Voters against Spam!

When I began this blog, I intentionally stayed away from the topic of politics, and while I don't intend that this blog should become the typical "I'm right and you're wrong" political mish-mash--I'm going to tell anyone reading this a couple of things.

One: Early in the summer I was asked if I would care to send both Mr. McCain and Mr. Obama a note about what I thought were important issues they should address in their respective campaigns. Being a Christian in more than just name, I felt that it was my duty to do so, in hopes that either or both might take these things to heart.

A week or so later I began receiving e-mails from Mr. Obama's campaign asking for contributions. I got no confirmation that he'd even read any of what I'd written to him either by personal e-mail nor by his public statements about what he stands for.

I began by simply discarding the e-mails as they came. A minor annoyance as they came perhaps one or two a week. Then they went to daily. Then twice daily! I began pressing "report spam".

But apparently AOL will not honor "report spam" on politicians (at least not liberal politicians).

So after months of this abuse of my inbox, I decided to actually look at one of Mr. Obama's e-mails. Nothing of a great shock therein, his usual vague statements about "change".

Well, I've got "change" from Nancy Pelosi, Mr. Obama! I used to get dollars, now all I get is change. I don't need any more of that kind of change.

Anyway, I found an "unsubscribe" button in the e-mail and went there to unsubscribe. Bearing in mind that I had never "subscribed" to begin with. But when I went to submit my "unsubscribe" there was a video of Mr. Obama that had to be downloaded before it would allow me to submit.

I'm on dial up.

I've tried this approach several times and each time the result is the same. Today I attempted to respond to "info@barackobama.com" and got an automatic reply that said they didn't read letters sent to that address, that I must respond through the website comment page.

So I went there.

Same jazz. A video is downloading and my comment won't go through until it's done.

Does Mr. Obama's campaign think that I'll change my mind if I sit through another one of his vague speeches? "Oh, my! What was I thinking? No, please fill up my inbox with your semi-daily comments about nothing! I can see it all so clearly now!"

During all of this, Mr. McCain's campaign has not cluttered my inbox with letters.

I did get a very nice letter from Elizabeth Dole the other day, asking nicely if I'd mind if she sent me an occasional update on her campaign. "Why, thank you for asking, Mrs. Dole, I think I would like a note or two from you, since I actually plan on supporting your re-election campaign."

Two: This is all pretty silly stuff though, as I figure the race is over already. When Sarah Palin stepped up on the platform, that was it.

Everyone is talking about the lady. Everyone on both sides is talking about her.

Good for her.

I hope when she's President she'll do something about inbox spam.