Congressman Tom Cole is offering The Progressive Geek the Congressional Order of Merit…
…or so says Shelly Burroughs in a voicemail left at my home today. Of course, being The Progressive Geek, with my intense distrust of our anti-American dysfunctional government, the first thing I did was to search the Internet for more information on this “highest honor” (as described in the voicemail) that supposedly congress thought I deserved. Almost instantly, I discovered that this so-called honor is a scam by Tom Cole and the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC). It appears from my search on the web that hundreds, or more probably thousands of people are approached with this award for the purpose of collecting contributions and adding people to an “advisory committee” where you are forced to endure listening to a recording of Republican drivel regarding their agenda to stop Nancy Pelosi and those “bad liberals” from ruining small businesses. The price for this fake honor is several hundred dollars, paid to the NRCC.
Don’t get me wrong. I have no love for Nancy Pelosi and many of the Democrats who gave so many promises in 2006 and failed so miserably to keep any of them. My back is still bleeding from all the stab wounds. I am also much more concerned over how the Democrats are out to ruin American jobs, particularly hi-tech jobs, than over what they might do to “small businesses”. What I find so insulting is how Cole and the NRCC have stooped to an incredible low in trying to scam the Americans into forking over money to the Republican Party.
All I can say is: this should tell you what the Republican Party thinks of us American Citizens. They must think that we all believe that we won the International Lottery and that we have a million dollars coming from a business deal in Nigeria.
Unbelievable what they will resort to!
I hope you put that voicemail into a podcast. (I wish they’d call me. I’d like to return the call.)
Comment by Shelly T. — December 12, 2007 @ 10:03 pm
Pretty damn sad, although not surprising. But hey, you won an award, right? lol!
Comment by Bill — December 13, 2007 @ 9:10 am
I’ve got it in an audio file now. Stay tuned. Also, Shelly, they probably don’t remember who they called anyway, so you can probably still “return their call”.
Comment by Progressive Geek — December 13, 2007 @ 5:07 pm
Progressive Geek:
Interesting … that explains the “NRCC” code that appears on my caller ID. I’ve never bothered to answer (I’m on a bunch of lists and have been getting about 15+ solicitation-style calls every night from 6 - 8).
Post the audio file, PG. I’d like to hear what I’m missing. - Graper of Albany
Comment by Dave Graper — December 19, 2007 @ 6:08 am
I used to make these calls. I got tired of being a public nuisance. Anyone can get a National Leadership award, order merit award, or whatever the hell they call it now and I mean anyone including your dog. The NRCC has been making similar calls since Newt was speaker, after Newt it was Tom Davis, then it was Tom DeLay, now Tom Cole. They call through different lists of business people just like any other telemarketing campaign. I remember calling to offer the award to people who told me they were felons or are currently in prison. I’ve also called pets, long deceased people, children, septic tank cleaning services, foreign nationals, staunch democrats, etc. you name it I’ve called it. The NRCC and infocision (The company that makes the calls) know absolutely nothing about your accomplishments or lack of. The call is all about getting your money nothing more. The Presidents Dinner costs at least $5,000 to attend with about 1,000 other people.
Comment by Kris — December 20, 2007 @ 6:58 pm
Merry Christmas, Progressive Geek.
For the first time in years I got a letter to the editor published in the paper about our predicament — it’s not like I haven’t tried. I think that this time the original article about IT H1Bs was so biased that the paper thought they had to give it some balance.
Original article:
http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=647720&category=BUSINESS&newsdate=12/16/2007
Letter to Editor:
http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=649556&category=OPINION&newsdate=12/22/2007
They still published the corporate story as banner-headline-news in the Sunday paper on their biggest circulation day and my letter on the opinion page in the Saturday paper (their lowest circulation day), but there was at least some refutation.
Please keep up the good work, and please post something new soon. - Graper of Albany
Comment by Dave Graper — December 23, 2007 @ 10:13 am
Merry Christmas Dave!
That is great that they published your editorial, and a great editorial it is.
I’ve noticed that there has been a lot of these pro-corporate-slant articles lately. It sure sounds like they are getting ready for another big push again in 2008 for an increased H-1B VISA cap with no protections for the American worker. I think it’s going to be another tough year.
Comment by Progressive Geek — December 24, 2007 @ 2:51 pm
Check out the skit in episode #28 where Bill and I perform a “call” on one of these “Order of Merits”.
Comment by Progressive Geek — January 1, 2008 @ 12:48 pm
The call made no sense to me. I just got it on Sunday. I will not be returning their call. “NROC” I haven’t done anything to recieve such a merit award. Didn’t sound right. I think it would behove the American people to demand more of their product to be “BORN” in the USA. That the American Manufacturers bring back our factories and produce here in the USA. I mean, really, my Kodak digital camera was designed in Japan and made in China. So was this Microsoft keyboard I am typing on. I do buy American and it made overseas. I hope there isn’t any “LEAD” in these products. I work for a major craft retailer. 95%of the goods on our shelves is made in China. Right down to srapbook paper. The American manufacturer can break the rule and build their own factories. I know what the shipping is from China. It is outrageously high. I want to see 200 car freight trains like we had 55 years ago. We need to bring our jobs home. You want to do something to kick our economy? Get the h— out of other people’s countries and bring it on home.
Comment by Liz — March 10, 2008 @ 4:43 pm