# Goddamn Political Exception To DONOT CALL **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 19, 2009, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddamn-political-exception-to-donot-call/521885 "2009-12-19T20:43:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2009, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddamn-political-exception-to-donot-call/521885/21 "2009-12-20T16:44:31Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > You’re right, so I’m always very careful to give them as much info as I can. I was mainly reacting to the real assholes who abuse me and my co-workers. There’s no need for that. We’re not selling anything and in some cases we’re trying to give money away! A simple ‘no thank you, take me off your list’ is fine. It takes 2 seconds, and we won’t call you again. I think this is the crux of the issue. We should not have to tell you ‘no thank you, take me off your list’. The call should not have been made in the first place. We don’t pay money to the phone company so that people can call us with bullshit or political crap (hmmm, I repeated myself there). I frankly wish that the phone company would come up with a \* number where we could hang up on telemarketers, dial the \* number and the phone company then charges our phone bill for the month to the telemarketer. ---
**Author:** ![DarrenS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/977dab/32.png) [@DarrenS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarrenS)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2009, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddamn-political-exception-to-donot-call/521885/22 "2009-12-20T18:47:07Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > I think this is the crux of the issue. > > We should not have to tell you ‘no thank you, take me off your list’. The call should not have been made in the first place. This is the same as my point and **Lynn Bodoni** ’s point above: opt-out is wrong, however politely or nicely it’s done. To anyone who thinks opt-out is okay: how about if I come and take a crap on your lawn? After all, you didn’t explicitly tell me _not_ to, did you? But please be sure not to just slam the door in disgust, otherwise I can’t be sure whether you _really_ want me to crap on your lawn, or this is just a bad time for me to crap on your lawn; perhaps someone else in your household _does_ want me to crap on your lawn. It may surprise you to know that there are actually people who _like_ having their lawn crapped on; some even thank me for it! Take a few seconds to make it explicit otherwise I’ll just come and do it again. ---
**Author:** ![tumbleddown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@tumbleddown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tumbleddown)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2009, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddamn-political-exception-to-donot-call/521885/23 "2009-12-20T20:48:08Z")
> [@DarrenS](#): > > This is the same as my point and **Lynn Bodoni** ’s point above: opt-out is wrong, however politely or nicely it’s done. Opt-out is wrong, but it is our current system. So you make sure your number is on the DNC, and if you get a call you don’t want, you act like an adult human being, say the single, simple eight word sentence to make sure that you don’t get called again and go about your business. It takes less than 30 seconds and no one is abused. There are more than enough unavoidable incivilities in the world to deal _counterproductively_ with people on the other end of your phone, whether you want to talk to them or not. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2009, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddamn-political-exception-to-donot-call/521885/24 "2009-12-20T22:38:41Z")
> [@tumbleddown](#): > > Opt-out is wrong, but it is our current system. So you make sure your number is on the DNC, and if you get a call you don’t want, you **act like an adult human being** , say the single, simple eight word sentence to make sure that you don’t get called again and go about your business. It takes less than 30 seconds and no one is abused. There are more than enough unavoidable incivilities in the world to deal _counterproductively_ with people on the other end of your phone, whether you want to talk to them or not. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2009, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddamn-political-exception-to-donot-call/521885/25 "2009-12-20T23:15:50Z")
> [@Edward\_The\_Head](#): > > …Last year I keep getting robo calls from some guy running for office, I think I got 12 or so over a couple of days. Problem was I was not in his district, I don’t know how he got my number. I emailed them, called them, but they kept coming. Robocalls are the worst. Not only do I get them every election, but they always block their name & phone number from Caller ID. Nor do they provide any way of getting connected to a live human being or a contact number I can call to get taken off their fucking list. I get calls from both sides too. It also pisses me off that even when it’s a live person nobody can ever seem to tell my how they got my number in the first place (unlisted). Yes, I understand it’s a machine that dials the number that the person speaking just sees my info pop up on a screen. Which is why I’ll clarify “How did _your organization_ get my info?” “Did you buy a contact list from a data broker?”. A couple months ago I sent a donation to the American Foundation for Children with AIDS (after being assured that they don’t share their list with anyone). By some strange coincidence I’ve since been deluged with calls from other charities, none of whom will tell my how they got name & number. :rolleyes: I’m sure they’re not related. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2009, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddamn-political-exception-to-donot-call/521885/26 "2009-12-20T23:24:01Z")
