How to Handle Political Telemarketing? 275
TheOtherChimeraTwin writes "Slashdot has touched on telemarketing in the past. The No Call lists work pretty well for me except for a flood of political calls. They guys use automated dialers with recorded messages and use bogus caller id information, calling back multiple times. Political surveys are done by real people, but they hang up on me if I stray from answering their questions. Does anyone have a solution better than just hanging up on these slime? I'd just vote for their opponent, but sometimes I'm getting called by both sides. The distraction of these calls is annoying and the problem is only going to get worse."
Do what I did (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Do what I did (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Do what I did (Score:2)
And those parties, almost invariably, have a one-issue platform that never appeals to more than a few percent of people.
The exception being parties like Perot's party which was built around Ross Perot and fell apart once he was discredited.
Re:Do what I did (Score:2)
* read: your money, for those in the US.
Re:Do what I did (Score:2)
I can't find a link right now, but I remember reading about Libertarian candidates nation-wide rejecting government funding for their campaigns...
Re:Do what I did (Score:3, Interesting)
A good friend of mine turns these calls into what he terms the "How Long can I String Them Along Game" in which the goal is to see how long you can keep the idiot making the call on the line. The technique works like this:
Caller: Hi, I'm calling in regard to Senator Joe Congresscritter's ca
Re:Do what I did (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Do what I did (Score:2, Informative)
These are Telemarketers who consider themselves exceptions to the various "Do-Not-Call" laws. Where's the downside?
Re:Do what I did (Score:5, Interesting)
She never got fired - I guess the GOP isn't particularly strict about overseeing their most obnoxious "campaigners". But I bet she persuaded far more people not to vote Republican than than any Democrat telemarketer could have!
Re:Do what I did (Score:3, Insightful)
I dropped into the bookstore the other day, and went over to the history section. I recently finished the Pulitzer winning "Washington's Crossing" (highly recommended, by the way), and wanted to see if there were anything else by the same author. Right next to history was the current affairs section.
What I saw there was frightening. Prominently disp
Answer their questions honestly because they are (Score:2)
Tell them you intend to vote for CowboyNeal!
How about... (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:How about... (Score:2)
Re:How about... (Score:2)
But hey, everyone needs to feel important.
Re:How about... (Score:2)
I think if someone else did that, it would probably be a felony, Run for office and you get to break as many laws as you want.
well... (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:well... (Score:2)
This will get your name off the list pretty quick. It doesn't matter what religion you tell them although picking a competiter like lutherin verses catholic or muslim would be a good way to get thier goat. I used to act like i was favoring a certain religion just to trash it when they proclaimed it to gain my attention.
The calls are the least of your problem (Score:5, Insightful)
The calls are the least of your problems.
In addition to making annoying phone calls, they are also bilking you (and every member of your household) out of tens of thousands of dollars (each) to pay for foreign entanglements (wars, giving weapons to loonies, etc.) to stroke their half baked dreams of empire, selling your rights to the highest corporate bidder, who pay them back with booze and hookers (at your expense of course) and lying to you every chance they get. Oh yeah, and spying on you, paying newscasters to lie to you (again, your tax dollars at work), letting their corporate masters override you and your doctor's decisions about your health care, and hundreds of other things.
Plus that, they are being such jerks in the world at large that people you've never met hate you enough to kill you, just because they represent you.
But if the phone calls are the straw that breaks your camel's back, so be it.
--MarkusQ
Re:The calls are the least of your problem (Score:2)
Re:The calls are the least of your problem (Score:5, Interesting)
I never said he did. It might well be Joe "bought-and-paid-for" Lieberman. Or Hillary "screw defending the constitution I have to look tough and centrist even if it means selling out (and think of the children)" Clinton. Or Jane "I heart defense contractors" Harman. Or dozens of others.
Republicans don't have a patent on selling us out, they just happen to be doing so more efficiently at the moment. If the inside the beltway, big donor fueled DLC Democrats could get their heads out of their polls I'm sure they could do just as well.
