Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Robocalls - leadnow.com's reversible online petition

A leadnow.com online petition to federal party leaders has customizable subject and message text.  My message reads:

Subject: Robocalls - the opposition and media smear campaign

Dear Prime Minister Harper, Mr Corbett, Mr Paulson, Ms Turmel, Mr Rae, Ms. May and Mr. Plamondon,

I am gravely concerned by the smear campaign being perpetrated by opposition partisans and promoted by their media cheerleaders.

This unconscionable campaign is damaging the integrity of our electoral system. I urge you to vigorously resist it.

A public inquiry would be a monumental waste but should there be one it should be focused on the actions of those attempting to smear Conservatives.
I wondered if leadnow.com might filter/block it, but a reply from the PM's office confirms it was delivered as (re)written.

9 comments:

Rob said...

I figure Elections Canada have already set their spam filters to exclude this type of form message.

Anonymous said...

Good one!

Anonymous said...

Hi JR - it's true, we wont block your message.

Cheers,
Jamie Biggar
Executive Director, Leadnow.ca

Anonymous said...

When did you send this?

Blazingcatfur said...

I, Idi Amin Dada...

Anonymous said...

Good grief, integrity is damaged by the robo calls , not an inquiry.
Pretty pathetic to rail against those who use online forms then do the same.
Sorry, hypocritical.

JR said...

No, integrity is damaged by spurious, long after the fact complaints about Robocalls. The online petition encourages spurious complaints. Opposition parties and media overhyping this issue also promote more of same, bringing our electoral system into disrepute. Not only is this an attempt to deliberately smear Conservatives, it is seriously damaging to the reputation of our democracy. To do this for partisan gain is unconscionable.

My and others' use of the leadnow.com petition form to communicate this to political leaders and to help counter leadnow's campaign is hardly "hypocritical".

Anonymous said...

I don't think you should be using their form to do this. It lends legitimacy to them propagandizing "40,000 complaints lodged". I think you should email the PM, your MP etc. separately on your own or set up our own version of it.
/andycanuck

Anonymous said...

Up Yours