Who in this day and age still answers their home land line? Everyone in my family has a personal cell phone and that is how we communicate. The land line is for messages only. The message clearly says that if you leave a message, we may get back to you, if you don’t we don’t care. The phone ringer is turned down so low as to induce only a mild curiousness about who might be calling. If you are actually someone who really needs to get ahold of us, you should already know our cell number. If it is business or other mundane matters we will return your call. If it is a bullshit call you won’t leave a message. Automatic dialers will disconnect when they reach an answering machine. I have found no problem that has been solved by running to answer a ringing telephone. If it is an actual emergency I have a well trained and well paid staff standing by to take care of it. You can reach them at 911. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2009, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddamn-political-exception-to-donot-call/521885/27 "2009-12-21T01:48:54Z")
> [@ghardester](#): > > Who in this day and age still answers their home land line? Everyone in my family has a personal cell phone and that is how we communicate. The land line is for messages only. The message clearly says that if you leave a message, we may get back to you, if you don’t we don’t care. The phone ringer is turned down so low as to induce only a mild curiousness about who might be calling. If you are actually someone who really needs to get ahold of us, you should already know our cell number. If it is business or other mundane matters we will return your call. If it is a bullshit call you won’t leave a message. > > Automatic dialers will disconnect when they reach an answering machine. No, they won’t. They just start yakking when the phone is answered. I’ll come home and have a half dozen partial messages on the answering machine. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2009, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddamn-political-exception-to-donot-call/521885/28 "2009-12-21T03:48:31Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > Cold call hangups/rudeness on focus groups are not depressing at all though. In fact, truth be told, I get a bit of a thrill out of it. I call somebody to offer them money…WE PAY THEM for participating, and if I get hung up on or bitched out then hung up on before I even have a chance to explain what I’m calling about, I’m going to do some smirking and think to myself “You just lost out on $500.00\* sir, have a nice day.” I’d never EVER say anything like that outloud. I’m very polite and good at my job, but sometimes, my inner voice can’t help but throw out a silent “dick, you don’t deserve the money if that’s how you treat people” toward the phone as I’m hanging it up. > > \*or whatever amount, it’s usually less, but we have offered that much. **Equipoise** , PM me for my phone number. If geography is an issue, PM me for my cell phone number. I’ll live anywhere you need me to . 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2009, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddamn-political-exception-to-donot-call/521885/29 "2009-12-21T04:29:09Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > **Equipoise** , PM me for my phone number. If geography is an issue, PM me for my cell phone number. I’ll live anywhere you need me to . 😃 _smile_ For that particular one you had to live in a specific county and a major city was not in that county, which is the main reason our database wasn’t big enough and we had to cold call people in the county. People were very wary, understandably so, but those who trusted us and participated got to be part of something very fascinating, and they made $500 cash just for showing up. They do check ID at the door when you get there. If you haven’t been screened and booked, you get turned away. Sorry! Sign up for focus groups, sign up everywhere, with all the major companies. You may have to go through 2 or 20 or 100 screeners before you qualify for one group, it’s the only downside. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2009, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddamn-political-exception-to-donot-call/521885/30 "2009-12-21T05:12:02Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > I think this is the crux of the issue. > > We should not have to tell you ‘no thank you, take me off your list’. The call should not have been made in the first place. We don’t pay money to the phone company so that people can call us with bullshit or political crap (hmmm, I repeated myself there). > > I frankly wish that the phone company would come up with a \* number where we could hang up on telemarketers, dial the \* number and the phone company then charges our phone bill for the month to the telemarketer. This, and what others have said. I have an unlisted number. I still get calls thanks to “robo dialers” (I guess that’s what they are). I get calls at at home and work, having “urgent” information that my car registration is about to expire (I don’t have a car). I get calls about my credit card, which are just attempts to sell me more cards. I get calls for bogus surveys. I tell these people not to call anymore, and they call anyway. What do people think “DON’T CALL ME ANYMORE” means? I don’t care if it’s a “political message”, or dire warnings about the car I don’t have, or anything else. LEAVE ME THE HELL ALONE. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2009, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddamn-political-exception-to-donot-call/521885/31 "2009-12-21T05:29:15Z")
