'Do not call' should mean do not call, period By Warren Bluhm News-Chronicle I think my view on telemarketers and the do-not-call list may be a minority viewpoint, but I'm also not so sure about that. The issue seems to be resonating deeply with people. The lists were declared unconstitutional because charitable and political groups are exempted and still would be able to call you to solicit help or funds. A judge ruled that the government can't decide which telephone pitches are good and which are bad without violating the free-speech rights of those deemed bad. Here is what I think might be my minority viewpoint but maybe not: OK, if that's the case, then don't exempt charitable and political groups. My only experience with telemarketing was a two-hour stint when I ran for the state Assembly in 1996. On Sunday night before the election, I was asked to call people, tell them who I was and ask for their votes. The list was a group of staunch partisans who were probably going to vote anyway. But I recognized the tone of voice in many of those calls: It was a tone that said, "You interrupted me at home for THIS?" I can't for the life of me understand why politicians think their sales pitch somehow doesn't stink as much as the sales pitches of commercial vendors. But that's one of the typical failings of the political class: They somehow think they are more noble or privileged than the rest of us, having lost the essential meaning of the term "public servant." By no means should political parties be exempted from the do-not-call list. Politicians who supported that exemption should do an internal examination for other signs of self-serving narcissicism and try to purge themselves before voters get wise to them. The exemption for charitable contributions is not such an easy call. Many nonprofits are cash-strapped and can't afford to spend a great deal of money on fund-raising. A few phone calls are probably less expensive than mailings or other marketing methods. Here I am simply going with a gut feeling. Actually, my deepest opinion is that taxpayers' money shouldn't be used to generate do-not-call lists when it only takes a few seconds to get rid of an unwanted phone call - but if you are going to generate such a list, "do not call" should mean "do not call," period. When I answer the phone and find not a friend or family member on the other end, but someone who wants something from me, my blood runs cold. I don't care if they want me to sign up for a credit card or save the world from cancer; all I know is they have intruded on what I was doing in the privacy of my home. Whether they have a great deal for me or tell me what a great senator Joe Schmoe will make, I respond that I don't do business over the phone and please take me off your list. Sometimes I'm more polite than other times, depending on how unpleasant the interruption was. So if these exemptions prevent the do-not-call list from passing constitutional muster, the solution seems easy to me: Drop the exemptions, or make them voluntary, as in a check box that says "political parties and charities may call me." People used to put signs on their front doors that said "No solicitors." The sign didn't differentiate among door-to-door salesmen, witnesses for Christ and candidates for dogcatcher. "No solicitors" meant "no solicitors." The "do-not-call" list should be handled the same way. Bluhm is editor of the Door County Advocate and former managing editor of The News-Chroncile. His column appears Tuesdays. Contact him via e-mail at [email protected] or call 920-743-3321.