海角大神

So I might just be proud to become a card-carrying member of the AARP鈥� (There鈥檚 the they sent me, although I鈥檝e got a few months before I turn 50.)

This is a big, huge deal. For months, Alan Simpson, one of the co-chairs of the President鈥檚 fiscal commission, has been lashing out at AARP and Grover Norquist in the same breath. (Having a hard time finding a video clip on it now, but I鈥檝e heard Simpson鈥檚 AARP-Norquist rant live at the Peter G. Peterson Foundation鈥檚 fiscal summit and at the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget鈥檚 annual dinner most recently.) But today :

WASHINGTON鈥擜ARP, the powerful lobbying group for older Americans, is dropping its longstanding opposition to cutting Social Security benefits, a move that could rock Washington鈥檚 debate over how to revamp the nation鈥檚 entitlement programs.

The decision, which AARP hasn鈥檛 discussed publicly, came after a wrenching debate inside the organization. In 2005, the last time Social Security was debated, AARP led the effort to kill President George W. Bush鈥檚 plan for partial privatization. AARP now has concluded that change is inevitable, and it wants to be at the table to try to minimize the pain.

鈥淭he ship was sailing. I wanted to be at the wheel when that happens,鈥� said John Rother, AARP鈥檚 long-time policy chief and a prime mover behind its change of heart鈥�

In an early sign of its new approach, AARP declined to join a coalition of about 300 unions, women鈥檚 groups and liberal advocacy organizations created to fight Social Security benefit cuts. 鈥淭he coalition鈥檚 role was to kind of anchor the left, and our role is going to be to actually get something done,鈥� said Mr. Rother.

So good for you, AARP, and in particular, good for you, John Rother. I know it鈥檚 hard for many of these same Social Security advocates to understand that some of us who support voluntary, well-considered reform of Social Security鈥揳s an alternative to risking its demise from not-so-benign neglect鈥揳re actually advocates for Social Security, too. But AARP understands now. AARP鈥檚 decision is a prime example of the very tough choices that have to be made, weighing policy wisdom against political pressure, when it comes to fiscal responsibility.

--------------------------

海角大神 has assembled a diverse group of the best economy-related bloggers out there. Our guest bloggers are not employed or directed by the Monitor and the views expressed are the bloggers' own, as is responsibility for the content of their blogs. To contact us about a blogger, click here. To add or view a comment on a guest blog, please go to the blogger's own site by clicking on the link above.