Likewise, all the parties seem to have a smattering of honest, intelligent, hard working people who will stand up for what they believe in and do the job we sent them for (until somebody makes them an offer they can't refuse, or they die in a small plane crash).
--MarkusQ
The "You voted for them" double think (Score:2)
Ah, but I didn't vote for them. And, in several cases, neither did the majority of the people I know. So who did? Beats me. In one case it was the SCOTUS, but that in the rest? Perhaps some sheeple I've never met, perhaps a small team at the company that makes our voting machines, who knows?
The point, of course, is
Re:The calls are the least of your problem (Score:2)
Oh my, how to deconstruct this...there are so many places to start. Going for some low hanging fruit:
lie (Score:4, Funny)
I want my flying car, a county wide monorail system, holoTV that bring hot girls into your living room like on Logans Run, domed cities and a discount on soylet green crumbs.
And masturbation in public to be LEGAL.
Be Determined (Score:5, Insightful)
Hi, this is Kimberly from the [Republican | Democratic] National Committee...
Hi Kimberly, my wife and I don't make any donations whatsoever over the phone, and we don't answer poll questions either.
Sure, I can understand that. We would like to send you a free brochure with our platform on it, but we need to have some level of commitment from you. Could I put you down for $25?
(It turns out she actually can't understand what I said). I'm sorry. Like I said, we don't make contributions over the phone. Good luck in November.CLICK. BZZZ...
---
For the record, any political contributions we make go to PACs. We figure that the money will be better distributed to the candidates that actually support our positions, than if we gave to the national parties.
Re:Be Determined (Score:2)
Don't try it in Canada though - I tried the "I'm British" when they came canvasing for votes and they never believe me that I don't get a vote
Re:Be Determined (Score:2)
Hi, this is Kimberly from the [Republican | Democratic] National Committee...
"I'm sorry. but we are not allowed to respond telephone solicitations."
Never explain further; don't get drawn into discussions about who does not allow you.
In Praise of PACS (Score:2)
> to the candidates that actually support our positions, than if we gave to the national parties.
God damn! It just makes my day to see someone else with a political clue here at slashdot! I don't care if your preferred PACs are moveon.org, CPAC or the NRA, just the fact you have figured that out puts you miles ahead of 90% of the general population and apparently about 99% of slashdot
Re:Be Determined (Score:2)
Reply from self [127.0.0.1]: Nope.
Actually, rage accomplishes surprisingly little. All of those people that you've stunned into silence are merely keeping their dissent to themselves and biding their time...
For example, if I were addressed in that way and figured I had little to lose, I might very well turn your name over to a bunch of charitable organizations that are also not bound by do-not-call. Thus, you would get to deliver your line over and over and over...
An answering maching is your friend. (Score:3, Informative)
Re:An answering maching is your friend. (Score:2)
The other was some pediatrics office leaving a reminder message about an appointment for my kid. News to me. I wish people would tell me I had kids..
Re:An answering maching is your friend. (Score:2)
When calling in, it would:
- "Time-shift" by a second or two unless a receiver is picked up.
- Timeshifting allows it to detect a fax and decode it into a TIFF, then deposit that TIFF on the filesystem or in an email inbox.
- Timeshifting allows it to detect caller ID info and compare to a black/white list system.
- For faxes, non-whitelist numbers are automatical
Re:An answering maching is your friend. (Score:2)
How dull. I would have the server auto-negotiate down to a very slow speed, and use lots of flow control. Though you may want to set it up so it only behaves this way during the night, otherwise you could be without a phone for a good chunk of the day.
Re:An answering maching is your friend. (Score:2)
To which you reply: "In the flesh, on the run, and taking your lagers with me!"
Re:An answering maching is your friend. (Score:2)
Tips (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Tips (Score:2)
Re:Tips (Score:2, Funny)
Easy (Score:4, Funny)
Them: Candidate A
Me: Who is his opponent?
