got a strange call today

[shadowknows69]

I had someone call me tonight and ask me if I'd answer a poll about illegal immigrants and solutions to the problem. I said sure, then they played me a message from a Republican from New Jersey. It was either the Governor himself or a candidate for Gov of NJ, which I thought strange from the get go because....I LIVE IN NEW YORK, hello?
Anyhoo the message was actually very against a lot of the recent policies enacted (giving illegals drivers licenses etc.) but also blamed it on "bad politicians and the liberal media so they started to lose me there.
After the message a live person got on the line with me and asked me if I was unhappy with the illegal immigrant problem abd I said yes I thought it could use some work. then she "reminded me" of various stats including "over 78,000 immigrants in this country are from axis of evil countries" that's where I stopped her and asked, half-laughing, what those particular countries were again. Her first answer was "Iraq". must not have read that news story about us capturing Saddam I guess. Anyway that's when I ended the conversation by telling her when the politicians she represents stop speaking in abstracts and fear tactics to call me back and that I had an IQ over 100 and wasn't susceptible to meaningless propaganda. Bizzare.

[The Doctor.]

1. Get the number, find the source.

This is a blatant attempt by a partisan entity to manipulate public opinion.

This may yet become a story if you're not the only one...

[shadowknows69]

2. could be

and considering I've been a registered Democrat for like 15 years I figured they wouldn't bother me.

[amjucsc]

3. Yep, blatant push polling

[Ian David]

4. That is called a "Push-poll." It's not so much a poll as a political ad

Their main goal isn't to get you to answer the questions. Their main goal is to tell you what they want you to think.

[eternalburn]

5. I got a call from Braun Research last night....

....

I didn't answer.

They are a research telephone polling company out of New Jersey. The number was 609-279-1327.

Was this the same company that called you? Just curious.

[shadowknows69]

7. It sounds like it

I admit I didn't pay attention to who it was exactly but it was from NJ

[Branjor]

6. The governor of New Jersey

is a democrat.

[shadowknows69]

8. Wasn't him then

they definitely id'ed themselves as republicans

[lonestarnot]

9. This worth getting to the bottom...check it out! n/t

[applegrove]

10. Sounds like you handled it well. Next time ask her that if middle class

Americans and poor Americans do the rich a huge favour by allowing guest workers in the next 20 years...that will keep the middle class and the poor from benefiting from labor shortages with increased salaries etc... that if the middle class and the poor keep inflation down by allowing guest workers... which will help the wealthy keep their money... doesn't she think the wealthy should pay taxes to do their part for the country? Since there are never enough of the elites to effect inflation - but they suffer from it a great deal... and the country is now run as a place to keep investors happy all the time - over proportionally on the backs of the middle class and poor due to tight money policies... should the elites not find a way to give back in the only ways they can? With tax money and a regular transfer of a little wealth so that there is mobility & a healthy middle class?

[shadowknows69]

15. this persons position was against guest workers

I believe it may have been Tom Kean's people. I admit I barely absorbed a good chunk of the message as I hate pre-recorded crap like that and was anxious to get back to the obvious torment the poll taker would allow me to inflict on them. They did say that "if elected" I guess, that NJ would not issue licenses to illegals and when they were caught they would be deported. So, to me at least the message was positive it was just the method that was flawed and the obvious oddity of why NJ was calling NY.

[woodsprite]

11. I got a call from Progress for America

They offered to help me, free of charge, to write a letter to my senators (both dems) to ask them to support *'s Soc. Security personal account plan.

I told her that I already wrote letters to all my congressmen, plus congressmen from other states, telling them I wanted them Social Security privatization was wrong and that they should oppose it.

Wouldn't that be the same type of call? It wasn't a poll, but it was definitely repubs trying to sway public opinion.

[demwing]

14. There's nothing illegal about trying to sway opinion

but push polling IS illegal in some states because of its devious nature. Regardlesss of the legality, its pretty damned unethical wherever it happens.

[vixengrl]

12. Possibly Doug Forrester was the candidate?

He's a Republican running for NJ gov, and his hot issues seem to be corrupt politicians and the "liberal media" (he purchased some radio air time about Dan Rather--against, go figure.)

[shadowknows69]

16. YES

I'll bet that was it. I apologize for m y shoddy memory on this subject. I have occasional lapses in short term memory :hippie:

[izzybeans]

13. There are several repugs running ads for governer in Jersey

Was it Brett Schundler?

[shadowknows69]

17. the only thing I'm sure of is

it wasn't Joe Piscopo

[adwon]

18. Send it to Jay Leno

Especially the part about Iraq/Axis of Evil and your response. Pure stupidity, like this poll, needs to be held up to the light of ridicule.

I can just picture...

Leno: Hey, did you hear this? Apparently the New Jersey Republican Party didn't get the memo that an invasion and 2 years of occupation disqualify a country as being part of the Axis of Evil.

[AP]

19. Seeing through this shit isn't out of reach of the half of USA with below

avg. IQs.

I wouldn't have made the point about having an IQ over 100.

Realizing what a load of push poll propagandizing crap this call was is something at least 2/3rds of America should be able to realize.