[Re: Loose Cannon: Throwing the Book at Ma Bell, Direct Newsline, Nov. 10, 2003]:
Excellent. There’s something reminiscent of Abraham being asked to sacrifice Isaac in all this, except this time there was no reprieve. (Lamb of Powell, who taketh away the rings of the world, have mercy on us.) Good thing they didn’t have a do not call list in those days for Isaac’s sake, although presumably there would have been a divine exemption.
Terry Nugent
Director of Marketing
Medical Marketing Service, Inc. (MMS)
Wood Dale, IL
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Very amusing article. The telecoms were the biggest violators before this law (AT &T being one of the worst) which in actuality triggered the outrage, so we have them to thank. But who does the government tap to manage the list? AT&T. And who is the worst violator since? AT&T. And who has the rudest telesales reps? AT&T. Of course whatever fine it gets will be a slap on the wrist in comparison, but if it is Joe’s carpet cleaner, he is out of business. I think Ma Bell and Uncle Sam are having an affair…
One thing lost in all this, and I’m surprised no one played the card, is the fact that the consumer does not own the telephone number, The telephone company does. The consumer merely rents it. If you think you own your phone number, try not paying the bill for a few months and see how long you have it. Why didn’t the local bells argue this point? The consumer in effect is preventing commerce, thereby denying revenue to the long distance companies, many who are also local carriers.
If I owned 3/4’s of the local phone lines in a town, and someone wanted to be put on a DNC list, I would charge them, just like they do to be unlisted and unpublished. It is issues like this that lead me to believe there is more than meets the eye in this whole DNC thing. Since when do politicians do what the electorate wants anyway
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