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piotr1
02-15-2008, 11:00 PM
I got the below email from a meetup member in my group...

>Ron Paul Supporters,
>
> I currently work at the Siena Research Institute located at Siena College
> in Loudonville. It is a surveying center which calls people all around New
> York State.
>
> Right now, we are doing a political survey with the majority dealing with
> the election. Included are questions about Clinton, Obama, and McCain, but
> no others. This survey was created by the director of the institute. I
> confronted him yesterday about the bias survey, and this was his reply:
>
> John McCain has showed a strong showing in the primary election, whereas
> Huckabee and Paul have not. The media have dropped Ron Paul and are
> beginning to drop Huckabee from their conversations. Lastly, including the
> other 2 candidates would require adding 10 or more questions to the
> survey, so he doesn't want to add them.
>
> He even mentioned that the Ron Paul Campaign Manager called him yesterday
> morning and argued that he is unfairly leaving him out of the survey and
> by doing this, he is drawing votes away from Paul. To this, my boss
> answered: "I'm Sorry." He said he made the decision to leave them out, and
> is willing to take the criticism for it.
>
> I myself am outraged by this, but I want to channel that rage into an
> argument to keep Siena Research Institute from posting the results, if not
> stop the survey altogether.
>
> Please flood his office with phone calls and e-mails asking him to stop
> conducting the survey or to not publish the results. Let him know what you
> think, but please mind your words. The contact info for the director is
> below. (Also, please DO NOT use my name. After all, it's the only job I
> have right now, although I may be quitting shortly. If you are asked who
> gave you this information, tell him that's not important and move on.)
>
> Please do this A.S.A.P. I'm not sure how much longer the survey will be up
> before they have enough data, so time is critical. They often show these
> results on local news channels, and this survey could possibly get even
> more coverage across the state.
>
> Donald P. Levy
> Director, Siena Research Institute
> (518) 783-2901
> dlevy@siena.edu

piotr1
02-15-2008, 11:10 PM
bump

berrybunches
02-15-2008, 11:20 PM
I wrote him for you

Donald P. Levy,

I am very angry to have found out your institute tries to manipulate elections by excluding presidential candidates from your research surveys. This is clearly an attempt to make others believe that the opponents have dropped out. You would have people believe that McCain is the only republican running, when in fact there are 2 others. (3 total) This clearly will confuse people.

Myself, and my circle at least know where NOT to go for honest research from now one.

No thanks,
Erin

khorbis
02-16-2008, 01:30 AM
Done.

Mr. Levy,

It has come to my attention that the Siena Research Institute’s new political survey has excluded Ron Paul from the list of possible candidate choices.

The Siena Research Institute treads on tremulous grounds. You have stated that your exclusion is based on Ron Paul’s lack of performance in the primaries and lack of media attention. However, wouldn’t you agree that the media has absolutely NO place in deciding which candidates should advance to the primaries? If you do not agree, then how, sir, do you propose to compromise such a notion with the nature of our, supposed, democratic system? If your institute relies solely on information provided by the media-at-large, then isn’t your institute essentially kneeling to the dominance of mainstream information? How does your institute propose to maintain credibility when you, the director, have acquiesced to the notion of “majority rules?” How, sir, do you propose to garner the support of those you will inevitably alienate and infuriate by your actions?

You have been misled, Mr. Levy. Ron Paul has NOT done poorly in the primaries. The primary results thus far are nothing more than a beauty pageant. You and I both know that elected delegates are what REALLY count, and Ron Paul has his fair share. He placed 1st in Montana, possibly in Louisiana, and many, many 2nd and 3rd place wins nation-wide…with more to come. The election is far from over, but your stance on this issue costs media-scorned candidates, like Ron Paul, dearly. You may not agree with Ron Paul, sir, but he deserves the same treatment as everyone else you have deemed “important enough” to include.

Sir, if Ron Paul has decided to stay in this race for the long run, then you MUST, by all ethical standards, include him in the Siena Research Institute’s survey. To do otherwise is disingenuous, immoral, and very, very dangerous – the term “electioneering” comes to mind, actually. Therefore, Mr. Levy, I highly recommend that you rethink your position in this matter. If I may be so bold, I suggest that you start by asking yourself, “Who would benefit the most from Ron Paul’s exclusion, and who would benefit the least?”

Thank you for your time Mr. Levy, and may your conscience guide you.

A concerned citizen,