The American Association for Retired Persons (AARP) is the premier special interest organization for Americans over age 50. AARP evolved from the National Retired Teachers Association, founded in 1947 and now an affiliated organization. Begun by Dr. Ethel Andrus, a pioneer in the field of gerontology and the first woman high-school principal in the state of California, AARP was created in large part to answer the need for affordable health insurance for seniors and to address the significant problem of age discrimination in society. By the end of the twentieth century AARP was commanding a membership of 31.5 million and, as critic Charles R. Morris points out, it had become known as the "800 lb. gorilla of American politics." The organization states that "AARP is a nonprofit, non-partisan, membership organization, dedicated to addressing the needs and interests of people 50 and older. We...