AARP is one of Washington's most influential interest groups, but just who does it represent? To some, it represents the narrow special interests of older Americans who already consume more than their share of government benefits. To others, its advocacy encompasses everyone, including those with elderly parents and grandparents—and those who will comprise the older generations of the future.

The most comprehensive volume ever written about AARP, the book begins with a chapter on the organization's history, going back to its founding in 1958 and its roots in the National Retired Teachers Association, established in 1947. Readers will learn about AARP's membership and chapter activities, including how it grew to be the largest membership organization in the country. Perhaps even more engrossing is the book's investigation of the nature and extent of AARP's political influence and its positions and priorities as it struggles to represent a large and diverse constituency. Finally, the study discusses AARP's organizational model, which combines political advocacy, business, and charity, and probes the controversies arising from what AARP's critics charge are conflicts of interest.