> [@Harriet\_the\_Spry](#): > > Do you folks have non-published numbers? True, it’s not free. But we don’t get these calls, and if that’s the reason why we don’t, it’s even more worth it than I thought it was before. Some dialers, especially the ones who are exempt from DNC rules, dial every possible number, listed or not. You may have been lucky, or in an undesirable demographic. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2009, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddamn-political-exception-to-donot-call/521885/32 "2009-12-21T05:49:53Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > See, this is precisely why even companies like yours, which claim that they really don’t want to annoy anyone, still annoy the fuck out of people. > > If you call someone and they hang up on you, then you should be responsible enough to recognize that they don’t want to talk to you, and take the number of your call list without calling back. You can spout all the bullshit you want about needing to talk to the right person, or making sure that they’re really not interested, but the fact is that, in cases like this, you _know_ very well that they’re not interested, and you keep calling anyway. > > If they don’t want to let you get through your spiel, that’s your bad luck, not their problem. You should still take them off the list. If it’s the husband who answers, and you really want to talk to the wife, then that’s your bad luck again. As far as you are concerned, once someone from the house makes very clear—by hanging up—that they don’t want to be called, then you should stop calling. > > If i hang up on you, then it is, or should be, irrelevant to you whether or not my wife would like to take your survey. By hanging up, i have spoken for our household on the matter, and that should be the end of it. Same if it’s me you’re after, and my wife hangs up on you. Your only excuse for calling more than once should be if you get an answering machine or voicemail, or if they specifically tell you to call back at another time. {Stands up, starts clapping} I’ll second this - LEAVE ME THE HELL ALONE. It’s our phone - we paid for it, we pay for the service every month - it is not a convenience we installed for businesses to get more of our money. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2009, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddamn-political-exception-to-donot-call/521885/33 "2009-12-21T06:11:44Z")
Hell yeah. If I wanted to buy something, I’d go to the store, or the website, or (novel idea) I would call you. Otherwise, LEAVE ME ALONE. There is no “right person”. I answered the phone, I am the right person. There is no other “right person” and I wouldn’t tell you anyway. So don’t ask for the “man of the house” or the “lady of the house” or the fucking cat. Yes, I’m really really sure I don’t want whatever you’re peddling - see the first sentence. If I say “no thanks”, then take me off your list. If I immediately hang up on you, it means you shouldn’t call me again. Even better, don’t call me the first time. I find myself getting ruder as time goes by - I shouldn’t have to tell you more than ONCE that I’m not interested and I damn sure don’t take to any “hard sell”. So, to sum up, leave me the hell alone. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2009, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddamn-political-exception-to-donot-call/521885/34 "2009-12-21T06:21:32Z")
I’ll try to refrain from saying anything if I see any of you referencing/citing an opinion poll. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2009, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddamn-political-exception-to-donot-call/521885/35 "2009-12-21T06:24:20Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > I’ll try to refrain from saying anything if I see any of you referencing/citing an opinion poll. That’s nice. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2009, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddamn-political-exception-to-donot-call/521885/36 "2009-12-21T07:02:46Z")
> [@SteveG1](#): > > …So don’t ask for…the fucking cat… My mother think’s I’m crazy because I sometimes order stuff (especially stuff like brochures) in my dog’s name. 😉 There’s a very good reason I do this. I know for sure that anybody calling my house and asking to speak to him bought their lists of some data minining service. And yes I’ve occasionally used this to mess with telemarketers. I’m well aware that I’m just wasting their time. So fucking what? They get paid to waste my time; I’m wasting theirs for free. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2009, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddamn-political-exception-to-donot-call/521885/37 "2009-12-21T07:31:36Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > My mother think’s I’m crazy because I sometimes order stuff (especially stuff like brochures) in my dog’s name. 😉 There’s a very good reason I do this. I know for sure that anybody calling my house and asking to speak to him bought their lists of some data minining service. And yes I’ve occasionally used this to mess with telemarketers. I’m well aware that I’m just wasting their time. So fucking what? They get paid to waste my time; I’m wasting theirs for free. I bought my dog a membership in the SCA, and used to request information to be mailed in his name from stuff online. My postal carrier thought it was hysterical - she knew my dog well. I once gave her a christmas present from him 😃 ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2009, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddamn-political-exception-to-donot-call/521885/38 "2009-12-21T08:00:35Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > My mother think’s I’m crazy because I sometimes order stuff (especially stuff like brochures) in my dog’s name. 