Is Senator Nelson's (D-NE) staffer allowed to say "Fuck You" to me?

[Ian David]

Granted, I said "The senator is a fucking traitor," but shouldn't his staffer be held to a higher standard than some idiot like me?

[helderheid]

1. DUDE!

:wow:

[CottonBear]

2. Did the staffer say that? Man or woman?

I already called the office and asked him to vote no and filibuster.

[Ian David]

8. It was a man with a deep but young voice. Here's contact info

http://bennelson.senate.gov/contact/index.cfm

As Nebraska’s Senator, I encourage you to let me know your thoughts on any topic. I am always happy to hear about the concerns and views of Nebraskans.

Use this form to e-mail me your views and I will respond as soon as I can.


Omaha
7602 Pacific St.
Ste 205
Omaha, NE 68114
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]



Lincoln
Federal Bldg, Room 287
100 Centennial Mall North
Lincoln, NE 68508
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]


Washington, D.C.
720 Hart Senate Office Building
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]



Chadron
Tel: [phone]


Scottsbluff
Tel: [phone]

[DemInDistress]

25. I just called the DC office and requested nelson stick with

the dems on the alito issue,,,the guy was polite and said,he will let ben know. so what do I do now?

[Zinfandel]

73. Its fucking Nebraska after all, A "Dem" Senator there is the exact same as

a republican, (as proven by his votes). He only wants he and his family to live the life of privilege of a US Senator, fuck what's right or wrong, he's better than us, life is good...and he'll continue, as will his staff...Very sad, he really believes his life is more worthy than us peasants...He'll have no problem getting his medical or anything else he needs...cuz, he plans to keep his job and his mistress and all those great Bahama trips, that one won't find in Nebraska...What a living prick in our lifetime!!!

Fuck him, let's hope he dies soon.

I'm only praying.

[Horse with no Name]

3. You would think

However, nothing surprises me anymore.:shrug:

[DemInDistress]

4. hell no..give me his number so I can call him to say

fuck you too traitor ...not sticking with the dems is the mark of a real DINO....

[channa18]

7. Ditto...i want his number too.

traiterous bastard.

[alcibiades_mystery]

5. You get what you pay for, dawg

I can't really blame the staffer foer you acting like an asshole and provoking an equal but opposite response. Call it the physics of dialogue, if you want.

[dogday]

6. Yes, when I worked at a bank

If I had shot the bird or hollered out fu everytime an irate customer would at me, I would of been fired, gone going gone....

[rd_kent]

15. Youre right!!!

That staffer has an obligation to be respectful. He was representing his boss so one could say the FU came directly from him!!!!

[specimenfred1984]

9. Good For You

Irate or not, these people need to hear it, these people being DINOs.

[Ian David]

13. Well, aside from dropping the F-bomb, I was polite.

Me: "Did I just hear right that the senator voted Yes on Alito?"

Nelson's Staffer: "That's correct."

Me: "Then the senator is a fucking traitor."

Nelson's Staffer: "Fuck you."

<click>

[channa18]

27. "Then the senator is a fucking traitor."...DING,DING,DING !!

COOOORRRRRREEEECCCCCTTTTT !!

[baby_mouse]

82. Christs's BIKE, ths man is at WORK and is being PAID.

Who pays him to swear at his boss's potential allies? Stupid boy.

[samhsarah]

67. Good for you, Ian

fuck that traitor!

[converted_democrat]

10. ......

:evilgrin:

[MnFats]

11. what if 800 DUers called him and said the same thing?

a public servant is supposed to be able to handle the heat...

[MrBenchley]

12. So let me get this straight...

You called a Senate office to call a Democratic Senator a "fucking traitor" and you're surprised you got "Fuck you" in return?

You deserved much more abuse than that.

[DS1]

17. I'd have told him to fuck off, too

Granted, a few minutes later I may have regretted it, but when some fuck calls up with a statement like that you gotta let loose and push their nose in shit now and then.

It's a healthy reaction IMO

[MrBenchley]

22. Far as I can see, it's what he deserves....

The idea that he should have gotten snuggles and kissies for calling Ben Nelson a traitor is ridiculous.

