September 25, 2003
On Off On Off - Do Not Call List Starting to Resemble a Strobe Light
It’s getting hard to follow with the quick sleight of hand both sides seem to be pulling. Tuesday, an Oklahoma court blocked the list, citing that the FTC should not have control. Thursday, Congress re-approved the measure 412-8, overturning the ruling. Thursday night, another judge in Denver decided to overturn Congress again. If you’re confused, join the crowd. But for the next few moment (at least until Oct 1), telemarketers can still call regardless of the court fiasco. In other news, fifty million people are angrily looking up the phone numbers of judges (the numbers have indeed been made public, but as an editor who doesn’t want to go to jail for harassing federal judges or encouraging it, I can’t give out that info).
Correction: The second judge to block the list was from Denver, Colorado. Not Oklahoma.
Posted by Stephen VanDyke at September 25, 2003 07:29 PMI may be mistaken, but I’m fairly sure the second judge was from Colorado.
Posted by: joestump at September 26, 2003 10:05 AMOh, I should probably read this stuff. I’m poor and can’t afford a phone so it doesn’t really matter to me.
Posted by: Stephen VanDyke at September 26, 2003 10:55 AMThat Colorado judge is a bastard. I don’t understand how this is a free speech issue. Does my having a “No Solicitors” sign on my door violate door-to-door salesmen’s free speech?
How about the telemarketers start by not blocking their ID for caller ID so that we know who is calling before deciding to pick up or not. Or how about some sort of special telemarketer ring to identify their calls? The present system is like having to leave our doors unlocked and allowing people to enter before deciding we don’t want them present and then ask them to leave.
Posted by: blipsman at September 26, 2003 02:12 PM My husband works for one of the telemarketing firms (not as a telemarketer mind you) that has brought the suit before these judges.
Let me just tell you about the people that are calling your home asking you for money or your credit card numbers. I’m not too sure if the NRA or the Republican party know that convicted felons, theives, drug addicts, and violent wife beaters are the ones who are acutally raising money for their campaign coffers. These same folks have your phone number and are calling your home asking for your credit card information. This issue isn’t only one of privacy it’s an issue of safety for our families. The telemarketing companies are completely irresponsible in their hiring practices and allow known thieves access to credit card information.
I have read this blog, but I think this theme is very important!!!! And we must discuss it!!!
Posted by: t-shirts-man at April 6, 2004 05:15 AM
