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A Call for AARP Chief Executive Officer Novelli to Resign

Bill Novelli, the new chief executive officer of the AARP, is proving to be a most hardened, cynical sell-out artist in his strong support of the recently passed, Republican-authored Medicare prescription drug bill. His previous claim of being politically independent has turned out to be not so at all. It’s pure balderdash.

Prior to the passage of the bill, the two top Democrats in Congress, Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, sent a letter to Novelli expressing “our profound concern.” The Democrats cited a poll that found that only 18 percent of the AARP members agreed with Novelli’s endorsement. But that didn’t bother Novelli.

In an article in the Wall Street Journal, Novelli denies that his views and actions were contrary to the wishes of the AARP membership. Said Novelli, “There have been many accusations against us made by opponents of the bill. One is that we are out of touch with our 35 million members and acted without consulting them. Nothing could be further from the truth. Talking with our members is a priority at AARP.”

That claim is pure Novelli malarkey. Personally, I’ve been a member of AARP since 1981 and never in that time have my views been solicited. In fact, I was elected and attended the last sanctioned AARP National Convention in the 1990s and yet, to this very day, I’ve never had the opportunity to deliver a convention report to the California membership.

Another instance of AARP not wanting my views expressed occurred in March of 1989. At that time, I was the Sacramento regional coordinator for AARP/ VOTE. Apparently, national AARP didn’t like the views I was expressing in my weekly newspaper column — although I never once brought in my AARP role in my column. One day, March 30, 1989, without warning, I received a letter from the national office removing me from my AARP/VOTE position. The letter said, “You should be proud of your part in the successes” of the California AARP/VOTE.

And then the letter proceeds to inform me, “I will be appointing another person who will assume the responsibilities of the AARP/ VOTE Sacramento Regional Coordinator.” Some reward for success. It seemed more like censorship to me.

So it goes in the AARP. Recently, just prior to the congressional vote on “modernizing” Medicare, as a current member of the AARP Grassroot Advocacy Supporters I received an AARP petition to mail out, telling Congress to “finalize a real prescription drug benefit under Medicare.” Then the letter also asked not for my views but for “your special donation today” so we can “continue to educate the public and our elected officials about our issues,” particularly “finalizing a Medicare prescription drug benefit that is voluntary, affordable and makes a real difference.” Not my views, but my money is what AARP wanted.

And yet with all those fancy words, AARP’s $420,000-a-year Bill Novelli agreed to support a Medicare drug bill that fundamentally kicks in only by the year 2010. This bill also expressly forbids the government to bargain with the drug companies for lower drug prices and makes it almost impossible to import cheaper drugs from Canada. The bill also stripped out the $40 million that had been earmarked for the states’ information counseling programs.

Much more could be said about the $12 billion set aside to subsidize private Medicare plan participation. And tax-free subsidies up to $70 billion to private employers to continue their coverage of retired employees. Even with all these giveaways, when it comes to seniors, many will incur new big out-of-pocket costs under the changed Medicare program.

Apparently now that Novelli has sold out the AARP membership, given his public relations background he undoubtedly will attempt to con the membership with fancy words. For my part, the best words that Novelli can utter, for the future of AARP, are, “I resign.” For his perfidious action, it’s about time that he does. It could be a beginning for democracy in the present tightly controlled, top-run organization.

Ted Ruhig is well-known in Sacramento for his tireless advocacy for proposals designed to help seniors live long, happy, full lives. He has held leadership roles in several advocacy groups and on government advisory boards. Ruhig once sued the California Department of Aging for age discrimination, and won!

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