Fun with Email List names
I signed up for the Consumer's Union email newsletter some months back. I believe it was inadvertent, since my "Name" for their email list was clearly something I didn't care about.
If you are interested in signing up, their email topics are usually "the sky is falling, prices are too high, and emailing your congresscritter will help." Sigh.
If you are interested in signing up, their email topics are usually "the sky is falling, prices are too high, and emailing your congresscritter will help." Sigh.
posted by Rob at 8:36 AM
3 Comments:
Apparently I am still trying to sort out your politics--I don't get what your position is on this one. That a consumers' group is pointless? That they ought to be doing something other than what they do (reporting on the falling of the sky)? I am, however, amused by the name accepted into the spam system.
Consumer's Union seems to think that the answer to every one of their "action items" is more legislation or spamming their legislators, even when that is exactly what has failed in the past and why they think action is required.
They also omit additional steps you should take before contacting whatever government entity they recommend.
Some examples, drawn from their action page.
Want more cable channel choice? How about before you contact the FCC, contacting your cable company? They don't mention that at all.
Want to keep cell phones out of landfills? How about telling people where to recycle or donate their cell phones before writing your congressman? Isn't the first step toward preventing pollution telling the consumer how to avoid it?
Prevent identity theft? How about some tips about how to protect your identity first, THEN write to congress.
Prescription drugs unsafe? Tell congress to support a "strong and independent Office of Drug Safety", even though this is exactly the same department (in fact the "largest of the five FDA centers") and they can't seem to get it right now.
"the sky is falling" comes from their tendency frame issues as emergencies when they are not. I realize they are a political advocacy group and some of their issues are very important onese, but their tone for some of the esoteric issues is awfully harsh and hyped.
Ah--that was wildly helpful and clarifying--and seriously they don't do any of those things or give any of that info? Truly, truly absurd and frustrating. And cool that you notice the steps that are left out--I tend to notice the lapses in logic and connections among lots of things but this isn't one I would have seen. I would have noted that their recommended actions seemed sort of pointless, but it wouldn't have occurred to me what was missing.
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