Foot stomping Dems

So, one reason the Democrats have yet to come out strongly against the effort to attack AARP is because there is still some "lingering resentment" against the organization because of its support of Bush's disastrous prescription drug bill (from The Hill):

The Democrats’ apprehension about AARP, the nation’s largest group representing senior citizens, registers at different levels throughout the caucus. Some lawmakers are willing to set aside their lingering resentment over the party’s defeat on Medicare in hopes of defeating the president’s proposal to offer personal accounts. Less forgiving Democrats, however, say AARP should stay on the other side of the aisle and work with “their new GOP friends.”

Message to "Less forgiving Democrats": get over yourself.

I'm as upset as the next person at AARP's stupidity with respect to that bill. But there is simply no point in letting that resentment get in the way of what could be a strong and lasting alliance between the party and AARP. AARP is a powerful political force in this country and they will remember who their friends are if the Democrats come to their defense now.

According to The Hill, Nancy Pelosi has been excluding AARP from strategy meetings. Bad idea Nancy!

One of those "Less forgiving Democrats" is named in the article:

Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-N.Y.) is one Democrat who has not moved beyond AARP’s support for the GOP prescription-drug plan.

“I am still very disappointed,” said Ackerman, who suggested that AARP might find more doors open on the Republican side. “The Republicans are the ones that bought them, or at least rented them for a while.”

“Let the AARP deal with the Republicans, their new friends,” he added.

Contact Pelosi and Ackerman. Let them know that they need to stop acting childish.