AARP is flexing its aging muscles. (Sorry, couldn't resist.)
For most of its existence the Michigan branch of the American
Association of Retired Persons has been an on again, off again major
player. Recently it has moved center stage.
It is a force to be reckoned with for one obvious reason: Senior
citizens vote and in large numbers and every member of the House and
Senate knows it.
So when it came time for the legislative Republicans to carry the
water for their new governor on the item pricing repeal, everyone
thought this would be a slam dunk.
They were popping the champagne corks even before the repealer was
introduced because, after all, the governor has 63 votes in the house
and 26 in the senate which is more than he needed in each chamber. They
could hardly wait to chalk up Gov. Snyder's first legislative win.
But a funny thing happened on the way to the cork popping: AARP
objected.
Oh. Oh.
The organization offered to chat about a compromise but it would
not compromise on the ability of seniors, or anyone else for that
matter, to determine the price of a product before the cashier got hold
of it.
Since 1976 that's way it was and AARP was digging in to keep it
that way.
To measure the group's impact, a house committee two weeks had the
measure teed up for a final vote.
Instead the chairman surprisingly announced the vote was on hold.
Hum. AARP's opposition had an impact and it looked like the bill
might be in trouble.
But talks commenced and now AARP has signed off on a compromise
that some still don't like, but now that the old folks are on board,
look for this to breeze along its merry way to Mr. Snyder's desk and
pen.