Anti-AARP Group Launching

The American Association of Retired Persons ... sounds so non-threatening, right? Yet an anti-AARP group is coming out swinging against the nonprofit. Led by a longtime Republican adviser and head of the Social Security Institute, the Alliance for Retirement Prosperity will launch Wednesday with the goals of repealing the Obama administration's health reform law and reforming Medicare and Medicaid, Politico reports. (The AARP enthusiastically supported the health reform law.)

The $5 million Alliance can't compete with the AARP's $1.42 billion 2009 budget. It is, however, a for-profit group and plans to include vendors offering discounted products and services to members. Unlike other AARP challengers, which have yet to approach the group's size, the Alliance plans to offer AARP-like features including insurance discounts, a social community, and even soap opera summaries on its website. In addition to the site, the Alliance will launch a magazine and will invite 2 to 3 million seniors to join. For more on the AARP, click here.
(More AARP stories.)