The Congressional Order of Merit for little ol' me?
I came back to the house this morning from delivering feed to find a message waiting for me on the phone. I listened to it, then had to play it again to make sure it was correct.
The caller was from a Representative Tom Cole's office and the National Republican Congressional Committee and was offering me the Congressional Order of Merit. I was to return his call as soon as possible.
Wow, an award, nay, a Congressional award! Must have been that hard hitting blog I wrote about those in Lineville who don't have running water...forget the fact that I'm still technically a registered Democrat from 2006 when I switched before the primary to support Ed Fallon.
(Note to self - switch to Independent immediately lest thy be inundated by mailings from Hillary.)
But, a little search of the Internet helped burst my visions of banquets, awards ceremonies, and schmoozing with the elite.
Come to find out, you have to donate to the NRCC to get your Congressional Order of Merit. $200, $300, maybe $495 will get you the prestigious award, suitable for framing.
Forget that, buddy! For $495 I want some real sway with my congressman, like a big dinner at 801 Steak and Chop or something. This is phoney baloney BS, and what's worse, it comes from the Republicans. Boo on them.
The caller was from a Representative Tom Cole's office and the National Republican Congressional Committee and was offering me the Congressional Order of Merit. I was to return his call as soon as possible.
Wow, an award, nay, a Congressional award! Must have been that hard hitting blog I wrote about those in Lineville who don't have running water...forget the fact that I'm still technically a registered Democrat from 2006 when I switched before the primary to support Ed Fallon.
(Note to self - switch to Independent immediately lest thy be inundated by mailings from Hillary.)
But, a little search of the Internet helped burst my visions of banquets, awards ceremonies, and schmoozing with the elite.
Come to find out, you have to donate to the NRCC to get your Congressional Order of Merit. $200, $300, maybe $495 will get you the prestigious award, suitable for framing.
Forget that, buddy! For $495 I want some real sway with my congressman, like a big dinner at 801 Steak and Chop or something. This is phoney baloney BS, and what's worse, it comes from the Republicans. Boo on them.
posted by bgunzy at 7/26/2007 01:39:00 PM
29 Comments:
Thanks for the tip. I was just hit with the same message from "Wanda" at the NRCC as well and quickly did a web search to find out more. I wonder how many suckers they actually lure into buying one of these merit awards...
They must have been a busy bunch this weekend. "Elizabeth" called and left a message on my work phone. To get it at work and then from a Congressman outside my home state just didn't ring true. Glad I did a web search. I suppose there are those that would give whatever to have that plaque, I however, can't fathom giving a Congressional Honor of Merit to someone for contributing to the NRCC. Is that ethical?
Yeah I got one here in California today and did the same thing - check the web.
I have been a registered Independent since I was 21. I am 32 now and yes I own a few businesses, but not making the kind of dough it would take to have some Oklahoma Congressman want to honor me personally.
It was Katrina who called my office - but they sent me a fax with good old Tom Cole's signature.
I think that is good enough for framing as is.
I saw "unavailable caller" on my caller id so I decided not to answer. I then checked my voice mail and low and behold, "Megan Frazier" from Tom Cole's office had called. My husband was the honoree. He was asked to call back as soon as possible.
It's funny how these politicians get around the "do not call registery." Our tax dollars at work, or maybe it is being funded by all these "Congressional Orders of Merit."
Beware everyone!!!
Thanks for the tip folks. Just got the same call left on my machine in upstate NY.
They do realize this has a negative impact on their credibility right?
Like, they know we're smarter than than, right?
Uh,....right?
This is the 2nd call I've gotten from "Linda", persistent little thing. Registered Democrat here, not an entertainer, not a business owner, or a person of infinite means, so of course I don't have any money to donate like what you all have posted here, let alone to the NRCC. Will continue to delete the messages as they come in. I knew I wasn't calling back, but I'm glad I did a search and found out what the heck this was all about!!
I received the same call today from a representative of Tom Cole's office - my concern is that the message was left on my work phone - I am a federal employee - at a federal building. If I made a call like this from my office I could be FIRED as a violation of the HAtch Act - so I gotta think this is illegal as well, and how did they get my phone number in the first place? (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho)
Ditto, on the phone call. Mine was from an elderly lady named Millie Dorm. I live in Arizona and an Independent.
Tom Cole's campaign is sleazy.
I hope he gets kicked to the curb for pulling this stunt.
... Yeah, ok... Sure I'll call back. As soon as I heard the first few words all I thought was SCAM. Yes all caps. I wonder if they've ever hear of the internet and blogs such as this one where people can help each other out by exposing such dishonesty.
Anyway, thanks for the help everyone. God forbid we actually trust our politicians.
I received this same call yesterday, but what is sad is I actually thought someone was recognizing me for my work fighting identity theft, can you believe it? An ID Theft expert falling for this for all of 5 seconds until I did my homework! Sounds impressive, I'm actually a little impressed at their creativity. From a PR standpoint it is genius, but yes, sleezy.
