I live in small-town/rural Wisconsin, which I suppose is one factor behind the McCain/Palin campaign's targeting me and my neighbors with their incessant and utterly disgusting robocalls. They must really think that this stuff works. I had had no less that ten robocalls in the last week, and the pace picked up today. I have heard about Tony Rezko and guuns and terrorists and infanticide and socialism and so on and so on.
My normal response to this crap is to let the message play on while I put the phone down and walk away. I let the message play since I figure I can tie up one line for at least a little while.
But this one tonight, which was a pack of lies about taxes, pushed me over the edge.
I called the RNC number given at the end of the call -- 866-558-2875 -- and let my views be known. Told them I was an independent (which I am) and that I would never vote for McCain, and that I was ashamed of the McCain campaign. Of Course, I doubt that anyone will ever listen to such messages, but it was worth it to me to do it.
That led me to wonder if others have been doing this. I Googled the number and found this Mad As Hell Mom:
i want to ask senator macain why as he deciced to used such bad jugement on this campain and wend is e going to make all that negative crap stop this passt friday i was busy with supper wend the phone ringde i told my young daughter to answereit she came calling to me saying momy its someone from the macain campain saying not to vote for obama enless we want a terrorist in the white house i was shocket i had to calm my13 year old daugher and tell not to worry that this was not true.what in the world are you people thinking now you dont even care wo you hurt.dont you care that children my answer the phone?i called the number back on my caller id but got no answer so i lefte a message and give them a piece of my mind.STOP THIS MADNESS. THE CALL CAME FROM THIS NUMBER 1-866-558-2875.I NEVER GOT A CALL LIKE THIS ANY OTHER ELECTION SHAME ON YOU ALL. me and my husband were undecide before this call now we made up our mind its OBAMA ALL THE WAY FOR MY HOUSEHOLD. MAD AND CONCERN PARENT.THE KADUCK FAMILY.
And then these comments at WhoCallsMe?:
They called again and I answered - it was a message from a live person talking about Barack Obama's links to 'terrorist Wm Ayers who bombed the white house' etc etc. At the end of the message he gave the phone number for the RNC (202-863-8500) who had paid for the message. I called the RNC press office (at that number) and said that the harassing phone calls combined with the politics of fear should be stopped. I'm sure it won't do any good, but hey, I feel like I stood up for everyone being harassed by the calls. On to more positive things in my day....
The RNC is still at it. Received two calls from this number today. The first one was a women with a heavy asian accent and seemed to be reading from a script about how Barack Obama won't keep us safe. I couldn't understand her so all I got was RNC, Barack Obama, terrorist and safe. She wouldn't stop to answer me though I tried interrupt her the entire time. This is sickening. I liked McCain a couple of months ago but his campaign has totally lost it to the Rove effect.
This person has called my mother on several occasions looking for me, she is always RUDE!!!! My mother has told her that is (name)'s number and not mine, yet she keeps calling. When i've tried calling the number back it goes straight to voice mail. I'm calling the RNC to complain and notifying the Police Dept. Henceforth the continuing contact will result in a lawsuit to the RNC! WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO TAKE THIS CRAP IF WE DON'T WANT THESE CALLS, ITS OUR NUMBERS, WE PAY FOR THE SERVICE, AND IF THEY WANT THEY CAN MAIL THEIR PROPAGANDA AND WASTE THEIR MONEY ON POSTAGE, BUT STOP STOP STOP WASTING MINE AND MY MOTHERS TIME!!!!!
At this point, responding to this has become almost as important to me as voting on Tuesday. I want this garbage thrown so directly and strongly back into the face of the Republican Party that they will have to swallow it. I want to hear them tear themselves apart for years to come over their wallowing in Atwater/Rove tactics. I want the election of 2008 to become legendary in Republican circles as the year Rove and his ilk were thoroughly discredited, when voters rebelled against their gutter ethics.
So, please... What else are folks doing to respond to the toxic robocall sludge? What is the most effective thing to do, or number to call?