unscrupulous few," which will give fewer would-be home buyers a shot at the cornerstone of the American Dream.

What both editorials seem to get is that something's gotta give - bad lending practices led to the credit market crunch and reform is needed.

We'll see what comes out of the committee today, but whether you read the Times or the Journal, it's clear the bill needs stronger accountability AND opportunity for both sides. And they're not mutually exclusive.

Lotsa goings on over on the Hill today, including the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Conference Report expected to pass out the House today and the Senate sometime this week. The future of this bill is uncertain, with the President vowing to veto it.

What’s unfortunate about that possibility is that it has been pared down from its’ first iteration and there is some important stuff in there, specifically, funding for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which helps those who have trouble paying their electricity bills (BTW, have you been outside today – cold!) and helping the Social Security Administration keep up.

Forget the gridlock, fund this thing!

USA Today has a call on their website today for people who are turning 62 next year. Appears they are looking at 21st Century retirement, so if you are someone who is paving a new path to retirement, check it out. The more people hear about the different ways we are retiring, the better they can plan for the next leg in the journey!

Ray linked to it this morning, but a little more context… yesterday’s Washington Post poll is echoing what we have seen from AARP members in New Hampshire and other primary states– voters see health and financial security issues as the top domestic issues. Today, AARP South Carolina is releasing a poll of AARP members in South Carolina that are likely primary voters with similar results. Both health and financial security are weighting heavily on the minds of voters, now candidates need to propose what they are going to help people manage both of these things.

Our colleagues in Nevada have joined with the Nevada Broadcasters Association to encourage voters in Nevada to participate in the upcoming caucuses. See below for ads in English and Spanish.

We're watching so you don't have to... the latest in the health care ad world? Chris Dodd, link here.

My colleagues down in Florida had a fun event last night in the spirit of Halloween, reaching out to parents and asking them to tell presidential candidates that the "future should not be scary" on the issues health care and lifetime financial security.

Divided We Fail is growing. Today, the National Federation of Independent Business joined the Divided We Fail coalition. Small business is joining the call to end the partisan bickering and come together to find solutions on health and financial security. These issues are a big deal to small businesses - more than 27 million of the estimated 46 million Americans without health care are small-business owners, employees or dependents of small businesses.

This is exactly the type of thing - groups that represent a whole bunch of different constituencies coming together- that is needed to get action on the issues we know people care about.

Fellow bloggers over at the OMB Watch Blog put in a plug for yesterday’s testimony from AARP’s CEO Bill Novelli. Testimony here and subsequent hullaballoo here and here. Making sure that Social Security is around for the long term is a fixable problem that will involve tough choices for all generations. But the real crisis is the exploding costs of health care, and it’s good to see that there are other people that get it. I am sure this is not the end of this discussion and you can bet we’ll be keeping tabs on it as it unfolds.

Good wrap up from the Kasier Family Foundation yesterday on state of CHIP, as well as some more stories today on the ongoing food fight. Seems the President yesterday continued his campaign against the bill, speaking out against the tobacco tax. Lots of reaction to that also, including AARP.

Today, Senator McCain was at the Families USA and the Federation of American Hospitals Forum on Health Care talking about the importance of the private market in health care. He mentioned the importance of the safety net, as well as bringing down costs.

We’ll keep pressing for more details, but glad he’s out there talking about it.

More debating last night from the Democratic Presidential candidates, with Social Security taking center stage for part of the evening. For those of you who were out trick-or-treating early, AARP comments here, and a sampling of some other folks:

Marc Ambinder with a quick replay;

NBC on Senator Obama and Social Security;

The Politico on Senator Clinton and Social Security;

And just because... Ed Morrissey at Captain's Quarters on how you know there has been too many debates.

Today, the Senate Budget Committee is going to be talking about the long term challenges of Medicare and Social Security, with lotsa folks testifying, including AARP CEO Bill Novelli. Starts now, you can watch here.

Yesterday, Ray linked to the Robert Ball column in the Washington Post, which caused comments aplenty in the blogosphere yesterday.

Some highlights:

Kevin Drum, Political Animal recognizing the challenges for Social Security are not insurmountable

Jared Bernstein, TPM Café on Social Security and its’ connection to tax policy.

Brian Angliss, Scholars and Rogues calling for politicians to make the hard choices.

Enjoy!

The Clinton campaign has put together it’s own ad on Social Security- link here.

The candidates are continuing to talk about the issues… Senator Barack Obama has a new ad about Social Security and former Mayor Rudy Giuliani has a new ad on health care. Good to see candidates focusing on health and financial security; we look forward to hearing more about these issues in the coming weeks and months.

