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                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, January 12, 1992                   TAG: 9201130237
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: B-2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

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IT ISN'T LOBBYISTS BUT LEGISLATORS WHO DEFEAT BILLS

GEORGE W. Grayson, a member of the Virginia House of Delegates, attempts a lukewarm apology (Jan. 3 commentary page) for the General Assembly's failure to pass the Telephone Privacy Act. Grayson, unfortunately, makes three foolish statements and repeats one false assumption:

"Lobbyists torpedoed a bill designed to limit intrusions . . . "

"A battalion of lobbyists killed the bill . . . in the Senate committee."

" . . . high-powered lobbyists who defeated the bill . . . "

"Telemarketing is a legitimate business."

Lobbyists are not elected representatives of the people, are not elected to office, and cannot "kill" a bill. Delegates to the General Assembly are too willing to (a) sell themselves; (b) abdicate their responsibility to their constituents out of sheer carelessness or incompetence.

Telemarketing is not a legitimate business. Telemarketers have no way of displaying credentials authorizing their imposition on the privacy of the public.

Additionally, one cannot hang up on a telemarketer. Computer calling will not release a telephone line until the computer message is completed.

Often this is only after a prolonged interval during which the hung-up telephone cannot be used. Such invasive commandeering of a personal possession is illegal and must be recognized as such, even by such a bumbling assemblage of fools as the General Assembly.

One redeeming value of the Grayson article is the glaring demonstration of need for restriction of terms of office in the General Assembly. Tell me, Sir George, are you a part of the problem or a part of the solution? BERNIE LINDSTROM SUGAR GROVE

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