Absurd. The right to free speech does not include forcing others to listen to you.
Alternatively, carriers simply block voicemail for the first few seconds of a call which kills the perceived loophole. Because frankly this is an obvious feature that people will switch carriers for.
Something like:
in my address book => allow
no id or not in my address book => delete
Part of the way the cronies keep us in line is to direct our fire at "the other wing", instead of at them. There is approximately nobody in this country going "Hooray, finally our right to be spammed by telemarketers on the phone that I pay for is being respected!"
> Part of the way the cronies keep us in line is to direct our fire at "the other wing", instead of at them
And part of the way the right wing justifies its atrocities is to claim that "both sides do it", "both sides are the same" or some similar flat out bullshit.
"And part of the way the right wing justifies its atrocities is to claim that "both sides do it", "both sides are the same" or some similar flat out bullshit."
Both sides may not be the same, but both sides do do it... because in a lot of ways, they aren't "both" sides but the same side wearing different masks, at that level. That is, again, that high rarified Federal level, not the people on the streets. You're not "seeing through" their game... you are right where they want you to be. You're even strongly suggesting that you're fine if your side does it as long as you get to yell at the other side and dismiss their claims about what "your side" does. Unsurprisingly, "your side" is suited just fine by your willingness to do this, and they take you up on your offer quite often.
tl;dr No True Scotsman.
> they aren't "both" sides but the same side wearing different masks, at that level
I showed you irrefutable evidence that one side is pro consumer and one pro business. And yet, you still insist that they're the same.
I mean, it was even your example (FCC Chairs), so it's not like I went out cherry picking
The stench of hypocrisy is more than subtle, here.
As always, follow the money.
P.S. Here's what I expect from carriers, if this goes through: A clear, easy to use, and permanent switch to turn this off on my account. (Yes, government emergency situations -- genuine ones -- excepted.)
If this really is a "free market" or something arguably comperable -- their basis for arguing for the elimination of a whole bunch of regulation -- then someone should offer this "off switch" as a feature in response to the obvious demand for it.
If they don't? One more nail in the argument that they do not represent anything like a free market nor real competition.
Also the mouse over text applies very well to this situation as well.
That's like saying honesty is just about not breaking perjury laws in court.
In reality, free speech and free inquiry are social virtues that, like honesty, should be applied and upheld at every level of society, public and private, commercial, academic, and personal. Because free speech is a key mechanism to reach consensus and keep society functioning.
This is becoming even more and more relevant as our "public squares" of discussion are no longer government-owned physical public squares, but rather online fora owned and controlled by mega-corporations.
It's disturbing enough that Facebook or Google could easily turn an election on their whim, and it would be legal. It's even more disturbing that a whole lot of people are loudly proclaiming that this is fine, totally okay, and ethical, just because they think their views will never be the ones that get silenced.
So yeah, that cartoon is terrible.
But if the GOP made prohibiting direct-to-voice-mail illegal you wouldn't be able to do that...