Them: Candidate B
Me: Okay. I'll vote for Candidate B. Thanks for interrupting my day.
Enough peopl do this, people won't call.
Re:Easy (Score:3, Funny)
Op #1: Hey guys, I've got a list of contrarian voters. Who wants to make the calls?
Op #2: That would be me. Who's first?
Op #1: "MyLongNickName (822545)"
Op #2 (dials 822545): Hi, I'm calling on behalf of Candidate A's campaign
You: I'll vote for Candidate B. Thanks for interrupting my day.
Op #2: Sorry to bother you, sir. (hangs up) Yes! Another easy vote.
Re:Easy (Score:2)
Re:Easy (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Easy (Score:2)
Me: "Which candidate is this?"
Them: Candidate B
Me: Who is his opponent?
Them: Candidate A
Me: Okay. I'll vote for Candidate A. Thanks for interrupting my day.
Now who do you vote for?
Re:Easy (Score:2)
Re:Easy (Score:2)
I disagree. You have made it quite clear to campaigns A and B that you support the issues of campaign C. Voting for a lesser evil in an election where there is a third party canidate that you actually agree with is nonsensical. Even if that candidate is never elected, they major parties may see that their platform has appeal and adopt parts of it (or, at least, pretend to).
Obviously, there are more issues to an election than who is making phone calls (which I think was your point). On the other hand, reco
Get a cell phone (Score:5, Informative)
Cancel your land line and get a cell phone (and remember to put a text-messaging block on it). You won't receive ANY telemarketing calls.
Mod parent up (Score:3, Insightful)
Of course, there will come a day when so few people have landlines (that they actually use for voice) that politicians will make sure they can canvas the cel phones too, but until that day comes it's great.
Re:Get a cell phone (Score:2)
My brothers have had drone on recorded messages, they even hung up only to find that if they picked up the phone too soon the recorded message was still droneing on... makes you wonder what you would do if you had a need for emergency services and
Re:Get a cell phone (Score:2)
Don't hang up (Score:5, Insightful)
If you are busy ask them to hold on for a while- e.g. "Please hold on, I'll be back".
Then finish doing whatever it is you are doing (dinner, shower etc) and if there's nothing else more urgent/important to do, come back and answer their questions.
This way you also delay them from pestering the next person.
Re:Don't hang up (Score:2)
Re:Don't hang up (Score:2)
"Fuck off, your candidate just lost my vote"
*Hang up phone*
If I give a shit about the candidate, I might call or email his/her office and let them know about the problem. Otherwise, I'm not so kind.
Re:Don't hang up (Score:2)
"Good day." (click) (90% of the time)
If disturbed because I'm waiting for someone real to call, I have started off with, "Listen, you goat-buggering parasite....", with the volume rising rapidly. I have suggested that telemarketers get some job that requires skill, demonstrates they have self-respect, and produces a benefit to society, such as squeegee-man at an interstate on-ramp. This level of effort and invective is rare, as it takes a particularly annoying calle
Depressed by your job? Quit or ask for a raise. (Score:2)
Sure many of the people you call might be assholes etc.
BUT from what I see here, it does seem like tons of people you call don't like you calling them. Why don't you get a job where most people actually like what you are doing to/for them? Because this pays more? So who's the bigger asshole?
If you don't mind annoying people just because it pays more, why don't you go send viagra/stock market spam or something? It's the same th
Dont Vote (Score:2)
zerg (Score:2)
Or do you think Lieberman's about to lose his Senate seat because everyone stayed quiet about the details?
Do what Merlin Mann did... (Score:2)
About what you'd expect (Score:2)
Yeah, I know I'm no better. Therein lies the irony. Oh, woe be unto the irony, a
Both sides? (Score:5, Insightful)
A perfect example of the fundamental problem with American democracy. The two major parties both stink, but you won't even consider voting for anybody else, to the point where you actually forget other parties exist. Both sides? You really think there are only two candidates? Go ahead and vote for Kodos.
