Political fundraising call checks out
The Democratic Party already is reaching into homes this week through wall-to-wall television coverage of its national convention. But what about through your telephone?
James Freeman of Cross grew suspicious when someone claiming to be with the S.C. Democratic Party called his house Monday asking for a $100 donation.
Freeman wondered if the call might be a scam because his caller ID showed that the South Carolina party was calling from a North Carolina area code. So he contacted Watchdog to find out if the call was legit.
Turns out, it was.
Watchdog called the number that appeared on Freeman's caller ID and reached Meyer Associates Teleservices of St. Cloud, Minn.
Call center representative Shawn Derichs explained that the company contracts with state Democratic parties all over the country to seek contributions.
The company targets people who have donated to the party in the past or are registered Democrats, Derichs said.
Keiana Page, communications director for the S.C. Democratic Party, confirmed that the phone solicitations are legitimate.
She said the fundraising is actually done through a group called Dollars for Democrats, which is affiliated with Meyer Associates Teleservices and the Association of State Democratic Chairs.
"It's a legitimate call," Page said.
"They've been raising money for the party for about 30 years."
Freeman said he has voted for Democratic candidates so that's probably why he is on Meyer's call list. But he said he never gives money over the phone, and he plans to ask to have his number removed from the call list.
The company offers an online form on its web site (callmeyer.com) to be removed from the call list.
Registration with the National Do Not Call Registry would not block such calls because the federal service (donotcall.gov) does not have jurisdiction over political organizations, charities and telephone surveyors.
Reach Ron Menchaca at rmenchaca@postandcourier.com or 937-5724.
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Comments
This article has 11 comment(s)
Posted by shimane on August 27, 2008 at 9:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Robo calls by politicians are an invasion of privacy. See this previous article by Robert Behre for more about StopPoliticalCalls.org http://www.charleston.net/news/2007/oct/...
As I testified at the US. Senate these calls are an epidemic and are invading the privacy of All American Voters.
Our members are taking a stand and saying enough is enough at the National Political Do Not Contact Registry at StopPoliticalCalls.org.
Here is a quote from a member recently:
"I'm a shift worker, working variable shifts. I depend on my sleep to be able to do my job safely and efficiently. I'm a locomotive engineer. Imagine the disaster were I to fall asleep, operating a freight train carrying hazardous materials in your neighborhood, due to fatigue from being awoken in my middle of the night on a continuous basis during election season. Please stop.."
Regards,
Shaun Dakin
CEO and Founder
http://www.stoppoliticalcalls.org
Posted by lou9 on August 27, 2008 at 11:47 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I wouldn't give the dumbasscrats even one dollar of Monopoly money. They have been in power in Congress for over a year now and what have they done? Nothing. If Obama and his racist wife get in the White House we will all be doomed.
Posted by jsks on August 27, 2008 at 11:56 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Wow, as someone who hasn't lived in Charleston for a few years, it is always nice to check back and see how much folks have progressed.
How can anyone with an intelligence and rational opinion, say Obama is a racist? It's like saying McCain is a money hungry rich white guy with a billion dollar heiress for a wife?
This is precisely why you people in SC will be forced kicking and screaming as Obama wins the election. Anyone who has been watching the election knows that both candidates are honorable, intelligent and patriotic. The dim witted comments on this board reaffirm my firmly held beleif that you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink.
If you want some unbias analysis of whats happening in the election, check out this site.
http://www.electionprojection.com/presid...
If you are too closed minded to even consider listening to other ideas and candidates, I suggest you stay in SC. We don't need people like you on the road.
Posted by jsks on August 27, 2008 at 12:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Oh and Lou9, what does having control of congress have to do with anything? It's not about controlling Congress, it's about the overall majority. What purpose does it serve to control the Senate with a 51-49 margin? You have to get 60 votes to move legislation Mr. Know it All.
In the House, the Democrats currently have a 36 seat majority. When you are talking about 435 members, thats not a whole lot of wiggle room.