😉 There’s a very good reason I do this. I know for sure that anybody calling my house and asking to speak to him bought their lists of some data minining service. And yes I’ve occasionally used this to mess with telemarketers. I’m well aware that I’m just wasting their time. So fucking what? They get paid to waste my time; I’m wasting theirs for free. **Messing with Telemarketers** should become an Olympic Sport, such is the lengths and novel ways you punters go to avoid their assault! :rolleyes: FYI EVERYBODY is on a list of some description or another. Data-collectors don’t just rely on internet-or previous-sales information: they use council-records, hospital data, banking information and a whole plethora of other shit to compile their ‘ideal’ demographic to target prospective customers. Putting your order in your dog’s name is really cute, but ultimately pointless yannow? If you don’t wish to be continually called by telemarkets, note the posts above and just say, in a reasonable tone, “Could you take my name off your list please?” It’s really simple, takes far less frothing at the mouth and other fucking bullshit that pops up on this board FAR TOO MANY TIMES than is warranted by the ‘real’ inconvenience of having to answer a fucking phone-call. Oh, and for you morons who sleep during the day and don’t want to be disturbed…it’s called an answering-machine folks. Either buy one, or pay the monthly premium from your phone-provider. Costs next-to-nothing, and saves you all that life-threatening angst from having to pick up a phone that rings whilst you’re asleep. Same goes for you fuckers who answer the phone while you’re in the shower…what sort of MORON picks up the phone there? Are you so stunningly attractive or so indispensable that you can’t take FIVE FUCKING MINUTES of personal time to wash your hair and your arse?? FFS. Don’t answer the fucking phone. Simple. It’s not AN ALARM…it’s a PHONE. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2009, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddamn-political-exception-to-donot-call/521885/39 "2009-12-21T09:13:30Z")
> [@](#): > > Who in this day and age still answers their home land line? Everyone in my family has a personal cell phone and that is how we communicate. I’m sure this works well for your family. Not everyone has or wants another phone line, however. I never, ever answer my cell phone. My husband hasn’t given his cell number to his work, despite their repeated requests for it. And my husband IS the guy they call in emergencies, and if you ever fly into or out of the DFW Airport, you better hope that he’s answering the landline…because if the hardware OR software on the radar system goes out, he’s the one who knows the most about those things, and he’s one of the first guys they call in. So yeah, he needs to answer our landline. I need to answer it because my dad might have had another heart attack, or something like that. Answering machines are handy. But in case of emergency, I don’t want to press the flashing button and find out that my dad has been in the hospital for hours already. Some of us have valid reasons for wanting to use the service that we’ve paid for. You know, use it for OUR OWN purposes. I don’t want to be called because I patronize a certain store. Legally, they’re allowed to do this. However, if they actually do this, I’m quite likely to take my business elsewhere. I own my time. I pay for my phone service. I do not wish to put either at the disposal of random marketers. Don’t tell me “it just takes five minutes” because that’s the same excuse that email spammers use, that it only takes a couple of seconds to delete each spam. The sheer volume of spam is a serious problem, and it costs a lot of time for everyone to delete all that shit. It clogs up networks. Similarly, telespam clogs up answering machines, so that when my sister DOES call, she can’t leave a message! If I’ve just gotten to sleep, then a phone call (assuming that I allow a phone in my bedroom ever again) will wake me up, and I’ll be up for another hour. The only people who SHOULD call me, ever, are people that I would DEFINITELY welcome a call from. This means, it’s OK for my pharmacy to call me and tell me that my prescription isn’t filled yet, or to remind me to pick up a prescription that is filled and has been waiting for me. It’s NOT OK for them to call me to offer new services. This means that a survey company does NOT have an ethical right to call me. Yeah, I’d probably be interested in taking a survey, but since such a call is likely to come when I’m asleep, I don’t want to be disturbed. The bottom line is that marketing and survey companies are using cost-shifting…that is, they are shifting some of the cost and effort from the company to the consumer, without giving the consumer any way to really opt out (because they are legally entitled to call people in a current business relationship, or because they’re exempt from the law, or they just are gonna break the law anyway). People used to pay to receive mail…so how would you feel about paying a few bucks every time you received an unsolicited catalog? After all, you MIGHT be interested in what the catalog has to offer. But probably you’re not. There are a significant number of night workers. There are also a significant number of people who have small children who need naps. There are any number of reasons why a person might choose to have a landline, and yet not want to receive random phone calls on it. ---
**Author:** ![Uzi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/91b2a8/32.png) [@Uzi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uzi)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2009, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddamn-political-exception-to-donot-call/521885/40 "2009-12-21T11:41:12Z")
> [@tumbleddown](#): > > and if you get a call you don’t want, you act like an adult human being, I would suggest that people who wish for another to act like an ‘adult human being’ should do so themselves and not call people unsolicited. Anyone who does so deserves whatever they get. It is my phone, I pay for it, and if I want to rant into it then too bad for you. Freedom of speech and all that. I really don’t see how you seem to think it is okay to try and deliver your message to me and then won’t bother to listen to mine. Yours is just as offensive. Hang up and don’t call again if it bothers you so much. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddamn-political-exception-to-donot-call/521885.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/goddamn-political-exception-to-donot-call/521885.md?page=3)