Re:Both sides? (Score:2)
Don't complain about 'offtopic'. If 3rd parties were viable, there would be a party loudly proclaiming that they don't spam the public with phonecalls.
As it is now, Libertarians (and most other 3rd parties) don't spam me, but they can't afford to proclaim it loudly.
Call Him Back (Score:3, Interesting)
Hang up (Score:2)
Re:Hang up (Score:3, Informative)
"Let me interrupt you. I do not appreciate these calls, period. I'm not interested in your (service/product/political pitch). Put me on your Do Not Call list, and I forbi
This one worked for me. (Score:5, Funny)
Make it public (Score:2)
you could just be normal about it and hang up (Score:2)
"Political surveys are done by real people, but they hang up on me if I stray from answering their questions. "
As well they should. Polls are not about your feelings, their accuracy is almost completely dependant on people answering very carefully worded questions in very precise ways. If you don't want to take the poll, hang up.
Re:you could just be normal about it and hang up (Score:2)
As you noted, there is no do-not-call list for political stuff. Until such a thing exists - which I think we can all agree would be a Good Thing - just hang up. Don't kid yourself that anyone cares if you say you'll just vote for the other guy or whatever, they just move on to the next card in the stack. Simply waste as little of your time as you can.
a word from an insider (Score:5, Interesting)
First, I'm not doing any fundraising, over the phone or in person. I am doing polling, and if people are inclined to vote Democratic or they don't know about our candidates we're going to send them some mail and ask them to vote for our candidates. If the people are Republicans and will vote for the Republican nominees--we don't want to waste our time and money. I'm a political science major and I could get into some hardcore theoretical stuff but it's late.
Anyway. So I'm not doing fundraising. Our lists aren't bought from shady Internet types, or Radio Shack, or tire companies, or credit card companies--they're from public voter registration data. Voters need not include phone numbers when they register, and some don't.
I hate to be an elitist, here. But to suggest that a good fuck-you answer when you're contacted is to tell the person you're going to vote for the other party, to say that out of spite, I don't want your vote, anyway. I haven't been paid $1, in this land of $3/gal gasoline and my beat-up `89 Ford Tempo averaging 22mpg city. I have free minutes after 7pm but I'm paying $50/month for those free minutes. I am an unpaid volunteer working because I believe in the party. Have you no decency, sir? Are you so jaded that you refuse to believe anybody is ever acting in anything other than purely their own self-interest? Do you think that whoever's calling you, paid or not, asking for money or not--do you think you're really getting back at them if you vote for their opponent?
I can only speak for myself but if someone strays from the questions I ask (which are purely "do you usually vote Democratic or Republican," "do you usually vote a straight ticket," "are you inclined or disinclined to support [candidate] for [office]," and if they're giving enthusiastic positive answers I'll ask if they'd like lawn signs for free) I respectfully acknowledge them with "that's fine" or "I understand." Sometimes I'll get people who want to talk my ear off, and I sometimes have to resort to a courteous "I'm afraid we're only doing polling on these specific questions tonight." Because we are. I have about eight lines, each with a name and the numbers 1-5. That's how I can put down your answer. I don't hang up on people, though I have been hung up on. I was once introducing myself and then somebody started talking over me and said "I'm not interested in donating any money." Before I could tell her I'm only doing polling--which, sincerely, I am--she'd hung up on me. Who's the asshole, here? The asshole who is asking Americans about their political beliefs or the asshole who's hanging up on somebody without letting the other person finish? It's no skin off my back. If someone tells me they don't vote, I'll thank them for their time and get off the phone.
There's a particular set of bills that was passed a long time ago, these couple of amendments to the Constitution, and they guaranteed some freedoms: freedom of peaceful assembly, freedom of speech, some others. I'm getting in touch with my fellow Americans because I believe in the candidates and the platforms the Democratic Party of Idaho supports. I respect the beliefs of those who disagree. But it's my right and, I feel, my duty to support political candidates who I feel will do a better job. That's why I don't vote a straight ticket when I vote. Forgive me, but I personally believe that voting and being politically involved is virtuous.
