Campaign Action
The AARP writes again to Congress, reiterating their steadfast opposition to every aspect of Obamacare repeal and Trumpcare replacement that might come to a floor vote next week, and they're putting Republicans on notice that it's not just how they'll vote on an eventual bill—it's whether they vote for the bill to come to the floor in the first place. Oh, and a reminder too that they represent an awful lot of people. Who vote.
AARP, on behalf of our 38 million members, strongly opposes the repeal and delay amendment. AARP also remains steadfastly opposed to the American Health Care Act (AHCA) and the Better Care Reconciliation ACT (BCRA) due to the devastating impact the legislation would have on Americans 50 and older. We urge all Senators to vote NO on the Motion to Proceed, as well as reject the repeal and delay amendment and the BCRA. […]
As our members expect from the AARP, we will monitor each Senator's vote on the Motion to Proceed, and on the votes to pass the repeal and delay amendment, and the BCRA. We will notify them and other older Americans by reporting those votes in our publications, online, through the media, and in direct alerts to our members.
This is basically a declaration of war on the Republican party by the AARP, as strong a threat as any non-tea party group is going to make. It can be understated because every senator knows the power of the AARP and the 38 million members—the demographic that votes best—that they reach. They zero right in on the motion to proceed, letting every Republican know that they're not going to be able to make excuses that they "only voted yes on a procedural vote."
That's absolutely key. McConnell is working for one thing right now—50 votes on the motion to proceed. Once he clears that hurdle, and can move forward to considering the bill, he will twist arms and throw out bribes and bully them all into a "compromise" that passes with 50 votes and Vice President Mike Pence. The AARP knows as well as anybody that it has to be stopped dead in its tracks now. It needs to not come to a vote at all.
Keep up the pressure, and if you're an AARP member, use that when you call. Make sure your senators feel the full weight of that warning.