TheIDentityTheftExperts.com
Boise, Idaho
Have received several calls for my employer. First clue that something isn't right would be that the caller, Amber Thaman, did not even know if my employer was male or female. How can we trust politicians when they are sinking this low. Oh, that's right, we can't trust politicians anymore!!!
These guys just called my office for my boss! What the heck! How ridiculous!
Bwahahaha! They just called me...
and I'm in freakin' Massachusetts!
Thanks for the heads up! I am in Jasper, Georgia and being called. I immediately did a web search and found your site. We appreciate you sharing this information.
guess what?
I'm not even registered to any party since I just became a U.S. citizen. Believe it or not, I've received the same call. Is there anything these guys won't do for the money? We don't need medals. We need honest people doing useful work for the society. I guess it's too much to ask from a politician.
I received a message on my home answering machine a few days ago with the same canned speach. The only connection I can make is that I just recently registered my LLC with the state of Ohio. That must be how they get their lists of people to call. Shame on them!!!
I too just registered a new LLC a few months ago, but in the state of Maine. I'm guessing they got my name the same way. Seemed sleazy, and now I see it actually is sleazy. I'm a long time Republican, and have been on the fence about making Lou Dobbs happy and going Independent. Crap like this isn't helping the GOP's cause.
Thanks for the post on this!
This one takes the cake....
My employer just got a voice message from these folks. My boss is a retired DEMOCRATIC legislator. I showed him the message slip and some of results from my google search of Congressional Order of Merit. It gave him a good laugh.
I just got a call as well. As said in earlier posts, I do qualify, but someone should investigate this congressman and tactic. This appears to be deceptive practices and dishonest. Shame on him for supporting this tactic.
And yet another call. This one in Buffalo, NY.
Greenville, SC checking in here... my boss (Republican) got a voicemail about this.
I guess Tom Cole's office doesn't know that 1) my boss's secretary (that's me) is empowered to screen his voicemails according to her best judgement, and 2) his secretary is a raging liberal! LOL, this kind of stuff is always great for a few laughs.
(Makes me peevish, though, to contemplate the fact that this idiocy may be financed with my tax dollars.)
Just got the call for my boss in upstate NY.....I have 3 words for this: PA THE TIC....
Dang, I got for getting my eagle scout back in 2000, I was just looking it up cause I can't find the certificate. Now I don't feel as special.
Good ol' Tom had his staff ring me too... trouble is, I am in the Czech Republic. Do I still get my award?
I received a call today. They had me listen to a message from R-Cole of Oklahoma. I called back and told as a small business owner they can understand my problems. They told me I can sit in on talks about small business and how we can make things better in the US.
A woman (did not write here name down) also told me I can go to the Presidential dinner and get a photo of G.W.
I asked her if she knew what my small business is all about. She told me that I was the owner of myeyeproductions.com and the conservatives really need my help.
The funny thing is if she looked at my web site (which will be down soon till September) they would see my product. "Between the Sheets" 2008 "Exact Date Sex Fact Calendar." Can we see the irony people?
I told her my product did not get marketed properly and I am $1800.00 in debt. I wanted to tell her the product but I would have started laughing to hard. She said all we need is $500.00. I told her I have to college degrees that have not helped me for work and now I have to go get a computer degree to get the skills for or new job market. Then she asks how about $250.00. I said I have been out of work for a while and I have a hard time getting up $12.00 for gas. She let off and said I could sign up as a supporter at businessadvisorycouncil.org/info
I am a register Republican (Moderate) in NY.
They probably snatched my number in my county clerks office where I have a DBA. They can also get your number with the board of elections.
I understand campaigns need money. When you have to hide behind some fake award to hornswagel contributions is just as bad as the net scams from Nigeria or the lottery scams from Europe.
If the politician wants to help our country and world be honest and truth full.
I will be voting for RON PAUL in our Tuesday primary.
Also thanks for the tip. I received a voice mail today on my work phone for my boss to receive this award. I wasn't sure whether to pass this on to him but now I know not to wasted my time and his time. The gal that left a message spoke broken english and her name was Ali Viega representing congressman Tom Cole so thanks again!
I no longer feel special. There is a part of me that is tempted to drag them through the whole process before I tell that I cannot vote!
So, uh... I just got the same call. What's interesting is that I'm not a citizen of the United States. While I do have a green card here, I'm actually a citizen of the People's Republic of China.
I'm almost tempted to go through with it, just so I can later go to the national press (both in China and the US): "Chinese wins US Congressional Order of Merit".
A scam? I am stunned. LOL. Apparently I was not that special after all. Because when I did not dish up the $495 I was no longer worthy of the Congressional Order of Merit. Goodbye Annual President's Dinner (they never said which President would be there) and participating the Business Advisory Council. That's okay. I also just won a lottery and if I send some money to Nigeria....
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