The solution to problems that freedom brings isn't less freedom, it's more. If you have no political convictions then I suggest you courteously tell them as much and ask to not be called anymore. If they insist then you can progress or hang up as you'd like. If you have political convictions, though, maybe you can just tell them you'd like to keep them confidential. I really don't know what to tell you. If you think they're slime then this is probably falling on deaf ears.
Re:a word from an insider (Score:2, Insightful)
Funny how your freedom trumps my freedom to control my own phone.
If you have no political convictions then I suggest you courteously tell them as much and ask to not be called anymore.
And if you have political convictions you are required to receive annoying phone calls?
Re:a word from an insider (Score:2)
If you don't think that democratic government is worthwhile then we don't have anything to talk about. I'm not denying you your right to control your own phone. I know a guy who wraps his cell phone in aluminum foil except when he's expecting a call or wants to make a call. Many do not answer their phones, or screen their calls whether by answering machine or voicemail or simply not answering when the number is unknown to them. I'm not spoofin
Re:a word from an insider (Score:2)
Careful. You're confusing "engaged in their governemnt" with "engaged in their political party." You are calling based on a single party or candidate affiliation. Perhaps I am already well-versed in your candidate because I am quite "engaged" and that is why I am hostile to your "affiliation" using me as a statistic to further his or her own cause.
Re:a word from an insider (Score:2)
Some people might find my call an important call from an unfamiliar number. You do not. It's an opt-out system; the Do-Not-Call list is an opt-in system. The Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals found the Do-Not-Call list constitutional [kscourts.org]. If it was to regulate political calls--which the bill, as you know, does not cover--th
Re:a word from an insider (Score:2)
And yet here you are engaging in a conversation with someone who doesn't want to talk to you. Noting the problem, yet?
You can rattle on about what law means what to whom. Fact: You have NO RIGHT to make me listen to you. How I choose not to listen is my business. Suck it up.
So you volunteer. Pat yourself on the back. Now consider the impact of your volunteerism. Do you annoy people on the phone to gather data for your candidate affilia
Re:a word from an insider (Score:5, Insightful)
There's a fundamental natural right that trumps anything the Constitution or case law might say you can do, and it's called "the right to be left alone". Leave people the fuck alone!
You can believe and your cause and support your party all you wish, just so long as it doesn't involve infringing upon my natural right to be left the fuck alone.
People like you truly disgust me. Your argument is no better than when the telemarketers bitched about losing their "right to free speech" when the Do Not Call list was enacted. Sorry, but my right to be left alone trumps your right to free speech, so fuck you.
Re:a word from an insider (Score:2)
Differentiate for me, if you will, the right to not answer my phone vs the right to hang up my phone because I don't wish to speak to you and/or speak into it anyway I like.
I'll wait...
Re:a word from an insider (Score:2)
The assholes are the other telemarketing companies, who put their employees under intense pressure to get the pitc
Re:a word from an insider (Score:2)
Re:a word from an insider (Score:2)
Re:a word from an insider (Score:2)
Re:a word from an insider (Score:2)
Re:a word from an insider (Score:2)
Re:a word from an insider (Score:2)
If you strongly believe that volunteering and data-gathering are important political ventures, then perhaps you should consider a different data-gathering method if association or perception ar
Re:a word from an insider (Score:2)
Re:a word from an insider (Score:2)
But you are acting in your own self interest, or that of your party. Listen, if every jackass felt like they had the right to call me because they really believe in [insert item here] my phone would be ringing non stop. Why do you think your cause is any better than the 5 million others out ther
Re:a word from an insider (Score:2)
she'd hung up on me. Who's the asshole, here?
Does your strong political activism, volunteerism, and involvement extend to protecting my right to hang up on you rudely and decide to whom I speak and how? Why not?
