How Low Can You Go?

How low can you go? That's the question Americans should be asking the organization USA Next, whom Newsweek describes as a "well-funded conservative group."

The group posted two pictures on its web page - one picture of an American soldier in camouflage and the other picture was of two men wearing tuxedos and kissing. The American soldier had an "X" over his picture, the tuxedo-clad kissing men had a checkmark. The caption read, "The REAL AARP Agenda."

Now, the fight between AARP and USA Next has absolutely nothing to do with the Afghanistan or Iraq War or the "War on Terror," and it has nothing to do with the issue of gay marriage. Their fight is over Social Security.

What does Social Security have to do with war or gays? I don't know either, but this kind of “advertising” is pretty low.

What is so appalling is that it seems we cannot have a real debate on Social Security because some "well-funded" groups are too busy bringing up divisive issues, rather than actually find out what's best for people. And USA Next has endorsed the private accounts that Bush (the "uniter, not divider," remember?) has been having all those scripted-but-we-will-still-use-the-word-"town hall meetings" about. We've got people worried about their retirement, and all USA Next can think about is two guys kissing.

USA Next's CEO, Charlie Jarvis, admitted that the ad was a "test." He wanted to see if "left wing bloggers" would just focus on one of the pictures and "explode." He said, "My guess was right."

Well, I think we, not "left wing bloggers," but Americans, should "explode" about that kind of ad. It is misleading, and it diverts the attention from the real issue of Social Security. Let's talk about facts and numbers and real people. Let's talk about solutions. Let us not be distracted by organizations like USA Next who try to divert the issue and divide this country. When I am a senior, I would much rather be a part of AARP and talk about real issues, than be part of an organization that just misses the point.

more info:
AARP
USA Next
Information in this article is from a Newsweek article titled, "Seniors Draw Fire," which is in the March 7, 2005 issue.