[Ian David]

28. I'm not saying I didn't deserve it. n/t

[orleans]

46. NO. He Absolutely Should Have Kept His Cool

he should have thanked you for your opinion and let it go.

politics gets people angry

the staffer knows that

he is working in the Senator's office

he is being paid with your hard-at-work tax dollars

he is SUPPOSE TO BEHAVE AS A PROFESSIONAL

THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR HIS RUDE BEHAVIOR AND HE SHOULD BE FIRED.

[Cha]

64. Yes! How dare you call that

FUCKING TRAITOR..a "fucking traitor"!?! :o

[Freddie Stubbs]

14. Absolutely not

Nor should you be using that type of abusive language to the staffer. You should both be ashamed of yourselves.

[crispini]

16. AMEN.

Plenty of blame to go around here.

[MidwestTransplant]

18. I don't think you should swear at a staffer.

[Marie26]

31. Especially cause the staffer might be as upset

as you are. It's kind of like yelling at the waiter because the food tastes bad. What are they going to do? It is surprising that a staffer would be so unprofessional, though, and suggests that maybe he's taking a lot of angry calls on this.

[0rganism]

19. I think there's some blame on both sides of this one

> Is Senator Nelson's (D-NE) staffer allowed to say "Fuck You" to me?
I doubt his boss would approve...

> I said "The senator is a fucking traitor,"
...but this would certainly mitigate the situation.

> shouldn't his staffer be held to a higher standard than some idiot like me?
Yes. If you complained to the right people, he'd probably get a stern talking-to. You, of course, are welcome to do as you please, and the staffer has no recourse whatsoever.

That said, may I recommend tact rather than abuse the next time around?

[Ian David]

34. I figured he was too busy to hear a lengthy and nuanced lecture

And that "dropping the f-bomb" would be a way for both of us to save time by using a sort of "emotional short-hand."

I guess his reply was short-hand for, "Maybe I should have taken a year abroad in Europe with my friends."

Besides, I didn't say the staffer was a traitor. Just his boss. Nothing personal.

But you're right, I was probably over-the-top.

I'll save the obscenity for the Repukes.

I'm not going to complain to his boss, but I'm more than happy if fellow DUers want to call and torment him. I don't think he should lose his job, but I have no problem adding to his burden.

Who knows? Maybe he'll flip-out and kick his boss in the nuts?

Now... who are the other Dems who voted for Alito, and how badly can we torment their staffers?

[Carni]

95. Just don't drop any more f bombs and you can bitch as much as you like

You can call the reps traitors etc and let them have it, but if you swear at the staffer you'll negate the whole thing and they can hang up on you.

JMO you could probably get in more trouble than the aide who said fuck you--esp with all the obscenity laws and *terror* legislation.

JMO and I know how difficult it is to keep one's cool when calling and feeling like there is dead space on the other end of the line!

[NYCGirl]

20. I would've just hung up on you. NT

[channa18]

21. Just called the office in dc....

I asked is Nelson going filibuster or be a slimeball traitor and he said to me "Well...8 other democrats arent going to filibuster...why dont you call them."

So i said "gee, too bad nelson doesnt have a spine"...and he hung nup on me.

[spuddonna]

26. Next time ask for the names of the other Senators! :) n/t

[gratuitous]

29. So it's okay if Nelson is spineless

As long as he has eight buddies to prop each other up?

[channa18]

32. [phone]...Try it....and mention my name.

.

[Marie26]

38. 8 senators...

45 Senators, w/8 refusing to filibuster - that leaves 37 votes. They need 41 votes to filibuster - so 4 of those Senators will have to change their minds soon or it's over. Not looking good.

[EFerrari]

23. LMAO! Hey, try to keep it clean when you call the f3cking traitors.

:rofl:

[necso]

24. Lol.

[napi21]

30. Both the caller and the staffer were wrong! However....

The staffer's response was unacceptable. I worked customer service for 4 years, and all my customers were other businesses. I heard MUCH WORSE than what you said to the staffer, but as a representative of the company, I was NOT permitted to respond in kind. If the conversation got really bad, I would say "I will be happy to speak to you when you calm down and are willing to hold an acceptable conversation. Please call back when you are ready to do that."

I realize this staffer might have received several humdred calls just like yours, and your's was the last straw, but that's no excuse!

I must also say, there is NEVER a reason to get verbaly abusive with anyone on the phone (or in person). The caller should keep that in mind as well.

