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gibraltar72

(7,624 posts)
Mon Dec 5, 2022, 09:35 PM Dec 2022

I was scheduled to be calling for Warnock tonight

After yesterdays session it became apparent to me we were just pissing people off at this point. Even some very nice supporters said enough is enough. Others were not so polite. I've been doing phoning for over 30 years I don't take anything personal. I've been cussed out my morals called into question that doesn't faze me but I sensed yesterday people have been phone bombed and texted until they are sick of it. Some on our side chewed on me for a while then thanked me for what I was doing. I pulled the plug about 40 minutes early. I sensed I was doing more harm than good.

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Irish_Dem

(55,825 posts)
2. Yes at some point it is overkill and and counterproductive.
Mon Dec 5, 2022, 09:41 PM
Dec 2022

You did the right thing.

Half of everything is psychology and you are being astute in figuring out that piece of your work.

MerryBlooms

(11,885 posts)
4. The constant barrage of political messages, is almost as
Mon Dec 5, 2022, 09:49 PM
Dec 2022

bad as the Medicare Advantage ads. I know one of my clients has been fed up for months! His calls start at 6 in the morning. Plus, the scam calls are relentless right now.

Thanks for your efforts, and thank you for getting it right!

 

Just A Box Of Rain

(5,104 posts)
5. Whenever I get a call, I do out of my way to thank the Democratic volunteer on the line
Mon Dec 5, 2022, 09:50 PM
Dec 2022

because I've been on the other side of the line so many times myself.

I do try to tell the volunteers that "I'm a lock," but....

Thank you for the calls you made! I trust you read the temperature well.

Feeling realistically optimistic.

Enter stage left

(3,784 posts)
6. I donated in 2020 and I have been getting between 5-15 emails a day for the last 12 months...
Mon Dec 5, 2022, 09:56 PM
Dec 2022

I'm tired of it too.

Many of us are living on SS, and if we feel we want to donate, we will.

BUT, the constant emails, texts, BEGGING have turned me off to ever donating again.

If I had responded to even 10% of the begging, I would have been somewhere over $25,000 in the hole.

PLEASE STOP!

Music Man

(1,561 posts)
7. That's an astute observation. Good on you for being an empath.
Mon Dec 5, 2022, 09:59 PM
Dec 2022

Phone calls are my least favorite way of volunteering. Give me door-to-door work any day, even if you can't cover as much ground. The sound of a phone ringing is annoying, let alone several times a day. I always feel like I'm bothering people.

I live in Kentucky, so races are rarely competitive. I can only imagine what it's like for voters in a race like this.

I will say that if there weren't some effectiveness to it, the campaign(s) wouldn't be doing this. Sort of like junk mail: It seems stupid until you remember that *someone* must be buying that stuff. Otherwise, companies wouldn't bother to mail it out.

Engaging voters too much is better than engaging them too little. I hate that that's the calculation, though.

Mr.Bill

(24,716 posts)
8. Question for the OP:
Mon Dec 5, 2022, 10:07 PM
Dec 2022

what's the ratio of people that answer their phone to those who don't?

And thanks for your work.

Ms. Toad

(35,337 posts)
9. I don't know how it is to be on the receiving end in GA -
Mon Dec 5, 2022, 10:18 PM
Dec 2022

But for the first time just before the election I unsubscribed to Ryan emails in Ohio - I was receiving about 1/hour. It took me fewer than 6 hours to unsubscribe from Warnock once it was clear there was going to be a runoff, and I unsubscribed from two other lists within the last 12 hours.

Probably a good decision to back off. The Ryan emails wouldn't have kept me from voting for Ryan, but they did piss me off. Had I been on the borderline it might have been enough to keep me from voting.

Peacetrain

(23,604 posts)
10. There is a saying "read the room"..you did the right thing
Mon Dec 5, 2022, 10:22 PM
Dec 2022

I have called many times myself for various political campaigns.. and you can sense when the calls start to bother people..

roamer65

(36,962 posts)
11. At this point, minds are made up.
Mon Dec 5, 2022, 10:26 PM
Dec 2022

It is what it is.

That said, I think Sen Warnock has this one in the bag.

GP6971

(32,675 posts)
13. You did the right thing.
Mon Dec 5, 2022, 10:41 PM
Dec 2022

All the comments regarding donating. I too am fed up with the constant barrage of emails and texts. It's insulting since we contribute what we can when we can. And yet we're made to feel we're not doing enough. I get it...the need to support democracy and the democratic party. But some of their emails/texts really piss me off.

W_HAMILTON

(8,316 posts)
15. From my experience...
Mon Dec 5, 2022, 10:46 PM
Dec 2022

...those types that react that way are probably the most in needing of a phone call.

As much as I hate the onslaught of political requests, I would never get mad at someone for calling me and trying to make sure I voted -- as long as they were trying to get me to vote for a Democrat and not a Republican, of course, heh.

I had a similar experience like you a couple of years with Florida. Needless to say, Florida since has become essentially a red state. Lackadaisical voters otherwise predisposed to voting for Democrats helped usher that in, I feel like. Oh well, some people apparently need to learn things the hard way. If those on the left in Florida are happy with how Republicans are running their state, I will -- and have since -- happily spend my GOTV efforts elsewhere. If they don't care about their state, why should I? I will instead focus my efforts on other states going forward.

Sogo

(5,715 posts)
16. Kind of like the 100 emails/texts I get for every dollar donated....
Mon Dec 5, 2022, 10:58 PM
Dec 2022

I let it roll off at this point, but it's still annoying.

Withywindle

(9,988 posts)
17. It's hard to know how much is too much, isn't it?
Tue Dec 6, 2022, 01:23 AM
Dec 2022

I very much appreciate all the work you and other volunteers are doing. Thank you for your service!


I do worry about the overkill factor. My email inbox is about 40% Warnock, and I've never lived in Georgia. I can't imagine what it must be like for people who do.

Tree Lady

(12,128 posts)
18. I get it I have been getting texts
Tue Dec 6, 2022, 01:35 AM
Dec 2022

Every day begging for money for different democrats. I find myself wishing I hadn't given my phone number out years ago.

I never answer but still get them daily.

There has to be a way to get the message out without pissing people off.

Mz Pip

(27,851 posts)
19. I've received several texts today
Tue Dec 6, 2022, 01:47 AM
Dec 2022

asking for money. Not sure what more money can do this late in the game. I sent money earlier on but I’m not going to tonight.

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