Then again, you dont want to hear any of this. You would rather me call you names. Say McCain is old and that he doesn't understand the economy, blah blah blah. Old politics my friend. Old politics.
That's why I am voting for Obama. Not because he is a Democrat but because he will change the way the game is played. Hmmm...Chuck Hagel is a Republican and he seems to agree.
Posted by jsks on August 27, 2008 at 12:44 p.m. (Suggest removal)
RW, you can say whatever you like about me or my views. Your response to my comments is precisely why McCain will lose in the Fall.
I try to explain something and you respond with "moron".
Posted by jsks on August 27, 2008 at 1:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)
RW,
I guess it is just a matter of opinion. First of all, I don't listen to MoveOn.org. I can make up my own mind on things. Did I suggest you listen to Rush Limbaugh? Polls have it close but most of the polls are only polling likely voters not registered voters and most of these polls are calling people up on home phones. I dont know about you, but I am 34 years old and 90% of the people I know in my age group don't own home phones. We all use cell phones.
For example, in North Carolina, a historically red state, 160,000 new Democrats registered in the month of June compared to 30,000 new Republicans.
Secondly, if you look at the electoral count, Obama still has a decent lead. The electoral count wins elections, you should know that.
Thirdy, I am not sure how you can say Obama has proposed all these new taxes. Here is something that I recently put together for friends and family. It is a summary of both candidates economic plans. Most telling is that Obama has pledged to keep the tax cuts that Bush implemented for all Americans except for those making over $200,000 a year. Does that sounds like massive new taxes?
Summary of John McCain's Economic Plan
McCain would make permanent the 2001 and 2003 income-tax cuts that would expire at the end of 2010. McCain will keep the top tax rate at 35 percent - maintain the 15 percent rates on dividends and capital gains, and phase-out the Alternative Minimum Tax. He would preserve most of Bush's temporary cuts in estate taxes, establishing a 15 percent rate for estates worth $10 million or more.
Summary of Barack Obama's Economic Plan
Obama would make permanent Bush's 2001 and 2003 income-tax cuts for about 94 percent of tax filers - those making less than $200,000 a year. The new tax cuts would be financed by repealing the Bush tax cuts for the top 1 percent of taxpayers. Obama would let Bush's cuts in taxes on income from capital gains and dividends expire in 2010 and effectively raise the rate from 15 percent to 25 percent.
Posted by bkeelin on August 27, 2008 at 2:37 p.m. (Suggest removal)
jsks,
Obama picks a three decade old US Senator as a VP and he is going to be the candidate of change. You said Obama will change the way the game is played, if you mean by making fun of a person, name calling and race baiting then yes, Obama has changed the way the game is played. Otherwise as you said before it takes 60 votes to move something in the US Senate. Besides as Obama continues to spew his communist agenda, more and more people are beginning to see that there is nothing new in Obama's plan except more of the same old thing and that's not new. It's the same old politics from Obama except he gained his early education in a predominatly muslim nation and wants to do away with the sovereignty of the USA. Obama is bad news for this free country. He will continue to take this country further down the path of socialism with a marxist militant twist.
Posted by lou9 on August 27, 2008 at 2:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)
jsks - first of all I didn't say Obama was a racist. I said his wife is a racist and I still stand by that. True, McCain is a rich white guy, money hungry I don't know about that, and his wife is a million dollar heiress, not a billion dollar heiress. I have listened to what Obama had to say when he had the chance to actually say something and all I hear is change, change, change. Change is good, but he doesn't say what he's changing or how he's going to change it. He certainly hasn't changed the way liberals campaign, all he does is attack McCain. So what if the man can't remember how many houses he and his wife own? How about the sweetheart deal Obama got on his house from the guy who is going to jail for bribery? Don't hear anyone talking about that. Some change Obama is.