[longship]

33. What do you expect?

You use that language with him and you expect him to be nice and polite?

I suggest that when people call their Senators that they adopt a demeanor that they would like returned to them. Calling a Senator a "fucking traitor" is no way to make friends or influence people.

Your call basically did nothing to persuade and might well have set back efforts to get Nelson to change his position.

[RaleighNCDUer]

37. It seems to me that the situation is past persuasion -

and that was a message that Nelson needs to hear.

[longship]

41. Nobody needs to hear that kind of language.

nt

[RaleighNCDUer]

66. So what's worse --

genteel language that fucks us, or a Fuck You that wakes an asshole up?

[longship]

68. What does some good is engaging people in a positive way.

That's something you learn in kindergarten, or you should have.

[Telly Savalas]

89. So you don't think Senator Nelson will reconsider his position?

[wryter2000]

35. Absolutely

If you used the word first. If you don't want to be treated like an idiot, don't act like one.

[Ian David]

36. If he can't keep his cool under THESE circumstances...

What's going to happen when he has to field calls from constituents whose town has just been hit by a mega-tornado?

Answering a politician's phones is like bootcamp for politicians.

If he loses his cool because I call his boss a "fucking traitor," then that's the kind of guy who's going to be desperately typing on his Blackberry, "Can I quit? Can I go home now?"

I'll stop abusing the Democratic staffers.

Which Republicans can we call and torment?

[TahitiNut]

39. Why would anyone call Benedict Arnold Nelson a traitor?

It sounds like he's collecting "In God We Trust" certificates to me. :puke:


"Neglected by Congress below, distressed with the small-pox; want of Generals and discipline in our Army, which may rather be called a great rabble, our credit and reputation lost, and great part of the country; and a powerful foreign enemy advancing upon us, are so many difficulties we cannot surmount them." -- Benedict Arnold Nelson

[yankeedem]

40. I'm not allowed to say that to my boss

You are that staffers boss. He draws a Federal paycheck. Have him fired, if possible.
And Nelson is a traitor, just like any Senator, Republican or Democrat who supports this "abortion" of a nominee.

[Marie26]

42. Have him fired?? nt

[Ian David]

43. Not worth it. n/t

[aaronnyc]

44. Come on...

Obviously, the staffer didn't do his job as he's supposed to, but do you really want to see him fired? He's probably just having a shitty day, and after listening to literally hundreds of callers rant AT him today about Nelson's support for Alito, he finally reached his boiling point. It is very difficult to silently take continual verbal abuse; the staffer probably knew that he made a big mistake as soon as he said, "fuck you", and very much regrets saying it. Let's give the guy a break.

[Ian David]

50. If it were a Republican staffer, I'd be all over getting him fired

If he can't deal with the pressure of this, what's he going to do when his state gets hit by huge tornados and his constituents are calling the office all day pleading for help?

He'll be desperately plugging at his Blackberry pleading to his boss, "Can I quit now? Can I go home?"

[yankeedem]

62. Too damn bad for him

You don't swear at a constituent. Just like I don't swear at a customer. Sorry to be cold, but I don't care if he's having a crappy day, he needs to treat the constituents (his bosses) with respect. If he can't hold his tongue until after he hangs up the phone, then he shouldn't be answering the phone.

He could have solved this problem by saying "Senator Nelson thanks you for the comments" and hanging up.

[Radical Activist]

45. Probably an intern.

That's really not acceptable for a staffer, or even an intern, to say no matter how much of a jerk the caller is. Nelson deserves abuse for voting for Alito, but his staff probably doesn't.

[WI_DEM]

47. He or she has probably gotten tons of calls from people like you

and me and can't hold it in anymore. I would let it slide.

[Drewskie]

48. Big Deal....

Dick Cheney gets away with it so who cares?

[Tesla]

76. That's their slogan when they run for their 3rd term........

"FUCK YOU AMERICA"

[shance]

49. That's not appropriate. I would call back and ask

to speak to the Staff Coordinator, that you need to issue a complaint regarding the treatment by a staffer when you called in.

[burythehatchet]

51. why should he be any different

:D

[Catrina]

52. Why is no one calling Republican Senators and demanding

that they stand up for their country? They are being paid with tax dollars also, so why not let them hear the anger of the American people?

