Free speech or fair to ban automated phone calls or what is known as robocalls?
The recent special election for the 14th Congressional District experienced robocalls rising to a new level as voters were often receiving multiple automated phone messages from both sides.
Illinois House Minority Leader Tom Cross, State Rep. Tim Schmitz and State Rep. Ruth Munson have proposed legislation (HB6323) in Illinois to ban robocalls that don't have permission.
In Aurora, Mayor Tom Weisner recently used robocalls to try and counter the crisis and political damage from the salt and snow crisis where the city had run out of salt and was unwilling to take steps earlier to obtain more. Weisner is also well-known for badgering voters with phone calls.
Some believe that while they be annoying to some, they are "free speech" and, in this case, they are political speech.
Everyone is annoyed with telemarketing calls, such as the local fishwrap's use of aggressive out-of-state telemarketers to twist people's arms into a subscription to their failing publication, the Beconfused, but their conduct falls under the federal efforts to stop harassing phone calls.
Exemptions to the new law, if passed, would include public safety emergencies, school notifications and those who give permission for the phone calls.
What do you think about robocalls?
The recent special election for the 14th Congressional District experienced robocalls rising to a new level as voters were often receiving multiple automated phone messages from both sides.
Illinois House Minority Leader Tom Cross, State Rep. Tim Schmitz and State Rep. Ruth Munson have proposed legislation (HB6323) in Illinois to ban robocalls that don't have permission.
In Aurora, Mayor Tom Weisner recently used robocalls to try and counter the crisis and political damage from the salt and snow crisis where the city had run out of salt and was unwilling to take steps earlier to obtain more. Weisner is also well-known for badgering voters with phone calls.
Some believe that while they be annoying to some, they are "free speech" and, in this case, they are political speech.
Everyone is annoyed with telemarketing calls, such as the local fishwrap's use of aggressive out-of-state telemarketers to twist people's arms into a subscription to their failing publication, the Beconfused, but their conduct falls under the federal efforts to stop harassing phone calls.
Exemptions to the new law, if passed, would include public safety emergencies, school notifications and those who give permission for the phone calls.
What do you think about robocalls?
46 comments:
Who really cares?
I do. Bothering me during the hours where I just want to be left alone with automated calls that a computer makes is just low. I do not want my dinner to be interrupted. I do not want my kids hearing the phone ring for a non-emergency after 8 PM when I'm trying to get them into bed. I do not want to have to deal with people who are too lazy to actually pick up a phone and call me themselves.
Free speech should be applied only to actual speech not recordings.
Oh please.
Don't pick up the phone if you don't recognize the caller or the caller's number.
Or don't they have caller ID in Mocherville?
What is Kifowit and Weisner going to to do now????? they may acutally have to speak to people if they want to get elected.
Hey Tom whatever happened to those town hall meetings you promised. Oh yeah, couldnt handle the hard questions, thats right.
Ban them!
We have at least 5 messages a week on our answering machine from debt collections agencies trying to get in touch with at least three individuals with Mexican names.
We don’t answer the phone anymore. Our friends have to leave messages and we call them back.
Very annoying!
Cross did nothing to help Obie during the campaign and now we are supposed to take him seriously in this grandstanding press conference?? He would have a little more credibility if he worked to help others inthe party and not monday morning quarterback!getridofbothparties.com
I would welcome a phone call from Jim Oberweis calling Bill Foster all kinds of names.
Solution: turn the ringer on your phone(s) to off. Set answer to on and to pickup after 2 rings. Check caller ID periodically and check for any messages. No fuss, no muss, and no being bothered.
The bottom line: This announcement is for the press and public. These guys have no real intent to get this passed.
As I testified at the US Senate 2.27 These calls are an epidemic and are invading the privacy of All American Voters.
Our members are taking a stand and saying enough is enough at the National Political Do Not Contact Registry at StopPoliticalCalls.org.
Here is a quote from a member this morning:
"I find it very frustrating... I tend to get calls at the WORST time. I have a one year old daughter, and it NEVER fails that the phone will ring when I put her down for a nap or for bed. Also my vote is PRIVATE... so who do you think you are calling with a survey to find out who I am voting for!!! Stop calling me."
