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Is there a conservative alternative to AARP to offer retired persons an alternative to what many see as a left-leaning organization? The AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) is self-defined as a non-profit organization for the over 50s. With 30 million members, a large proportion of which are not retired, it has upset many people with its leftish leanings and lobbying practices, with which it has had a significant influence on the passing or otherwise of American acts, such as the 2003 Medicare Prescription Act.
Because of this, and for other reasons, the AARP has come under significant criticism and its non-profit status has been questioned. Many believe it to be acting as a paid broker for insurance companies, although insufficient evidence for this was available during a government investigation into the allegations. With respect to lobbying, it is permitted under federal law because the association is classed as a 501c4 non-profit organization.
However, it now appears to be losing the trust of many people because of its political stance and because of the alleged 7-figure salaries being paid to some executives. While some are happy with their membership, others are seeking an AARP alternative, so what would an alternative to AARP have to provide in order to be a viable competitor?
It would not be enough for an AARP alternative simply to offer the same services without offering some compelling reason for existing members to change, and a good reason for potentially new members to register with the alternative rather than with an established business one that, to many, is still doing a great job. In fact a large number of people are perfectly happy with the service that AARP are providing them with, and see no real need to change.
One potential weakness of the organization, and one that could be taken advantage of by a conservative alternative to AARP, is its leftish tendencies. The organization is seen as leftist by my many people, and a conservative alternative could be a viable option to many for whom the politics is an important issue.
So what would a new company have to do to establish itself as a viable competitor in the eyes of the target population? AARP offers discounts on health products, insurances, travel and a lot more apart from their core product which is insurance. Sure, all these extra benefits might be useful, but their main business is to sell you insurance. However, it's not cheap insurance, and you can often negotiate better terms and prices if you go it alone.
Life insurance will cost you more overall, but the value here is that if you can't get life insurance elsewhere because of existing health problems, you can get it from the AARP. Nevertheless, if you are fit and well you will be able to find cheaper if you shop around. The same is true of auto insurance: you might get some extras added, but if you can't use these and just want a plain old auto insurance policy, you can't get it: you pay the higher price and get the extras whether you need them or not.
If you do use them, then you have a bargain, but otherwise, no. Also many of the discounts you get aren't discounts that you can't get elsewhere if you hunt around the internet, and you can get much of what they offer you online - at a lower cost.
So it figures, then, that to offer an alternative to AARP all you have to do is offer products such as insurance and travel deals at a lower price than AARP. But no - it's not quite as easy as that. Some of the AARP economies are through bulk buying, and a new start-up wouldn't have that advantage, so while they might offer you cheaper life insurance you might not get cheaper travel or even any life insurance if you have an existing heart condition.
In fact, is that what people really want? Are they particularly interested in getting their insurance a few bucks cheaper, or do they want the backing of a well-known large company behind them, and all their insurance and travel needs handled by the one company? If that's the case, then the politics may be an important factor, and a conservative alternative to AARP will be able to find its own niche because of that. Not just that, but by opening membership to true Americans of all ages who believe the in the principles of personal freedom and free enterprise, while offering exceptional benefits to members of all ages, an AARP alternative will have a significantly larger potential membership.
A genuine Conservative alternative to AARP will offer excellent services, discounts and a platform for American people of all ages to voice their opinions while belonging to a conservative organization that offers what AARP offers but from a conservative origin.