They only hear from those who agree with George Bush ~ so to them, the majority of the people agree with them. Maybe it would help Democrats, who for all we know, try to tell them how angry the public is, to hear it for themselves.

[Ian David]

58. Did that to Jean Schmidt's office a few times

Tom DeLay's office said that if I call them again, they'll refer me to security, even though I was polite and didn't swear at them.

All I did was ask while Hurricane Rita was hitting Texas, "Come on, isn't this a little fun?"

[Swamp Rat]

53. He lost his cool because he knows you are right.

:)

[pitohui]

54. i think that falls under free speech, dude

rude and tactless it may be and the senator would prob. not be best pleased to hear of a staffer using that language but it sounds like you started it so i would just chill

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

55. Staffer was wrong, but by you cursing at them first, you have forfeited

the right to righteous indignation.

Indignation, maybe, but not RIGHTEOUS indignation.



Can you imagine your call to the Senator's office to complain:

You: I'd like to register a complaint about Staffer X. They said "fuck you" to me on the phone.

Other Staff Flunky: I'm terribly sorry, we'll get on that. That is never acceptable. However, may I ask what was the context of the conversation?

You: Well, I called the senator a "fucking traitor"...

...

[Lone_Star_Dem]

57. Too true. However...

It's also a good way to get their opinion about Nelson being a traitor to the party noticed.

[Ian David]

60. Like I said, I never thought I didn't deserve it. n/t

[Ian David]

61. Maybe we should try to provoke REPUBLICAN staffers into swearing...

so we can try and get THEM fired?

I have no interest in getting Nelson's guy fired.

But if people want to call and torment him and add to his misery, that's fine by me.

Maybe he'll flip-out and kick Nelson in the nuts.

[flyarm]

56. A GUY IN HIS OFFICE ARGUED WITH ME YESTERDAY

i was polite but said if he voted for alito to destroy my country..i said i would donate to anyones campaign who ran against him..and the guy started screaming at me..so i yelled back at him and said "traitor"..and the guy kept yelling at me so i just kept repeating traitor, taitor traitor...

then i hung up ..can you imagine this guy yelling at me??

so then i called back and said Franklin cover up ..and i hung up!!


fly

[Ian David]

59. Sounds like he's got a hot-head in the office. n/t

[peekaloo]

79. lol on the call back!

I once called Cornyn's (Ratfucker-Texas) office and asked if the idiot was in. Doofus on the other ened asked "which one?", I started laughing and the guy (who wasn't trying to be funny) hung up on me.

[hiley]

93. Franklin Cover UP!

you rock for saying that...
thanks

[Carni]

96. Now THAT is totally over the top

There is NOOOOOO reason or excuse for them to do that!

[WI_DEM]

63. Yeah, it's a free country

[rumpel]

65. I guess, so can you.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

69. Sorry, you opened the door

If you drop an f-bomb, you can't come back and complain they dropped it back on you.

He IS a fucking traitor, but that's just common sense man.

[Justice Is Comin]

70. I think this thread

wins the prize for most fucks in a thread. Maybe not.

[autorank]

71. Next time say Franklin School Scandal!

That will perk him up. If you're a constituent, they then are your "servants." Tell them to get used to it. Things will be changing, and soon!

[fujiyama]

72. That's unprofessional on his part

Considering he's representing the senator, I think that's extremely poor judgement on his part. I don't think expletives were necessary from you either, but as you said, you're just some random caller.

I was working retail on Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving) and there was an irate customer yelling at several of the employees (using expletives). But not once did those employees yell back. They smiled and that was about it. I dealt with bad customers as well. And there were some real ass holes but I never would have considered responding that way.

Any person answering phones - that too dealing with politics of all things - should be able to keep their cool in such situations. It's not like you actually maligned him personally. The staffer/intern should simply have said "I'm sorry you feel that way" and it would have been better for him to have just hung up at that point. Otherwise, he could have simply said "I will relay your message to the senator".

He sounds like a real dumb fuck (hey I had to slip in the word somewhere), just like the traitor he works for.

[hippywife]

75. Perfect response to this situation.

Those people saying it's a free country or the staffer is entitled to free speech have obviously never work customer/client relations. You do not have free speech on your employers dime. Or rather you still do but should be expected to be unemployed should you exercise it.

