Push Poll in Tennessee: help needed to report it

[Clark2008]

I just received a push poll phone call from Common Sense Tennessee (www.commonsensetennessee.com) and need some information to report it to my state election commission.

I'm in Tennessee. The push poll asked if I was pro-life, support the NRA, was concerned about illegal immigration, etc. When I answered the questions, the automated response system would then lie about Ford's record and glow about Corker's record.

The funniest one was about cutting taxes, in which the automated attendent alleged that Ford voted to increase taxes - well, he did - but only on the top 2 percent who earn mega buck$.

What is the law regarding push polling so I can cite in my email to my state election commission. I'm sure it's a federal law, but the state still has to abide by it.

[salin]

1. write about it as an LTTE

early (illegal in Indiana) push polls backfired against GOP candidates in a big way - esp when folks started writing about the calls and how outraged they were by the tactic (rather started a flood).

[Clark2008]

2. I can't.

I mean - I COULD, but they never publish me as a citizen since I used to work there. I think they think it might be a bit self-serving. I can sort of understand it... I guess.

I'm composing a letter to the state election commission and BCCing it to the Ford campaign, but I'd love to cite the law concerning push polling.

[calimary]

5. DO IT ANYWAY. You never know. It might be published this time.

Write a sample one and post it here. People will help you refine it, so it's short, and sweet. More likely to get published in that shape.

DO

IT

ANYWAY.

[salin]

8. I agree.

The point is it gets people more aware of the phenomenon of push polling - that it is deceptive, isn't polling at all, almost always contains distortions and outright lies, and is unaccountable - as it doesn't require the "I am Candidate Y and I endorsed this message" type tag or any other kind of disclosure.

[Clark2008]

9. I don't need help writing a LTTE, I used to be a reporter.

I KNOW how to write short, sweet and to the point. I used to have to edit others' work.

This is why I doubt it would be printed (edited to add: thanks for the support, it's just that I know how to write one, I'm just VERY doubtful it would get printed in time to make much of a difference - if at all, given my former employment. I prefer to go the route of reporting it to the election commission).

[calimary]

10. No offense meant.

But I still don't think it could hurt.

[Bitwit1234]

3. Had a link

A few days ago there was a link on the forum so you could report. Don't remember exactly - try to find it.

[Clark2008]

4. P.S. This is connected with John Fund, so you know it can't

be on the up and up.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fund

[spinbaby]

6. I just got one in Pennsylvania

I just this minute got on line to report a weird push poll I just got in Pennsylvania.

I forget who they said the organization was. A man asked if I wanted to participate in a poll on the president and I said yes. Then he asked me to listen to a short message and answer the question after the message. He played a short rant by Michael Reagan about how terrorists want to destroy our lifestyle and hate us for our freedoms and how some candidates just don't understand this and think that Americans are doing something wrong.

Then a different person--a woman--came on the phone and asked me if I thought that President Bush's poll numbers accurately reflected his popularity. I said I thought his poll numbers should be lower and she politely said thank you and hung up.

I can't quite figure out what they were up to. Polling to get the answer they want? Trying to influence me with the message from Michael Reagan?

I'm thinking that we need some central place on DU to track the political calls this week--we're going to see some nasty stuff.

[fasttense]

7. I got a push poll a couple of weeks ago here in TN

It was the Terrance group and it started with crap like, "If you knew Ford was a baby killer, would you still vote for him?" Of course they didn't say baby killer, they said everything but. I e-mailed Ford and told him about it. I also posted it here. I'm not sure push polls are illegal, they are just immoral. Shows what a pig Porker/Corker is.