As the cacophony of the next election cycle approaches, a familiar dread creeps in: the relentless bombardment of political robocalls. These digital pests, disguised as "helpful reminders," are more than just an annoyance; they are a blatant violation of privacy, a threat to informed discourse and a stain on the democratic process.

For example, I have been receiving repeated robocalls from the office of Joe Courtney (D-2nd District). When I was finally able to reach his office, they said, "it's your opinion robocalls are illegal." On top of that, I am not even in his district. It truly is needless harassment.

Unlike telemarketing calls, which can be curbed by the Do Not Call registry, political robocalls are exempt, exploiting a loophole in the Telephone Consumer Protection Act. This loophole allows candidates and their committees to bypass consent and invade our personal space with pre-recorded messages, often riddled with misinformation and manipulative tactics. The damage of these calls is multifaceted. They disrupt our daily lives, invading meal times, work hours and even our precious moments of peace. We must stop robocalls.

Bill Harris

West Hartford