Colorado law will not change

A way to hinder telemarketers has finally presented itself in

the first nationwide No Call List.

“I think that all of us deserve some privacy in our homes and

there are a number of people who have trouble getting off the phone

when telemarketers call them,” said Sen. Peggy Reeves, of Fort

Collins. Reeves was one of many senators to pass Colorado’s own No

Call List more than one year ago.

Although the nationwide list is currently in effect, it still

might encounter difficulty from opponents. Colorado’s individual No

Call List cannot be affected by any court ruling on the federal

list.

“I would recommend if anyone wants to be put on this list they

simply register for Colorado’s list,” Reeves said. “Those names

will automatically transfer to the nationwide list.”

Colorado citizens can register for a No Call List through

www.ColoradoNoCall.com.

Dave Hager, a sophomore at CSU, worked as a telemarketer for

Circulation Services Inc. (CSI) for the month of August this

previous summer. Hager’s attitude towards telemarketers seems to

resemble that of many who would sign up to be on a No Call

List.

“The No Call List is a good idea because no one likes

telemarketers,” Hager said. “It’s terrible. I don’t think there’s a

single American that likes telemarketing.”

However, at least for C.S.I, getting taken off a list was more

complicated than just shouting and hanging up on a

telemarketer.

“I n order for me to take someone off a list I would have ask

them to hold on so I could get my manager and then he could take

them off the list,” Hagar said. “People who would just yell at me

and hang up I would just put under ‘not interested,’ and not bother

getting my manager. More time to make sales.”

Some uninterested citizens were more adamant than others when

replying to Hager’s sales-pitches.

“People would yell, ‘Quit calling here, leave me the hell

alone,'” Hager said. “‘I don’t want any God damn newspapers, they

just sit around my lawn. You’re always calling here at 9 in the

morning.'”

Hager was also instructed with “rebuttals” to whatever argument

a consumer would have for being disinterested in whatever he was

attempting to sell them.

“There’s a list of rebuttals, depending on what excuse they give

you,” Hagar said. “You’re instructed to have your own ‘spin’ on it,

that’s where the salesman part comes in.”

Junior Nate King definitely won’t miss telemarketers calling

him. King received three to four calls a week in his dorm room.

“I think it’s ridiculous that they can call that many people

just to push some deal,” King said. ” They’ll have to implement

some system to make sure it gets done.”

Consequences for telemarketers who call someone registered on a

No Call List, usually amount in fines that can be substantial.

Complaints can be made through the Attorney General’s office.

“No one is getting thrown in jail for this, but there are

definite financial disincentives that telemarketers can face,”

Reeves said. “And people haven’t been shy about calling to

complain.”

The biggest opponents to the No Call List have often used

arguments of free speech to justify telemarketers’ calls, but

advocates claim they have a right to their privacy.

“There’s exceptions to free speech, they’re calling people at

home,” Hager said.

Even as a telemarketer, there are no misconceptions about the

public’s general attitude towards this controversial business

approach.

“Everyone hates telemarketers. You just know you’re being hated

when you work there,” Hager said. “You try to be nice, but I would

hate me too.”