GRAND RAPIDS, MI (WKZO) -- The generation that began their adult lives fighting and protesting the war in Vietnam may spend part of their golden years fighting and protesting efforts to strip away Social Security and Medicare.

The AARP is launching a national listening tour from West Michigan to begin that grassroots lobbying effort.  Melissa Seifert with AARP says it's important that the voices of older Americans be heard on the issues that affect them.

She says one in four Americans rely on Social Security for all or part of their family income, and half off all working Americans have no other employer sponsored retirement plan. They are calling it the "You’ve Earned a Say" tour and it will be traveling around Michigan in the next few months.

A group called the 60-plus Association, which bills itself as the conservative alternative to the AARP, has begun running ads in Michigan, featuring Pat Boone and targeting Debbie Stabenow. The group will be spending 3.5-million to target five senators.