Enough is Enough
29/11/23 06:02
November 29, 2023 (Vol. 17 No. 49) - I can be a very patient man. But enough is enough. As a 71-year-old retired college professor who is signed up for Medicare, I have been inundated with more than 100 telephone calls from telemarketers this month, alone. During the Medicare open enrollment period, they are trying to sell me some sort of Medicare coverage plan. Most of these are robocalls. Usually, when one answers the phone, one is greeted by several seconds of silence. If you wait long enough, either a real person who, from the sound of the background noise, is sitting in a boiler room operation, or a recorded voice - probably AI (as in Always Irritating). I hang up, because I know I have little reason to trust these people. However, receiving telemarketing phone calls at all hours on my cell phone borders on harassment. I actually received a call during Thanksgiving dinner and another while watching the play "Annie." My greater concern is for less media-savvy seniors who could become victims of potential Medicare scams. While I am a First Amendment advocate - I use to teach journalism and strategic communications at KU - I believe this level of telemarketing abuse goes beyond the pale. Frankly, if it isn't against the law, it should be. I feel so strongly on this topic that I have contacted a member of Congress about these concerns. Whether it does any good or not, remains to be seen. That's it for now. Fear the Turtle.