[BigBearJohn]

74. Just tell him to eat shit and die.

[Vinca]

77. The staffer must've been having a REAL bad day.

How would you like to work for a traitor?

[Burried News]

78. We DO NOT have to do everything they tell us. nt

[JVS]

80. It seems consistent with the level of discourse you initiated

[Tin Man]

81. This discussion is silly - reminds me of "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles"

Car Rental Agent: I really don't care for the way you're speaking to me.

Neal Page: And I really don't care for the way your company left me in the middle of fucking nowhere with fucking keys to a fucking car that isn't fucking there. And I really didn't care to fucking walk down a fucking highway and across a fucking runway to get back here to have you smile at my fucking face. I want a fucking car RIGHT FUCKING NOW!

Car Rental Agent: May I see your rental agreement.

Neal Page: I threw it away.

Car Rental Agent: Oh boy.

Neal Page: Oh boy what?

Car Rental Agent: You're fucked!

...

Big deal... the staffer lost his cool in this one instance. Have you never done the same? How should we lynch him - string him up, burn him at the stake, maybe both???

[Toucano]

83. Absolutely!

Whenever you introduce profanity it is 100% appropriate for it to be returned to you.

To even suggest otherwise is hypocritical.

[tuvor]

84. I think we should weigh in only if we've served the public.

Unless you've worked, say, retail for a few years, your opinion isn't personally informed.

I'd probably have told you to fuck off, too. I've never accepted anything resembling verbal abuse from a customer, and I never intend to. The customer may "always be right," but at that point it's no longer a retailer-customer relationship, IMO. I find it impossible not to take it personally.

He may have been a bit harsh since you weren't directing your expletive at him, but I don't think you should have expected to maintain that "higher standard".

(Have you worked directly with the public for any significant length of time?)

[Carni]

97. I've worked with the public for years and have dropped the f bomb

Not often and I regretted losing my cool but it does happen--

Granted my conduct isn't in a customer satisfaction manual anywhere but they started it and sometimes they just push your buttons.

[lonestarnot]

85. Good on you IanDB!!

[meisje]

86. I'd would have call your an asshat, but a good old fashioned FU works

for me

[lala_rawraw]

87. They can say what they want, but you are

the equivalent of a customer and you, as the customer, were treated inappropriately... so, call and complain to the chief of staff.

[Gregorian]

94. Exactly. Except that they are our public servants.

You'd never know it. But they actually serve us.
Anyone who has run a successful business knows that the customer is king. Every person who ever called my business was treated with utmost respect. I've watched businesses who treated people like the senator's receptionist, and none of them lasted very long.

What if it was only a test? What if you were calling just to find out what they are made of? Well, they failed.

I doubt any of Kerry's staff, or Kennedy's staff would ever do that. It's our culture of politeness. They don't know respect or cares. They only pretend.

[mmonk]

88. This person votes

about 53% of the time with republicans. You may as well be calling a republican senator's office that has also made up their mind they are going to vote for Alito. No appeal to party affiliation is going to work. He's the political enemy.

[The Backlash Cometh]

90. Thank you for sparing me the moment.

I'm so glad someone beat me to it.

[lpbk2713]

91. She obviously hates amurka.

She must be a tairist sympathizer.

[Dragonbreathp9d]

92. I agree, he is a traitor

plain and simple.

[confludemocrat]

98. Tell Nelson to read "Profiles in Courage" the part on Thomas Hart Benton

a Senator who stood against slavery even in the face of losing all his offices: Senator, Congressman and finally losing a governors race in standing by his beliefs, and thus ultimately his life had meaning. If Nelson doesn't stand against Alito, then what meaning does his life have?

[Snivi Yllom]

99. you are calling the office of a US Senator

Show some respect, the office deserves it, their time is valuable, you harassing their office with that kind of language helps no one.

[greiner3]

100. I think the staffer is a sunday Dem just like his f'ing boss;

IMHO

[Inland]

101. He didn't start it, you did. That IS meeting a higher standard.

Not all that much higher, but you certainly don't get to complain that he used the f bomb after you did.

[in_cog_ni_to]

102. LOL! GOOD FOR YOU! HE IS A FUCKING TRAITOR!

and if his staffer doesn't like hearing the truth...TOO FUCKING BAD! You get 2 thumbsup from me!:thumbsup::thumbsup: