James,
Yes, the national Do Not Call service will greatly reduce junk phone calls. I’ve used it for years and have found that once every three or four years I need to reenter my information on the list. I suppose my number starts floating around out there and gets picked up and the junk calls start again.
As for political calls and political junk mail: When I register to vote I registered as an independent or unaffiliated voter. I can still vote in the primary, but the best part is I no longer get a bunch of email from a specific party telling me who and why I should vote for my party’s nominee. I still get local political mail telling me I should vote for a bond issue, or dog catcher. You can also go to the courthouse a few days after the election and tell them to remove your registration and then re-register the next election day if your state allows same-day registration. It all depends how much effort you want to put into it.
As for robo calls as the election approaches, I do not put my phone number on the voter registration form. I politely decline if the clerk pushes me. I might “accidentally” transpose two of the numbers in order to throw the callers off track if I absolutely must give my phone number when registering. Heck, I don’t even have to be a US citizen to register to vote. Do they want my phone number in Mexico?
As for junk mail, there is also a place to go to remove your name from junk mail or direct marketing lists. Direct your web browser to: http://www.directmail.com/mail_preference/
You may have to register your name 3 or 4 ways to get all of the addresses removed, but it is worth it. For example, you might have to do Mr. James Wesley Rawles, James Wesley Rawles, and Jim Wesley Rawles and Mr. Jim Wesley Rawles–you get the idea. And don’t forget the famous “Or Current Resident” address.
I have taught family financial planning in our local church. One evening I told people how to get off of the junk mail list. A lady in the audience became quite upset about this. When I asked her why she informed everyone that her brother worked for the US Postal Service and he said if it weren’t for junk mail the US Postal Service would be out of business. – S.M.