Wonkette
It turns out Michele Bachmann isn’t the only terrified lawmaker hiding from her constituency behind a wall of phone-dialing robots. Politicians across this great land of ours have discovered the beauty of the tele-town hall, which allows them to pretend to interact with voters while sparing them the pain of actually talking with them.
Basically, a service will randomly dial a few thousand voters at a time and ask them to stay on the line to speak with their local political hack. Most people who pick up the phone will wisely put it back down again. But a few lonely senior citizens, unemployed people, and Art Bell-worshiping cranks will stay on the line.
Some people do get to ask a question but most don’t, and are doomed to forever linger on silent mode while some nutter proposes that “we kill the commies.” (This actually happened in a tele-town hall led by Louisiana Congressman Charles Boustany.) This opportunity for “freewheeling discussion” is why advocates call it “a Utopian microcosm of democracy” and why most people won’t answer the phone when it rings during American Idol.
Lawmakers flock to tele-town halls [Politico]
Comments
I guess this eliminates the possibility for "serprize! fone secks!!"
Banks and collection agencies do that too. They call and put you on hold. Hey fuckers! You called me!
I just got one call from a collection agency yesterday and actually waited this time. A previous owner of my current phone number doesn't like to pay his bills and I get these from time to time. I told the collection agency flunky to get stuffed and if they want my money then they're going to have to bust my kneecaps, beat me to death and pry it from my cold dead hands.
It's the politician's version of phone sex.
OK, OK, the politician's version of phone sex is, actually, most likely phone sex. But I'm sure this is pretty close to it for them.
She was so much better as Dr. Cuddy on HOUSE.
Frank Wolf (R-VA-10th District) uses these, too...been in Congress since before Duran Duran broke big.
Quick! Someone loosen those pearls! SHE'S CHOKING TO DEATH!
Those aren't pearls .. she just got out of a meeting with McCain.
@norbizness: Hey, I gave her that pearl necklace!*
*In my dreams.
Speaking of Art Bell, I miss him. George Noory just ain't the same. Hold on, my phone just rang...
If these calls actually work, how come I haven't had an iced-tea shampoo from Carmen Electra?
I keep getting these automated calls with an Austrian voice that simply says, "Sarah Conner?"
Then the dogs start barking.
I worship Art Bell and I am not ashamed! Not a lot ashamed.
...So you don't forget, act before midnight tomorrow, and you'll get not one, but TWO signature toilet paper rolls with Michelle Bachman's image printed on each sheet.
You'll be the envy of all who use your bidet.
AANNNNND now i will have tommy tutone in my head all day.
thanks michele bachmann!
Wally Herger of the Cali 2nd district does this shit. He's been such a rubber-stamp, right-wing tool that I retardedly stayed on the line once for about 10 minutes to hose some abuse at him. But, it became clear that lines were only opened up to stuttering old people that hate the foreignz and love them some dumbya...
...strangely, Id bang her. Total hate-fukk though!
Has it been commented on yet that Michelle "only pearl necklace she'll ever get" Bachmann is Susan Powter's evil twin? Well, it has now.
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