Intere$t Group$: Entitlement$ (Healthcare, Social Security)

Interest groups are proof that money makes the world go round. And you know what? And as urban philosopher and poet Notorious B.I.G. postulates, "Mo money, mo problems."

Beyoncé is (bewildered gasp) wrong—girls don't run the world; interest groups do (at least in the United States)! Entitlement programs, such as Social Security and healthcare programs (Medicare, and Medicaid), are heavily influenced by many of these groups.

Health services/HMO top 10 contributors to federal candidates, parties, and outside groups in 2012.

The contributions from the health services/HMO industry—private healthcare insurance options—have been primarily Republican, most likely because Obamacare—a public insurance option—poses a threat to their finances.

#youngmoneycashmoney

Even though there are more contributions to the Republican party than to the Democratic party (56% to 44%), there is still much support for both sides. While Republican Senator Hatch may receive $305k for his intense opposition of Obamacare, Democratic Senator Baucus receives $236 for his authorship of the health care bill.

Fortunately, economic groups do not dominate the political sphere for determining policies on Medicare/Medicaid, for there are plenty of citizen's groups that have influence. The American Association for Retired Peoples (AARP) is probably the most well-known and largest special interest citizen group in the US that supports these programs. With 37 million+ members of people ages 50 and over paying $16 a year, it's pretty easy to raise some major bucks—in 2010 alone, AARP had a revenue of $1 billion and spent $22 million on lobbying!

And in 2005 they spent $36 million on lobbying!

In 2012, they contributed a total of about $30k to candidates, parties, committees, and outside spending groups. One of the candidates is Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, who is on the Senate Special Committee on Aging and received $1k. Representative James E. Clyburn of South Carolina, known for his support of health care legislation, also received $1k. Though they say they are non-partisan, AARP clearly shows favoritism towards the Democratic party for their support of Social Security and Medicare, having donated $20k to Democrats while Republicans received less than $6k.

AARP's influence in the political arena is quite powerful because it has shaped much of Congress' decisions regarding healthcare and Social Security legislation. With $5 million spent on advertising, AARP was able to defeat Bush's proposal to create private investment accounts from Social Security tax money. They also pushed to pass the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act in 2003. But wait, there's more! AARP's influence is pretty much solidified in an Iron Triangle between the Social Security Administration and the House Subcommittee on Aging. They're all conniving together to improve the lives of the elderly, sick, and poor. How heinous. 

Basically, old people are unstoppable and y'all betta not mess.

old people go hard

Works Cited

"AARP: Summary | OpenSecrets." OpenSecrets. The Center for Responsive Politics, n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2013. <http://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/summary.php?cycle=2012>.

Armstrong, Drew. "AARP May Get $1 Billion on Health Law, House Republicans Say AARP May Get $1 Billion on Health Law, House Republicans Say." IN CASE YOU MISSED IT. U.S. Congressman Pat Tiberi, 31 Mar. 2011. Web. 13 Nov. 2013. <http://tiberi.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=233173>.
"Health Services/HMO." Opensecrets. The Center for Responsive Politics, n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2013. <http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/indus.php?cycle=2012>.

Vitto, Laura. "Macklemore Heads to the Wild West In 'White Walls' Video." Mashable. Mashable, 9 Sept. 2013. Web. 13 Nov. 2013. <http://mashable.com/2013/09/09/macklemore-white-walls/>.