How come the Do Not Call list does not apply to the political parties and related election solicitation?

The politicians are the ones that make the laws, so they get to say who is covered by the law and who is exempt. And, of course, they said they would be exempt.

A lot of types of callers use what are called "robocalls." These are not using lists of any type, so they don't know you are on a "do not call" list. Instead, they are simply generating all the possible telephone numbers in a given area. This is one way of "accidentally on purpose" getting around those lists. A business can't get away with this for very long. But a short-lived organization like an election campaign is only going to be around for a little while. By the time people track down who's the offender and report them, they're usually out of the area. So police can no longer do anything about it. It certainly is aggravating. My advise is to get an answering machine and tell your friends and family to call, let the phone ring a set number of times -- say one or twice, whatever you want to designate, them automatically hang up. If you have caller ID set, you can then go see who called and call them back. If it's a "robocall," your answering machine handles the pesky calls for you. Of course, you still have to delete the recorded calls every so often, but I find that less of a bother than getting up to answer the phone.

We're on the Do Not Call list, but we still get prerecorded calls from the likes of "Heather" and her fellow drones. Why is this happening? It's terribly annoying. Luckily we came across this post by Herb Weisbaum, aka ConsumerMan at MSNBC, while we were researching another topic. He says you can now opt out of these calls -- and can do it quite simply. First of all, ConsumerMan says that if you're on the Do Not Call list, prerecorded telemarketing calls are legal only from companies with which you already have a business relationship. He defines that as: "If you bought or rented something from that company within the last 18 months, or simply inquired about a product or service within the last three months, you've established a business relationship." (Some companies ignore this rule or stretch it to the breaking point. We don't know of any business relationship we've had with the companies that keep calling. Maybe it's time to file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission.) How do you get them to stop? Simply hanging up won't do it. * As of last month, the company must give you a way to opt out, like pushing 1. Listen to the instructions at the end of the pitch. * EveryCall says a method to opt out must be provided whether the prerecorded call reaches a human ear or ends up as a message on your answering machine. * Starting Sept. 1, a company you have a business relationship with will need your agreement in writing or electronically to send you robo-calls. They'll probably come up with some crafty ways to trick you into that. Other things you should know: * Informational prerecorded calls from a company you have a business relationship with are allowed. ConsumerMan says that would include calls from an airline letting you know your flight has been delayed. * Political calls and calls from charities are exempt. However, if the charity hires an outfit that uses prerecorded calls, you can opt out from receiving them as well. * You can sign up for the Do Not Call list online or by calling (888) 382-1222 from the phone number you want to put on the list. That includes cell phones. There's about a month delay before the registration takes effect.

I really think it's because the epitome of "free speech" is political advocacy. It would probably be unconstitutional to limit them from it.

And it's not just "the government"--parties who have never gotten anyone elected could do it.

They *are* selling something in many cases. All the Probama calls I've heard on my answer machine--I recommend you get one with no moving parts if this really bothers you, I got mine from a thrift store and downloaded the manual off the internet--are selling specious propositions.

They're selling because it's going to cost a lot more money to do what they're proposing to do, so it's a sales call. Anyone who does business with any corporation they're proposing to wring money out of to pay for their impractical nonsense will pay through higher prices of goods and services.

I wonder where Canda will get their cheap drugs from once the drug companies can't pass the cost of their having cheap drugs onto us?

Maybe they'll get it where the cough-syrup component the put in the cough-syrup down in Panama came from---you know, the cough-syrup that was killing people right-and-left because the chi-coms don't care if foreigners die of having antifreeze in their cough syrups instead of glycerine?

I believe that was distributed by some sort of state-run health care

scheme too.

So to the person who said they're not selling anything and read the

fine print, they are.

You might as well consider them to be selling poison pet food and

cheap hunk-of-junk "assault weapons" which will flood our markets even as B. Hussein O. works to ban sales of good high-quality ones from

here or other quality manufacturers----just like happened the last time

a demonrat was in the Oval Office.

And to be fair, McCain is selling something too, security for liberty,

a more successful strategy--that's strategy, not tactics!--for making

the world safe from terrorism and self-reliance.

They're all salesmen.

And they'll both be selling the proposition that we should keep letting the vampires whose flag is my avatar suck the life's blood out of this nation.

Like I said, you need to get an answer machine. It also works good for harassing calls and the typical B. Hussein base element--you know, the people who can't dial phones correctly?

A person could spend a lot of money on their phone bill to cover all the problems which can be solved by a simple little answer machine.

I don't know what to tell you if you're getting them on a cell phone--good luck.

I got worse news for you--CHARITIES are exempt, too.

Think about it, now--who makes law? Why, Congress makes law.

What is Congress comprised of? Why, POLITICIANS.

And what do politicians need to keep their big fat behinds in their seats on the Hill?

Why, MONEY....and VOTES.

Who made the Do Not Call law?

POLITICIANS...who need MONEY AND VOTES.

You have my sympathies.

You can try telling the Democratic callers that you're a Republican, and to take you off their list, and then tell the Republicans you're a Democrat, and to do the same! That might confuse them for an election cycle or two....

Because the people who wrote the DNC law are the same ones who benefit from those calls.

Mutt is absolutely right. In fact, Congress exempts itself from a lot of legislation. Who else gets to vote themselves a pay raise and decide when they will and when they won't work?

I haven't recieved one so I would call the do not call list place & let them know.

Because they're not selling anything. Read the fine print, will ya?

are you kidding? the government does what it wants....when it wants. Don't start thinking your preferences have anything to do with it.