Kaiser Family Foundation has a new poll on the issues that the public wants to see Congress take action on. Big shock, the top domestic issue is health care for Democrats, Republicans and Independents. Just another reminder about how important this issue is to voters.

Lots of coverage in today’s papers on last night’s forum in Sioux City where McCain and Huckabee talked about health and financial security issues. The highlight comes from CNN: Huckabee says, "I think that frankly they're the losers for not being here," Huckabee told reporters following the forum. "I thought the format was the most refreshing we've had in this entire presidential campaign."
According to exit polls, roughly 1 in 4 voters in the 2006 election were AARP members, so maybe he's onto something...

SCHIP is again alive, if only for a short time. Still has to go back through the legislative wringer, but let's keep our fingers crossed for the 10 million kids who need health coverage.

It used to be that bells and whistles that made cars safer were only for the high rollers. No more. Today’s NY Times highlights what Detroit and others are offering drivers in new cars to make them safer and easier to drive. Among the toys are: cameras that see behind you and steering that can help prevent or correct a skid. Pretty cool, huh?

What’s key here is that the automotive industry recognizes that the needs of drivers is changing. People want to stay mobile as long as possible and “smarter” cars can help them do just that.

An interesting article this week in The New Republic by Jonathan Chait about what he deems “entitlement hysteria”. He brings up, correctly, that there’s a lot of talk, but not a lot of action in Washington on the long term health of Medicare and Social Security. Chait also argues that the reason for inaction is a lack of urgency and a lack of permanency. While this is somewhat true (nothing will fall apart tomorrow), what Chait is off on is the impact. For many (especially considering the housing market AND lack of savings), Social Security may be even more important in the future. While people still need to save and build a nest egg for themselves, they also need something they can rely on in retirement, which is what Social Security is all about.

When it comes to Medicare, Chait is right on – the biggest challenge to the future of Medicare, and health care more generally, is cost. That’s why it’s time the Presidential candidates start to address this issue, as well as financial security. The cost of inaction is too high, not just for us, but for the next generation.

Ray highlighted it this morning – Larry Lipman’s Medicare Monitor talking about the recent ads by AARP and the AMA on limiting payments to Medicare Advantage plans. What’s it all about? Basically insurance companies are getting paid to the tune of $54 billion while people who receive Medicare have seen their premiums double since 2000. Something is out of whack when the insurance companies are getting the gravy and the Medicare beneficiaries are getting stuck with the bill.

Today, Congress is hard at work talking (not doing anything just yet) on financial security issues, including mortgage reform, retirement plans, and 401k fees. Why should we care? If you want to even think about retiring, you have to consider getting a mortgage and saving for retirement. How can Congress help? By passing legislation regulating predatory lending and ensuring everyone has an opportunity to save. We’ll keep you posted on what they’re doing.

While some of the candidates might be lame for not attending the AARP Iowa issues forum, there is good news. The event will now be a forum with Senator John McCain and former Governor Mike Huckabee talking about health and financial security issues AND it will be online.

Be sure to check out the webcast this Thursday, October 25th at 7PM CT (8PM ET).

I know it is close to 80 degrees in most of the northeast today, but eventually it will get cold. And some people have trouble affording keeping their homes heated. According to a recent blog posting by David Certner, funding for LIHEAP isn’t keeping up.

Winter doesn't mess around. That’s why Congress shouldn’t mess around either.

Presidential candidates are out and about chattering about health and financial security. The latest? Senator Biden is expected to announce his health care plan in Iowa today. And former Senator Fred Thompson was just out and about in Florida talking about Social Security yesterday.

It’s great that candidates are talking about these issues, now we need to hear some details. And see some action.

AP reported that AARP, along with IPTV have retooled the previously scheduled debate to a candidates forum with Senator John McCain and former Governor Mike Huckabee. The candidates will talk about health and financial security issues.

AARP members in IA will be lucky to hear from these two candidates on the issues, but those who are not attending are really missing out on talking to an important constituency in the state. It’s their loss.

Blogs have been talking about 10 Questions, a new opportunity for people to ask the candidates questions about the issues they care about. It is sponsored by blogs from both sides of the aisle, as well as the mainstream media and looks like it will be quite interesting and, more importantly, another forum to get candidates to address health and financial security.

Intro video below, check it out!

I’m not prone to quoting directly from the hymnal, but today AAEP CEO Bill Novelli called this one right – “Disgraceful.”

This was his comment after the House failed to override the President’s veto of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and I can’t disagree. Millions of children have the opportunity to have health insurance and today their opportunity was denied.

Shameful.

