Au revoir, Mr. Roboto
State Attorney General Roy Cooper wants to pull the plug on automated campaign pitches over the telephone.
If Cooper had his way, candidate Beau Megawatt no longer could attempt to woo you in a recorded voice while you're trying to watch “Wheel of Fortune.”
The federal no-call registry, which prohibits telemarketers from calling those consumers who sign up, was supposed to fix this problem. But political organizations are exempt from no-call enforcement.
Cooper, who is himself a candidate running for re-election, wants that loophole closed for automated political calls. Last week he told a U.S. Senate committee that the same regulations that apply to private companies should apply to political “robocalls.” Cooper specifically suggested do-not-call registries for federal candidates.
Cooper has pushed this cause before, backing an unsuccessful bill in 2007 by state Sen. Tony Rand, a fellow Democrat, to outlaw campaign robocalls in North Carolina. Cooper cites sheer annoyance as the primary reason. “Many consumers are sick of them,” he said.
A Republican congresswoman, Virginia Foxx, has introduced similar legislation in Washington in 2004 and again last year.
Given the universal pain of a unwanted call from an unwanted source at an inconvenient hour, Cooper certainly has a point.
But hold the phone. While campaigns cynically could be considered as much in the business of a selling as someone hawking credit cards, mortgage refinancing or rug cleaning, there is an important distinction: Campaigns are a part of the democratic process. And encouraging citizens to vote using robocalls can't be altogether bad.
But there are other ways to accomplish that end without being so annoying and intrusive, including using real-life human beings. Maybe that's why even some politicians want to put automated calls out of commission.
Cooper's on to something. Let's give Mr. Roboto a rest.
Comments (1)
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Your editorial about robo-calls was well-timed. North Carolinas primary season is in full swing and now it looks like North Carolina will help decide the Democratic presidential nominee. That means voters can expect to be bombarded with political robo-calls.
I started a non-profit, non-partisan organization last year to combat intrusive robo-calls by using a voluntary, private sector solution: the Political Do Not Contact Registry.
Its similar to the federal governments Do Not Call list. But to succeed it requires politicians who will honor the wishes of voters whod rather not endure the endless robotic, political phone calls during campaign season.
North Carolinas own Congresswoman Virginia Foxx was the first to sign our pledge. She has been fighting for the voters right to opt out of robo-calls for years. She introduced Congressional robo-call reform legislation and is a voice for change on this issue. So it was natural that she was the first to sign our pledge.
Voters phones will soon be ringing off the hook. Fed up voters can visit our web site at StopPoliticalCalls.org and add their names to our free Do Not Call registry. Its time we give the political dialogue back to average, concerned citizens.
Shaun Dakin
Founder & CEO, the National Political Do Not Contact Registry
StopPoliticalCalls.org
Posted on March 7, 2008 8:54 AM