Paul Ryan v. AARP. Round One Goes to AARP.

Paul Ryan, AARP In Spat Over Medicare Plan is an article at HuffPo by Michael McAuliff.

The AARP produced a TV ad critical of the Medicare proposals in Ryan's proposed budget. An email to followers of his PAC claimed that the AARP, which endorses certain insurance plans, was putting its own financial self-interest above advocacy for seniors.

"Last week, [AARP], a left-leaning pressure group with significant business interests in the insurance industry, launched a national ad campaign that intentionally misleads seniors about the Medicare debate," the email read.

However, Ryan's plan would actually be to the AARP's financial advantage, shifting tens of millions into the private insurance market.

"The truth is that the budget plan passed by the House probably would present more opportunities for AARP to strengthen its finances, since every older American would be forced into private Medicare plans, including those that AARP brands," [AARP spokesman] Dau noted.

"We opposed the legislation nonetheless because we believe the goal should be to strengthen Medicare, not upend it," he said.

[....]

Ryan, the Budget Committee chairman, is not averse to listening to special interests in the insurance industry himself.

According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Ryan's Prosperity PAC got $83,250 in contributions from the insurance industry in the 2010 election cycle. The industry also donated $234,352 to Ryan's 2010 reelection campaign.

Republicans and pundits have been praising Ryan's financial acumen to the skies; this bit of sophistry will surely reflect badly on him.