Phone bankers have no control over who they call. They volunteer and show up. An app brings up a number, they hit ‘Call’ and the call is made. Sometimes there’s a script. Often there isn’t. When the call is done, there is a popup. It includes: DO NOT CALL. They move on. They have a bunch more to call before they have to go home, make dinner, put the kids to bed, get ready for work, or study for a test.

Our names are sold and traded by data brokers, sliced and diced along all kinds of demographic metadata. The brokers are the reason we get all these unsolicited messages or calls. There are state rules, but the brokers are out of state. There are FEC rules. They ignore it. I regularly block and spam unsolicited calls, or do END or STOP. If it’s a cause I like, I throw them some money, knowing I’ll be getting a crapton of calls and texts. It’s OK. I’m one of thousands in a database. I know it’s nothing personal.

Being a horse’s ass to a fellow citizen phone banker just gives them something to laugh about later. As an alternative, you can thank them for their effort, say no thanks not for me, and ask to be taken off the call list.