Re:a word from an insider (Score:2)
(ring)
"Hello?"
"Hi, is this Carl Weathers?"
"Yes, it is."
"Hi, Carl. My name is Marcus. I'm a volunteer with the Idaho Democratic Party and I wonder if I may ask you a few quick questions."
At this point Carl may respond with a curt "no" and hang up if he so pleases, as some do. No sooner than I had said "Democratic" to this one lady than did she interrupt me with an "I'm not interested in donating any money" an
Re:a word from an insider (Score:2)
Hi, this is Marcus with the blah blah. May I please speak with Carl?
You KNOW why you don't do that. You would be hung up on much sooner and more frequently.
Plus, the simple arrogance of expecting courtesy when YOU interrupted ME. Astounding. My hanging up, or swearing at you, is my replying to your uninvited interruption with the same level of care you used when interrupting me.
Y
Re:a word from an insider (Score:2)
Idaho, for what it's worth
Re:a word from an insider (Score:2)
Polite. Courteous. Nice. And a telemarketing tactic. The longer a person is kept on the phone, the more "indebted" they feel to stay on the phone. It can be an evil use of give and take. I'm not saying you are evil. I am saying you're methodolgy has long legs in another industry that is virtually indistinguishable from yours. Know how you appear.
I asked a simple question: can you use MY tactic of ide
Re:a word from an insider (Score:2)
You have a right to expect I'll leave you alone if you ask me to, and I will respect that right. But until I'm asked to I will engage you
You have a gift for language. Maybe I don't. I just asked you, by swearing at you and hanging up rather than with Emily Post, to disengage. Since you're so smart, I also hope that you'll read my emotions and actions and make a determina
Re:a word from an insider (Score:2)
Re:a word from an insider (Score:2)
You keep using those words. I do not think it means what you think it means.
It's a long-established right to be able to contact people.
Prove it. I'll throw privacy backatcha.
Your argument strays from "please be polite to me, I'm only a volunteer," to "I have a right." Politeness cannot be demanded, it can only be requested though usually it is earned (hint: you didn't earn it simply by dialing my number). A right is something else entirely.
Re:a word from an insider (Score:2)
"But I thought you said you only called registered voters. Give me a break."
There are TONS of people who are registered voters who do not vote. That's how we have statistics such as "24% voter turn-out."
Re:a word from an insider (Score:2)
Hang up QUICKLY. Talk back! (Score:2)
Their computers are measuring the time, their pitch was listened to... Depress them by having that parameter go down on average.
Also, although no one can hear you scream back at the recording, when aproached by the live campaigners for the same jerk, be sure to talk about nothing else, except how disappointed you are, that their representative chooses to violate your privacy with these automated phone calls.
Re:Get a cell phone, ditch the landline (Score:2)
Re:best of both worlds (Score:2)
Re:best of both worlds (Score:3, Insightful)
Have a cellphone and/or VoIP.
Dont give out the landline phone number to anyone, only the cell number.
If you have Cable for internet, dont get a phone line at all.
If you have Fiber or something else, dont get a phone line.
If you have Dialup or you have DSL or you have Fiber or something and you must have a phone line (e.g. "verizon will only let you get FIOS if you get verizon phone over that FIOS"), get the phone line but dont even have a real phone (only the modem
Re:Why is our political system like it is? (Score:2)
Re:Why is our political system like it is? (Score:2)
If you really want to kick ass politically, then go out and work on a campaign or something like that... Work for the Green Party, or the Libertarians, or find a good Dem/Rep who actually pays attention to what works for his constituants (as opposed
Re:Why is our political system like it is? (Score:2)
1) I read. I read what I can, when I can to try and fully understand the policy and impact of our policitician's actions. Then I vote accordingly.
2) The Freedom of Speech by definition includes the Freedom to Remain Silent, for whatever reason, without explanation. Perhaps not the best choice, but a valid choice, nonetheless.
You really should tie your high horse up somewhere else.