"Who Pressed The Hold Button?"

[I AM ALWAYS LIABLE]

"The Hold Button Has Been Disengaged!"

FLASH!

Congress today, 9/25/03, overruled the Federal Court decision (see below), and the National "Do-Not-Call" is now back ON, and now it's the LAW!





COURT RULES AGAINST DO-NOT-CALL REGISTRY
Associated Press

A federal judge has ruled that the Federal Trade Commission overstepped its authority in creating a national do-not-call list against telemarketers. The ruling came in a lawsuit brought by telemarketers who challenged the list, comprised of names of people who do not want to receive business solicitation calls. The immediate impact of Tuesday's ruling was not clear. The list was to go into effect Oct. 1.

http://news.findlaw.com/ap/f/1310/9-24-2003/20030924093013_22.html

Read The Order (U.S. Security, et al. v. F.T.C.) [PDF]
http://news.findlaw.com/hdocs/docs/ftc
/donotcall92303ord.pdf

 

[gobonas99]

I SO hope that this ruling gets overturned. I had already signed up for the national registry.

I remember when I was in high school and my parents built a new house. We hadn't been in the house for 6 months yet, and my parents were getting telemarketing calls for replacement windows. My mom was like "This is a NEW house."

I admit I can't stand telemarketers....as soon as I hear them speak, I say "we're not interested, please take us off your list" and then I hang up. My husband's tactic is different - he let's them get through their whole spiel, sounding like he's interested...then when they're done he says "no thanks, don't call us again"

-Christina

 

[cbg]

A friend of mine has on his family's answering machine, "You have reached the ____ family. We're not available to take your call at this time. If you are a telemarketer, please hang up and do not call back. Otherwise, please leave a message...."

 

[Bigfoot]

The 'hold' button was pushed by those of us who find the ruling unfair to business practices. No one is 'holding' your mail hostage; the law won't stop once a year political candidates from calling you with their nonstop promises; and no one is stopping the highly nonsensical 'pop up ads' and spam that can cause damage to computers.

For small business owners, it is an expensive law. For the larger businesses, they can always find another way to pull in business.

And, it's fairer to use 'caller id' than to stop using public records to make a living.

 

[knotcops]

Bigfoot,
The only thing that is unfair are the telemarketers interupting my dinner.

I would have to pay for caller ID. Why should I?

California has a new law against spam and I'm sure other states will follow.

 

[kwalla]

I want the phone number of the judge that made this ruling.

I would like to call him at all hours of the day and try to sell him things.

Maybe he would get the point, most consumers do not want to be bothered at their home. Caller ID? I don't even want my phone to ring. New York as a do-not-call registry, I can only hope that this ruling is overturned and the registry is allowed to stand.

Typical example of big money buying court time and in this case, the ruling they wanted.

 

[Bigfoot]

For the record, all telemarketers don't call at dinnertime, and all folk don't eat at the same time. The problem is not in the calling: it's just that the person calling is not offering you what you want at that time. Frankly, I'd rather get a good reason as to why you shouldn't mind have pre-recorded messages from political
candidates? And, why should your local newspaper company, your bank and any other companies you do business with get the right to call you (anytime) and the rest of us don't?

And 'research companies' who are exempt, can simply exploit your info, just as a nonprofit.

Some people actually do like knowing about a special discounted burial plan and buy one get one free offers!

 

[kwalla]

" And, why should your local newspaper company, your bank and any other companies you do business with get the right to call you (anytime) and the rest of us don't? "


You just answered your own question. Because WE CHOOSE to do business with them. I pay a monthly fee to have my newspaper delivered because I want their service, I chose my bank after careful consideration because that is who I WANT to do business with.

What I don't want is to get home after working full time and have my phone ring, only to answer it and hear a recording or a delay while the telemarketer rushes to pick up the phone. At my house, if no-one says hello in 1 second after I answer, I hang up.

You say some people are interested in your offers? Well great, then they wouldn't be signing up on the Do-Not-Call registry, because they enjoy those type of calls. The rest of us, don't want it and will fight to keep it out of our homes.


And for the record, I have never been called by my newspaper or my bank "selling" me anything.

 

[gobonas99]

***Standing ovation for kwalla***

I am in COMPLETE agreement with you on this one.

I'm not sure which calls I hate more.... the ones shortly after I get home from work and am running around feeding the kitty and making/eating dinner...or the ones that are at like 9pm when I've settled into the couch to watch my fav show.

Bigfoot - "The problem is not in the calling: it's just that the person calling is not offering you what you want at that time." ** NO Here is where you are wrong. The problem IS in the calling. I don't want you calling my home. I don't want you selling my name and number to someone else to call my home. Kwalla is SO right in that the people that ARE interested in your offers are likely people who would NOT sign up for the registry. If I am looking for a product that I can't find in my area, guess what! I am a big girl and I can go out on the internet and FIND places that sell it ALL BY MYSELF. If I'm interested, I will call YOU. So you and your kind should leave me and my phone the heck alone.

-Christina

 

[Bigfoot]

So, you're choosing also all the political candidates and their 'kind' calling you too?

 

[gobonas99]

So, you're choosing also all the political candidates and their 'kind' calling you too?

Actually, we've NEVER had a political candidate call our home. We've gotten flyers in the mail, but that's about it.

 

[kwalla]

The Do Not Call Registry applies to telemarketers. Personally, I would prefer not to receive calls for political contributions or charitable contributions either, but one battle at a time.

Telemarketers have established their reputation over years of abuse. They should not be surprised that people are fighting to keep them out of their homes. They made it this way.

 

[gobonas99]

Good news, folks!

House Votes to Reinstate 'Do Not Call' List
View full story at: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=578&u=/nm/20030925/ts_nm/telecoms_telemarketing_dc_23

But my favorite is (with a snippet):
Judge Who Backed Telemarketers Is Deluged

Egged on by talk show hosts and angry Web sites, people have flooded West's office and home with calls and faxes, apparently trying to show him why they wanted to ban unsolicited sales calls.

"They are just calling to tie up our lines," said Rick Wade, operations manager at the district clerk's office. "They just keep calling to harass us, like the telemarketers harass them, I guess."

The do-not-call registry appears that it will go forward after all. The House approved legislation Thursday intended to ensure the list goes into effect next week. After less than an hour of debate, which included potshots at West from both parties, House members voted 412-8 to approve the bill.

View full story at: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=816&ncid=816&e=1&u=/ap/20030925/ap_on_bi_ge/do_not_call_judge


YAY!!!

-Christina

 

[Bigfoot]

The matter may get tied up with appeals, but trust me folks, none of us want to interfere with your life style. The telemarketers are at the end of a long chain of business people and catch all of the harassment. I'm sure if they could find other work, they would. I mean, who really WANTS to get chewed out with nearly every phone call!

Only asking for a little compassion. In a few months, the pink slip being crushed in someone's hand will not be the fault of those sending jobs overseas-it will be what we're doing to our own people.

Have a great week and hope your side wins!

 

[I AM ALWAYS LIABLE]

CONGRESS JUST OVERRULED THE FEDERAL COURT DECISION!

IT'S BACK ON, AND NOW IT'S LEGISLATIVE LAW!

IAAL