New poll out of Florida today, with AARP members (both Democrats and Republicans) saying that they are likely to change their vote on key issues like health and financial security. What’s really interesting is that voters say they don’t know enough about candidate positions on these issues to make a choice. Sounds like voters are waiting for the candidates to talk about these issues before they are going to make any decisions.

A fresh CNN poll calls it – 61 percent of Americans want Congress to override President Bush’s veto of SCHIP. We’ll see what happens, as the vote is scheduled for tomorrow.

The Kasier Family Foundation has put together a nifty online tool to compare the candidates positions on health care.

I expect this to be one of many of these to be coming down the pipeline, so we'll keep you posted as they come online.

As Ray mentioned below, AP is reporting that the Social Security Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) is 2.3 percent for next year. While an increase is important to help people keep up on the cost of basics, this is not enough to keep up with the ever expanding cost of health care. Medicare premiums are going up 3.1 percent next year, so where are folks on a fixed income supposed to find the other one percent? If you’re still working, this might not be a big deal. But for someone on a fixed income, it can’t be easy.

Iowa’s Republican caucus goers want to hear from the Republican candidates on health and financial security issues. This comes from an AARP poll released today in IA that shows one of every three GOP caucus goers in IA is an AARP member or Divided We Fail volunteer.

So far Sen. Sam Brownback, Sen. John McCain, and former Gov. Mike Huckabee have all said they will attend. Where are the rest of the candidates? It’s a good question, so ask ‘em.

To collect Social Security that is… Yesterday, the first Baby Boomer filed for Social Security. Behind Kathleen Casey-Kirschling are the over 80 million Americans who will retire in the next 20 plus years. Knowing this is coming, it seems like a great time to start looking at the ways to make sure that Social Security is around for the next generation.

Real solutions will involve answering difficult questions and making tradeoffs. So what’s the benefit in this? Making sure your kids will have something they can rely on when they need it.

It has arrived! Widely reported and discussed in the blogosphere – Congressional Republicans have said they are developing a health care plan. This is progress. With everyone agreeing that the current system is no longer working, we are finally starting to move in the right direction.

We’ll keep you posted. It’s clear that whatever solution we come up with have to include the innovations from all parts of current patchwork system, public and private, as well things that people can do to improve their health. It is going to take ideas from all sides to get something done.

Today, the titans of industry have convened for a daylong meeting in Williamsburg, VA to chat about the issues of the day. The focus of today’s event? Health care. It is definitely a sign of changing times that CEOs are talking about this as an issue. When Starbucks spends more on health care than coffee and GM spends more on health care than steel, you know it’s time for a change.

Nice clip here and here from CNBC talking with WebMd and Aetna on the need for changes to the healthcare system, with lots of interesting ideas from the private sector about how we can make health care work for everyone.

It’s not what you think anymore, this over 50 stuff. There is no more fading into the sunset when it comes to work and relationships. CNN has a report about dating over 50 and how people are not necessarily looking for a spouse, but they are dating. And the Chicago Tribune reports how folks are opting to stay in the workplace, if only because they actually enjoy it.

I guess this means we have a lot more fun (and work) to look forward to…

Candidates left and right are talking about important financial security issues today. Senator Hillary Clinton unveiled a plan for universal 401ks and Senator John McCain outlined retooling job training programs for older workers. It’s great to hear the candidates bringing up these issues if only to spurn a debate and discussion among the field. Hopefully we’ll hear more from other folks in the coming weeks.

A CNBC online poll asks,” What is the most important economic issue the next president should focus on?” with the choices being taxes, free trade, government spending or health care. It’s nice to see that they included health care as an economic issue.

With the debate happening at 4 pm today, it may be a chance to impact the questions. Vote here.

IowaVotes 2008 picked up an AARP poll about likely Democratic caucus goers, which shows that health and financial security are top issues. With the caucus creeping ever closer, these results serve as a reminder about how important these issues are to the 50+ voters.

Full survey here.

The cost of health care is impacting everyone. New ads today from two powerful forces, AARP and the American Medical Association, asking Congress to help Medicare patients keep their doctors and still be able to afford their health care. This comes as Congress is looking at reducing payments to doctors, as well as recently announced increased premiums for people in Medicare, many of whom lived on fixed incomes.

Today’s Sioux City Journal gets it right - Republican presidential candidates are missing an opportunity to talk to 50+ voters in Iowa by not yet agreeing to come to the AARP Forum on October 25th.

So far former Governor Huckabee and Senator John McCain have agreed to attend. We’re still waiting to hear from the rest of ‘em. AARP took out ads asking folks in Iowa to contact the campaigns directly. Print ads here and radio ads here.

Just so you know... AARP has over 390,000 members in Iowa, including over 65,000 that have attended a caucus before.