Unbelievable...

[VeloVT]

For about a week, I've been receiving calls from an "unknown number" at about 6:00 pm on my landline. I haven't given this number out to anyone and we use it primarily for fax, so I figured it probably wasn't worth answering, and if it were actually important they'd leave a message. Finally, though, after about 4 calls, I decided to answer. It was a political telemarketing call.

The caller launched into her script. I said, "May I interrupt you? I"ve already voted." She said, "well that's great, I know a couple of states are doing early voting," and launched back into the script. I said, "If I could interrupt you again -- I'm a student and I"m not in a financial position to make a contribution this year."

Her response? "Well, ma'am, you could always put it on a credit card."

How wrong is it, especially in the present economic environment, to pressure people to go into debt to support a political cause?

Oh my goodness. Sigh...

I got off the phone quickly but realized afterwards that I should have given her a little lecture about that first.

[TsPoet]

I got off the phone quickly but realized afterwards that I should have given her a little lecture about that first.

She might very well be a student, too. My roommates in college were all telemarketers, a 'good' job for a student.
I agree, there is so much wrong with the concept, but the actual person making the call is either foreign or a student (or an inmate, apparently). So, I would forgo the lecture, but hang up sooner than you did. I try not too be rude, I know many hang up right away. I just say I'm not interested, goodbye, and the conversation is over. If I get called more than once, I say "I'm not interested and TAKE ME OFF your list, goodbye". They are supposed to, by law, take you off the list when you request it and can keep calling until you do.

[Zen]

I like to ask them what kind of underwear they have on.

[sundial]

I've received several calls from a Washington, D.C. number but I won't answer it.

[OakLeaf]

Geez, just hang up! You don't have to engage a telemarketer. It doesn't have to be rude - I just say "Not interested, thank you" and hit the disconnect button, don't even wait for a response.

It actually benefits both of you to hang up, if you have no intention of donating/buying/whatever. If they're on commission or quota, they can move on to the next call - if not, then no loss.

[bmccasland]

I get even by occupying their time - I just set the phone down - don't hang up. Let them ramble on and on, and see how long it takes them to figure out no-one is there. Occasionally I'm greated with a rather colorful outburst before I hear them hang up.

I'm on the "do not call list" but there are exemptions, and apparently political candidates are one of them.

[VeloVT]

I wasn't upset about getting a political telemarketing call, nor am I judgemental about the telemarketer herself (who was an older lady with a decidedly American accent). I have actually organized these campaigns for an organization I worked for, and they reliably bring in a lot of money and cost a lot less than other fundraising methods -- I'm not against their existence.

I just objected to being told to "put it on a credit card" after I said I couldn't afford it. If she had said, "oh, anything you could do would be helpful, even $15 dollars, even $10" I wouldn't have been upset (though I still wouldn't have made the contribution, because I really can't justify making contributions right now) -- it was just such a bad message for Emily's List to be sending...

[kermit]

We get those all the time. I have donated to a couple of charities and I swear they give out your number to everyone. We got one the other night, a guy called for me and fortunately my husband answered. Hello, can I speak to Laurel.... who's calling, is this the guy f**king my wife? What is your name (screaming). Needless to say I was on the floor and I don't think he will be calling back. They HAVE to know when they take that job that it's game on.

[TsPoet]

I just objected to being told to "put it on a credit card" after I said I couldn't afford it. If she had said, "oh, anything you could do would be helpful, even $15 dollars, even $10" -- it was just such a bad message for Emily's List to be sending...

Actually, that line in your original post caused me to have to clean coffee off my computer screen. I'm just glad it spurted out my mouth and not my nose.
What a ridiculous (and irresponsible) thing to say. She should have just said "I'm sure you have CC debt, you won't notice a little bit more"!
You should have said "if you feel that way, why don't you contribute off of YOUR credit card in my name?" - assuming you'd want your name associated with her cause.
And then I agree with Zen, you could have finished it off with something like, you could contribute off your CC, if you are wearing cotton underwear, are you?

[emily_in_nc]

We have gotten many calls from "Unknown Number" recently. They hang up before the answering machine clicks in, so I am sure it's political telemarketing. I have already donated to the campaign I am supporting, and have early voted, so I just don't answer the phone when they come calling. It's not worth the life energy....

[BikeDutchess]

The other day I got an automated call that said "please wait for information about an important business matter" - usually I hang up right away but I was waiting for the kettle to boil so just kept listening. I was on hold for a minute or so and then got a message stating something like "all our representatives are busy" and asking me to "press 1 if you would like to continue to hold". Now why in the world would I want to keep holding for a call I didn't initiate and I had no clue what it was about???

But back to the OP - I agree that credit card response was ridiculous.

[Irulan]

I always ask them to take me off their list, and let them know it's a federal offense to call someone who is registered on the do not call registry. Yes, I know it's for commercial solicitations and not politics/non profits but to me that's besides the point.

I love having caller ID. It makes it really easy to ignore the calls I don't want to get.