Public citizen has their financial report available at:
http://www.citizen.org/documents/AARP_PC_fctsht.pdfAARP started out in the 50s as the National Retired Teachers Assn. The founder was a retired schoolteacher and discovered many of her old associates living in penury. One retired teacher she visited was living in a converted chicken coop.
Before Medicare insurance companies would not offer insurance to old people. She created an organization for the purpose of leveraging strength in numbers to get affordable insurance rates. Today AARP uses the commisions to fund its lobbying and seniors programs.
AARP recently opened a state office in every one of the 50 state capitols to help influence legislation. They are highly regarded by Congressional Quarterly as one of the most effective lobbies on the Hill. I think most people here would agree with the positions they take on almost every issue.
Revenue also goes to other charitable programs: driver safety programs, free legal assistance, grief and loss counseling, gerontology research, etc.
For every person who thinks they're too conservative there are two or three who think they are too liberal. I agree they have gone over the line with this issue and should be held accountable. However I still think they can be brought back in line if enough members demand it. Instead of giving up on them, at least try to get the board of directors to dump Novelli by writing to them. There's another post with instructions on how to write the board:
http://democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=106&topic_id=4119