As far as Congress goes the Dems made a big deal out of it when they took over. I remember seeing Clyburn on the TV pounding his fist and saying they (the Democrats) were going to get this country back on the right track. Well, are we back on the right track? Gas prices, inflation, unemployment, all up since they took over. Congress has a lower approval rating than the President. What a difference!
And no, I would rather you not call me names, but I understand that's all you liberals know how to do when people express opinions contrary to yours. Old liberal tactics my friend, old liberal tactics.
Posted by jsks on August 27, 2008 at 3:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)
RW, Lou9, and bkeelin,
I am glad that we can agree to disagee. Both Obama and McCain are US Senators. We should treat both of them with the respect they derserve. They were elected by citizens just like yourselves. Do you think everyone in Illinois is communist? C'mon now. The frustrating part on both our ends is feeling as though the otherside isn't even listening. The point of my posts has been policy driven. Calling Obama a marxist, a communist, and alluding to the muslim faith as though it is evil is not going to help any of us. If you don't like Obama's policies that is your opinion, but when you start with the personal trash, it really feeds into the stereotypes. Why can't folks keep it to a policy driven debate? Is it that hard to do?
Posted by Buffy1 on August 27, 2008 at 3:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)
It is so telling of the Dems true character, or lack thereof, that the man-child they have nominated supports infanticide. The Messiah/Obama voted against the Babies Born Alive Act not once, not twice, but THREE times. This bill would have mandated that if an abortion is botched, and the baby is born alive, as in separates from the mother, that the doctor must administer medical treatment to the baby. Hilary, Nancy Pelosi, and even TED KENNEDY voted for this bill, and they are the most pro-abortion senators there are, but Obama voted AGAINST it- THREE TIMES! Twice in Illinois Senate and once in the U.S. Senate!
http://www.nrlc.org/federal/Born_Alive_I......
Nurses Testify About "Live Birth Abortions"
On July 20, the House Judiciary Constitution Subcommittee, which Canady chairs, held a public hearing on the bill. Among the witnesses were two nurses who said they had observed live-born babies who were left to die following "live birth abortions" performed at Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn, Illinois.
The nurses described abortions involving unborn babies from 16 to 23 weeks prenatal development. One of the nurses, Jill Stanek, said that a "live birth abortion" is performed by using a drug to cause the cervix (the opening to the womb) to dilate, after which "the small, preterm baby drops out of the uterus, oftentimes alive." She said that such abortions sometimes were performed to kill babies who had Down's Syndrome and spina bifida, neither of which is itself usually a lethal condition.
"It is not uncommon for one of these live aborted babies to linger for an hour or two or even longer," she explained. "One of them once lived for almost eight hours." She said that some such babies were taken to a "soiled utility room" to die.
A former nurse at the same facility, Allison Baker, testified that she personally witnessed three babies who had been born alive during such abortions.
On the first occasion, "I happened to walk into a >soiled utility room' and saw, lying on a medical counter, a [22-week] fetus, naked, exposed and breathing, moving its arms and legs. The fetus was visibly alive, and was gasping for breath. . . . I did wrap the fetus and place him in a warmer and for 22 hours he maintained a heartbeat, and then finally expired," she said.
Also testifying in support of the bill was Gianna Jessen, who survived an attempted abortion 23 years ago.
A saline solution was injected into the womb of Jessen's mother, who was seven months pregnant. "I remained in the solution for approximately 18 hours and was delivered alive on April 6, 1977, at 6:00 a.m. in a California abortion clinic," Jessen said. "I should be blind, burned -- I should be dead. And yet, I live. Due to lack of oxygen supply during the abortion, I live with cerebral palsy."
Posted by Marianne0558 on August 27, 2008 at 3:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
So they want donations to go for things like paying of a former candidates mistress, right? That's where Edwards' dem. contributions turned up.
I'm just saying....
FYI-how "honorable" it is for McCain to come back from being a POW to have an affair on his wife and leave her based on her disfigurements from being in a tragic car accident during Christmas time. Honorable indeed.