Regards,
Shaun Dakin
CEO and Founder
http://www.stoppoliticalcalls.org
If you idiots would just register you phone number with the "Do Not Call Registry", you won't get these types of phone calls. Duh!
Hey Duh! You're the idiot. How about all those calls for non-profit surveying company's asking your opinion about Dail Soap. Yes I was registered for the Do Not Call List. It expired now you have to call again to register.
Uhh...the do not call registry does not apply to politicians.
Yep, there's a list of several hundred things that the Do-Not-Call registry allows to call you. Political campaigns, non-profit surveys, and public service announcements to name a few
What in the world does Mocherville have to do with this?
Many people do not have caller ID because they do not want to.
My caller ID did not state any name when I received the robocalls.
What about the people who had their minuteds used up on their cell phones for this?
Why is it that the first thing out of politician’s minds is to ban this or that or the other thing?
Life is not easy. Life is not fair.
Ban lifetime politicians instead. Lets have term limits.
Someday the politicians will have banned everything except themselves.
My phone # is registered with the "Do Not Call Registry" and I still get them.
What say that to you?
Hey Leonard, the senators do NOT want term limits. And just who do you think are the ones who would need to pass this bill into law?
THE SENATORS! Idiot.
Might I add my 2 cents:
In the event of an emergency, how else would anyone suggest the city contact you? By a phone chain? Let's get real for a moment...
If you haven't already placed everyone of your phones on the national "do not call" registry, then do so. While I agree that telemarketers have found loop holes in this, it has reduced my sales calls to almost nothing. If we block "bots" from calling, this means across the board. If your school district has an announcement, it will be blocked. If your doctor's office uses a program to remind you of your appointment, it too will be blocked.
While we all find some of these phone calls annoying, we all can let the answering machine pick them up and then delete them
Ok so maybe, if the designers of this blockage are truly gifted in knowing that a school "bot" is making the call, you will actually get it. But I'm still right about a doctors office or anyone with a program that dials your number for any reason.
Hey One Small Brain,
A doctor's office can call you because you gave them permission when you gave them your number.
Also, the doctor's office is not a telemarketer which doesn't have to comply with the "Do Not Call" policy.
Hey whoever:
If the legislation is to stop robots from calling you, it does not matter who you gave permission to.
Besides using the telephone, I would like to see Jim Oberweis use the Internet more to disrespect Bill Foster.
To my republican friends.
The solution is very simple.
Jim change your ads or Im (vote), gone.
If we as a voting public vote for the person who does not use dirty tatics or annoying phone calls, and runs a clean election then the calls and bull stops.
I voted for Foster, I got tired of the phony Oberweis ads, and he lost. Now if he wants to win in November then he has to run a clean race or again Im gone, and it appears several thousands others left also.
This blog and other like it help to educate the public as to how to handle dirty politics, You vote for the other guy.
To my democrat friends.
And I am a democrat.
Change your ads and robocalls.
I was still getting them even after the election was over.
I voted for Oberweis, was going to anyway, but your calls and ads were the clincher.
The calls can be annoying, but are they effective?
3/19/08 7:50 PM
Your comment has to be the most asinine and disturbing example of a political fool that I have ever read. Basically you are saying that if someone with fascist or communist ideas comes forward with a “clean” campaign, you wouldn’t care what their politics are, you would just vote for them. That my friend is the epitome of ignorance. You would trade every principle just to get along. You are the new definition of a coward. Enough already! Vote for the politics not the politician. Jim may have gotten some bad advice as to how to run his campaign, but that does not make his platform bad. His platform is rock solid where conservative Republicans are concerned. If you vote against your beliefs because you want to make a statement, don’t forget the fact that you dig your own grave.
I have stated on many ocasions that I do not want to hear any more about how bad Foster is, I only want to here what Jim Oberweis will do for his country.
Which means Nit-Wit is that I want to know about the one running for office, Jim Oberweis could have won the elections hands down if he had not played the dirty Political game.
False ads about Foster, turned off many republicans, and I have to agree his platform is much better, but he never told any one of his plans, only how bad Foster was. Well he lost the election and only has himself and Hastert to blame and if he wants to turn it around he needs to play a Chuck Percy game and tell the people he is sorry and play the game clean and he can win.
Sorry, having been caled asinine, and other things I could not help use the word to discribe you as a Nit-Wit.
