[Re: Letters to the Editor, Oct. 1, 2003, Direct Newsline]:
I agree with respondent, Jim Hall. Not enough has been done by our industry to protect the erosion of OUR freedoms. We should be outraged, not conciliatory as the DMA has suggested. The DMA, in my opinion, is a powerless, opportunistic organization looking to enrich itself in the name of helping Direct Marketers. They charge outrageous amounts of money for everything they offer. Then they recommend complying with the DNC law anyway.
Who does this organization represent? What the hell have we been fighting for? The ATA has it right, but even they, due to internal issues, have fallen short. We need to unite and fight.
No one wants to call somebody who does not want our call, but someone has purchased the $600 billion plus of goods and services by phone last year.
The sensible thing to do would be a “dinnertime” moratorium. No calls between 5 PM and 7:00 PM. And include those pesky pollsters, political hacks, and fundraisers.
My infinitely over-analytical mind predicted this last year when the list was first bandied about. I said that the list would get authorized, but ultimately be stopped by the courts. That way, the economy and jobs would be saved, and the politicians could go back to their constituents and say “Well, we tried. I voted for it.”
I think the lawmakers knew this, which is why no one voted against it, and there wasn’t even a debate in Congress. On any other issue of this magnitude affecting jobs in a particular region or state, you can bet there would have been endless discussion in Congress about it. The whole thing smelled fishy from the start.
The FTC is well meaning, trying to end consumer fraud, but the FCC clearly represents this administration’s policies of taking it to the small business community.
Tony Kudalis
The Wellness Institute / Best Lead Lists
Nashua, NH
Opt-out beats opt-in and that’s ultimately what do not call is. Unfortunately, it’s the broad brush approach that throws the baby (the New York Times circulation telemarketing effort, for example) out with the bath water (the guy trying to sell aluminum siding it Trump Tower penthouses).
The real answer may have been to promote existing options such as the longstanding company-specific do not call rule, or even DMA’s do not call list.
But now the genie is out of the bottle. I have seen in the Times and elsewhere a fairly good idea–allow DNC list members to at least refine their choice categorically–e.g., politicians OK, charities OK, anything else no way. Better still would be to allow further choices–e.g., no credit cards, but subscriptions OK.
This I don’t expect from a bureaucracy that evidently can’t figure out how to shut down its own Web site (hint: consult one of this pudgy teenage hackers Justice just nailed).
Terry Nugent
Director of Marketing
Medical Marketing Service, Inc.
Wood Dale, IL
Network
