Here we go…..

Why bring up politics, Jake?
It is true that there are a number of misrepresentations of the legislation and its effects (on both sides of the debate); but it seems to me that most of this is people talking past each other. Yes, there are partisans who have deliberately misrepresented the facts (i.e. ‘death panels’). As free thinkers, we need to carefully consider the available evidence.

But, as you can see from the comment section on the second page you linked to, the response to the blog post was overwhelmingly negative. Also,many of the comments seemed very well informed. What you don’t seem to consider is that the AARP is a special interest group; if you take a look at their magazine the fact that they’re as beholden to moneyed powers as any other lobbying group will be readily apparent.

I agree with you that the “socialized medicine” meme is a red-herring. But the other “facts” that the AARP cites on their Myths vs Facts website are hardly objective. Also, they cite no sources. What about the fact that non-governmental calculations of the costs of the plan consistently say that the CBO’s numbers are bogus and too low? That’s a fact that the AARP apparently doesn’t like.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203609204574314622075560890.html
http://www.city-journal.org/2009/eon0805sp.html
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/opedcolumnists/how_congress_is_cooking_the_books_LxRIv5kX1IWKBXBdWsw3rI

Also, they’re using unsubstantiated (and oft criticized) figures of the uninsured. (Not to mention the fact that many – the exact percentage is hard to determine – of the uninsured could have health insurance but choose to spend their money on other things.)
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124579852347944191.html
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/160105.php
http://meganmcardle.theatlantic.com/archives/2009/09/why_has_obama_downgraded_the_n.php

I really could go on and do a virtual point-by-point challenge to each of the purported “facts” on the AARP Myth vs Fact page, but I have a paper to write. Suffice it to say, I think I’ve demonstrated that there are significant problems with the AARP’s take on Obamacare.

(And please don’t respond to this with ad hominems about how I must hate poor people or that I’m a shrill for big pharma, etc. I’m not saying that is something you would do, but that is the usual response that I’ve received when I bring up these topics.)

I really don’t get it but I guess it’s about them making money. Truely are evil discusting people on this planet I guess. Funny how when you corner one of them and start asking for reason and facts they throw up clouds of stink covering their tracks. Root is their money or they are unintentonaly listening to someone that’s totaly got it wrong; because their dumb but carismatic.

I have actually read a report that there are people in this USA that believe that we should let the insurance providers police themselves. That the insurance companies will save the people who don’t have insurance and that money will no longer become a ROOT…..aahh ya.

@Anthony – when i corner one of them, their eyes glaze over and I believe that they are in shock because we are asking question instead of believing OZ…..

i was involved with ffw during the formation or was it a transformation, but frequently changing work hours derailed me from anything more than good intentions and occasional comments. finally laid off from my job last week..i have been gladly collecting paychecks and patiently waiting for this to happen for a couple years or longer. i am looking forward to collecting my socialized unemployment checks for the next year!

the healthcare topic is important and i dont see it as exclusively a politics thing. i get that it is political because the potential bill must be either approved or not thru our political legal process, and there are the extreme divisions between the do-somethings and do-nothings. but it is so much bigger than simply politics.

i have spent some time checking the aarp site in the last several months and have felt they are doing a pretty good job on the healthcare issue. the links i have reviewed there sent me to a .gov website where there is factchecking for what is proposed and accepted by name-whichever-committee. an important thing to keep in mind as we look for facts is that there is not a bill yet. there are proposals and general expectations of what a bill may contain. we wont have defined specifics until after a bill finally gets voted in, and months have been spent (i think this is where the c-span coverage will happen) fine-tuning the regulatory issues etc.