I general do not use any term to discribe my fellow blogers, and again Im sorry to have to resort to this.
I truly believe that each of us has imput into this blog with an eye of education and learing about different ideas.
3/20/08 12:40 AM,
No worries, I have been called worse by better. Read, read, read...and think for yourself.
3/19/08 4:55 P.M.
Do you really think that I do not know that?
You should think about the message more and the details of the words in the statement less. The point is that politicians believe that all of us are stupid and all of us are incapable of handling the smallest details of life (this robo call issue is so miniscule that it should not even be on the radar of the legislature) and none of us can think for ourselves that somehow they, the politicians, need to save all of us from ourselves.
This legislature cannot even talk together long enough to agree on a budget. This legislature has more important things to do that worry about robo calls. If this state is in such great shape that the purpose of the legislature is to save all of us from robo calls I suggest to you that this state is tops in the nation.
However, we all know this state is no where near tops in the nation so tell me why these politicians are worried about robo calls? I say quit wasting the tax payers money more than they do now.
Check out this web site www.cafrman.com I do not know if this guy is correct at all but it is interesting. Then think again about the state finances and look around to other governmental entities for the same information. Then think about the tax increases that we have been subjected to recently.
Hey Leonard, there are term limits. We get to vote every two to four years. It's just that we are to stupid to vote out these rascals.
And when really good people run, they don't win because they refuse to stoop and play the game.
Amazing...when have you ever heard of a Democrat running a clean campaign? I found the tactics of both Lauzen and Oberweis distasteful (more Lauzen)but that was becasue they are Republicans. But who do I want to match up against a Democrat? I want some one who can go toe to toe with these people, someone who is not afraid to push back when pushed on.
The reality is if Lauzen would have won, the Democrats would have painted Lauzen as a bi-sexual cross dresser. And Chris would have fired back with a quote from Shakespeare and proven their point. On the other hand Oberweis' team would go for the jugular. this is reality.
Those two should have made nice during the primary, what they did was STUPID. But in the general, come on. Your are going up against the enemy. I want someone who can engage in trench warfare!
I would like to see more billboards with Jim Oberweis labeling Bill Foster as a "liberal scumbag". Get the message out, big guy.
You do NOT have a "right" to be comfortable and un-bothered by everything in life.
HANG UP THE DAMN PHONE!
Are so many of you really so damn juvenile that you need socialism to solve all of your problems?
How do you categorize this preas conference knowing the time limit for bill introduction has already passed? Cheap Stunt.
Jim Oberweis has a message. That message is : "Bill Foster is a liberal scum-bag". We MUST allow Big Jim every way possible of communicating that message to the masses. Please do not ban Robo-calls.
can that preacher say a prayor so captain groom does not shoot his foot again.
3/20/08 8:28
The elections as scheduled are not term limits. But I agree with you that for some reason the electorate is incapable of voting the rascals out.
I have written before that an entirely new crop of people in office from president to dog catcher cannot do any worse than the group of career politicians that we now in office.
In fact they just might do better, at least until they forget from whence they came, which seems to be an occupational harzard with all of them, and they start believing that they are better and smarter than the rest of us.
Do people run for office to make money or to do the world some good ?
Will the automated phone call ban also include the National Republican Committee, the Illinois House Republican Committee and the NRA which supports Republican candidates?
Would it include unions which support certain candidates?
Please leave Commander Groom and his wife out of this blog with your petty coments.
If Commander Groom has violated the union contract, then file a grivance.
If Commander Groom has violated your right then run to an Attorney and file a complaint.
Commander Groom might not like you any better that you like him, but I do not see him talking up a paragraph on petty sayings.
Grow up Officer or use the door if you do not like the A.P.D. or its staff.
Why does Jim Oberweis always run against an opponent who is unworthy ? He always seems to draw an opponenet who is worthy of being disrespected.
Why aren't these lawmakers spending time trying to get a capital bill? That seems like a better way for them to spend their time.
I've been writing about this as well (Principle Over Party. Banning robocalls is an infringement of free speech. They are useful for grass roots organization to get out their message without having to have huge sums of money. I have successfully used them to help get 7 million dollars abated back to the taxpayer. Without them, we could not have reached enough of the community in time.
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