European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - February 3, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Monday february 1986 the stars and stripes Page 17the president does t take Ordinary Calls by Dana Walker United press International t he White House receives175,000 phone Calls fro american citizens each year the majority of them from the elderly the poor and the lonely and most expect to speak directly to the Man himself president Reagan. We politely Tell them that if the president were to take Calls like that he would do nothing else Joan decals director of the White House comment and greeting office said in a recent interview. When news commentators say a speech received a certain number of favourable and unfavourable responses they Are reporting what the comment and greeting office tells them after tallying up the phone Calls. For example the office received 237 positive Calls about Reagan s announcement that the United states would  sanctions against Libya. There were 38 negative Calls in what a spokesman called a fairly heavy response to the news conference. Speeches usually draw More reaction. When the president goes on to we Are Here during and after the talk. We take the Calls As Long As they come in usually about 1,000 per speech decals said. It s expected that most people who take the trouble to Call will favor the president. People usually say he was right on target said decals but All opinions Are invited. People Are free to Call and disagree she said. The Calls come in on a 20-line rotating system like the ones the airlines use for reservations and Are answered by volunteers. Names Are not solicited but will be taken if requested and Calls last an average of 5 to 10 minutes. Erma Bombeck americans with especially Good ideas or interesting comments May discover their words have found their Way into a presidential speech or their ideas put into practice. It gives people an Opportunity to become part of the system said decals who compiles Dally tally sheets and passes them on with special requests and messages to the president often including greetings from California friends who Don t want to bother Reagan personally during Busy times. For example Reagan has been told of one caller s idea of creating a peacetime medal of Honor after the Airliner crash that killed 258 people in Newfoundland most of them american military peacekeeping troops in the Middle East. A lot of people Call expecting to talk to Reagan decals said but not just for the pleasure of a conversation with the nation s chief executive. Many have troubles big ones that often can be traced to government bureaucracy. He has requests made of him. Sometimes he s responded within 24 hours said decals though she added Reagan probably does t want that to be made Public. Other callers want to comment on a breaking news event with the . Invasion of Grenada prompting the most Calls of any event in the Reagan presidency. But often say some of the 40 volunteers who work the phones in any Given week americans who Call have run out of Hope and dial the president As a last resort. It can be extremely heart rending said decals. Often they Are spilling their hearts out to us and discretion is the Rule. It takes a certain nature and certain personality to do this Job she said. You have to be sympathetic and  we come from All Over the country. We bring All kinds of diverse experience to the Job said Jeanne Donnelly one of Calli to Reagan an taken at the White haute comment and grafting office. The 400-person corps of volunteers in the comments office. Many Are retired government  military spouses. By the time people Call Here they re pretty desperate another Volunteer said. On a typical Day a Federal employee called who was having trouble getting retirement benefits a prison inmate wanted permission to attend his Mother s funeral and a factory worker with lung disease was fired after 20 years on the Job. Many people Call when they Are about to lose their Homes. Health and Money. Old people alone. Act and react. Butter and  these Are the issues the volunteers say that drive people to Call the White House. It s frustrating because i Don t have an answer sometimes said one. But Volunteer Jeanne Donnelly says the main sentiment that comes through from the Public is patriotism. It s Ama eng How interested people Are in their country she said. People Are enormously  i Don t encourage people to Call the president with their troubles said decals. But just in Case the number is 202 456-7639. This is not a toll free Call.  sound like something that attack the foundation of your House. Actually they re better known As Perks and they re incentive grabbers above and beyond a pay Check that come with a Job to sweeten the pot. At first they started out As a company car medical expense payments disability insurance Lega and financial counselling. Then they got to be a  personal like flown in Kosher food movable Green houses and a gym and club membership. Perks spread to sports where Amateur athletes go All kinds of them none of which you could talk about Ghoul a lawyer present. Show business had a ton of Perks that ranged from stars keeping their gement that demanded cats be supplied for the Edito rial room and any other rodent infested area. They would even accept non Union cats i got to thinking about Perks for housewives. Little goodies have never been a part of the Domestic scene which could account for the reason three fourths of them have gone to where the Perks Are out of the Home and into the business world. What added Little incentives could be offered to lure women away from the marketplace and Back into the Home my own window i got 80 of them already but i have to clean them. Freedom to go to lunch anytime i want big Deal. I m eating what everyone left on their plates from the night before. No i think we re talking about some real luxuries that would entice women Back to the Utility room. How about a key to our own restroom a spot that is ours and ours alone where we would t have to wipe out the sink pick up towels put Down lids and replace empty Rolls with tissue. A parking place to Call our own would be Nice. A permanent place near the front door where we would t have to move the car when someone else wanted out or have to carry groceries a whole Block because the driveway was jammed. A Var to record the soaps while women Are on the Road transporting kids groceries and cleaning. How about a contract that would give us Christmas thanksgiving and our birthday off for some reason housewives have been regarded much like teachers and garbage collectors sanitary engineers. We Are considered Public servants who Are above striking putting a Price on what we do being crass enough to discuss to be a or lowering our selves to negotiating in the marketplace i Don t know about the rest of you but sweetie i can be bought c los anal Les time san decal