-By Warner Todd Huston
There was an earlier attempt to do this, but here it is again. Senators Dale A. Righter (R, Matoon) and Chris Lauzen (R, Aurora) have introduced the Electioneering-Autodialer Call bill. This bill would provide for citizens being able to sign a registry that would prevent their phone numbers from being susceptible to the ever present political Robo-call during election time.
Synopsis As Introduced
Amends the Automatic Telephone Dialers Act and the Restricted Call Registry Act. Provides that the Automatic Telephone Dialers Act applies to electioneering autodialer telephone calls but does not apply to other telephone calls made by an autodialer and placed on behalf of a political organization. Prohibits electioneering autodialer telephone calls to telephone service subscribers who have registered their telephone number or numbers on the Restricted Call (“Do Not Call”) Registry. Defines “electioneering autodialer telephone call” to mean any voice communication over a telephone line, through the use of an autodialer or autodialer system, that refers to a clearly identified political candidate, political party, or question of public policy and is an appeal to vote for or against a clearly identified candidate, political party, or question of public policy. Effective immediately.
The bill has already had it’s first read and is now in the Assignments committee.
Well, I guess I am for this one. It doesn’t make robo-calls illegal which I think would violate political free speech of politicians and their supporters, but does provide for citizens to opt out from having to be bothered with them if they’d like.
I can get behind this one as long as it doesn’t outlaw the calls, as annoying as they are. I think this strikes the right balance between Constitutional rights to political free speech and a certain amount of an expectation of privacy.
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“The only end of writing is to enable the reader better to enjoy life, or better to endure it.”
–Samuel Johnson
Warner Todd Huston is a Chicago based freelance writer, has been writing opinion editorials and social criticism since early 2001 and is featured on many websites such as Andrew Breitbart’s BigGovernment.com, RightWingNews.com, CanadaFreePress.com, StoptheACLU.com, TheRealityCheck.org, RedState.com, Human Events Magazine, AmericanDailyReview.com, and the New Media Journal, among many, many others. Additionally, he has been a frequent guest on talk-radio programs to discuss his opinion editorials and current events and is currently the co-host of “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Conservatism” heard on BlogTalkRadio. Warner is also the editor of the Cook County Page for RedCounty.com.
He has also written for several history magazines and appears in the new book “Americans on Politics, Policy and Pop Culture” which can be purchased on amazon.com. He is also the owner and operator of PubliusForum.com. Feel free to contact him with any comments or questions : EMAIL Warner Todd Huston
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