Open letter to Kent Snyder, Low Moore, Jesse Benton, Joe Seehusen, et.al

[SteveMartin]

Dear Campaign team,

I know that a lot of you guys want to see Ron Paul win as badly as we leaders in the grassroots do, but there is a crisis facing this campaign that involves a growing level of discontent from the grassroots with the way the official campaign relates to the unpaid "staff" out here in the hinterlands.

There are many, many complaints popping up with increasing frequency on many popular Ron Paul forums, and I will summarize some of the key ones for you here:

1. The communication responses some of us have been getting from Arlington when we either write or call in are HORRENDOUS. I don't mean that we are upset that ideas aren't adopted (though I'm sure some of that is a concern to some people) it's that we DON'T RECEIVE ANY RESPONSE at all many times.

2. The word is spreading that Arlington staff has been told to have no communication with certain of us with "conspiracy views." That condescending attitude towards a HUGE part of your support base (and I am not limiting this to 911 stuff) is AWFUL, and is only going to hurt the campaign in the long haul. We have had enough with pandering to the "conspiracy-nuts-in-the-grassroots- don't-deserve-our-attention" attitude.

3. The Michigan situation has grown intolerable. You have put people in place there with next to no political experience AND THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PRIMARY before Super Tuesday. You have a former Communist Party member and pornographer, a housewife who never voted before, and a very young former Bush campaign staffer handling this state now, and we are going to pay for it dearly on January 15th.

4. We were promised a campaign liaison for this message board (and others) MONTHS ago and one was even hired at one point, but there is no liaison and has not been one since somebody told Justine to stop posting here months ago. That is intolerable. There are pinned threads at the top of these boards FOR A REASON.

5. Iowa reports say that we had only one copy of a voter list of all RP supporters NOT BACKED UP ANYWHERE on a computer that was to be used by 250 college volunteers all day in Iowa for the day before the IA caucus and it was destroyed. WHAT KIND OF INCOMPETENCE ALLOWS FOR SUCH A SITUATION? Remedies must be instantly employed to insure: A> It was not intentionally destroyed, and B> That this can never happen again.

6. There are eminently qualified people who have offered expertise on many issues who are being snubbed continually--especially with regard to commercial production.

I know you are all very busy, but in the final analysis, so are we, and we are the ones paying your (in some cases exorbitant) salaries. It is beginning to feel like Arlington is becoming to RP supporters what Washington, D.C. is to Americans more generally. We matter, and we have good ideas. LISTEN TO US, COMMUNICATE WITH US, DON'T WRITE US OFF if our position on a couple of things may vary with yours, or even with Dr. Paul's.

We can not win this nomination unless things change, and the cooperation between you guys and the grassroots improves DRAMATICALLY and VERY QUICKLY.

Thanks for listening.

Steve Martin
Ron Paul Meetup Coordinator #17
Northern Maine

[apc3161]

You are being too kind. The bottom line is that these guys are now out of their leagues. No one expected this campaign to get this far or raise this much money. It is time for the campaign to hire real professionals a la Romney so we get things done. They have over 20 million dollars, money isn't the problem anymore, it is experience.

The guys working there now don't need to be fired, but they need to have new bosses of their own with real experience.

[Menthol Patch]

"The word is spreading that Arlington staff has been told to have no communication with certain of us with "conspiracy views." That condescending attitude towards a HUGE part of your support base (and I am not limiting this to 911 stuff) is AWFUL, and is only going to hurt the campaign in the long haul. We have had enough with pandering to the "conspiracy-nuts-in-the-grassroots- don't-deserve-our-attention" attitude."

How can that be true when Ron Paul, Rand Paul, and Kent Snyder goes on the Alex Jones show very frequently?

[SteveMartin]

Oh, and I have called 6 times and written 4 times SINCE JUNE to have you add "the Ron Paul" of Maine, Rep. Henry Joy, to your endorsement list whenever you came out with one. And you did, and he's still not on it despite another call and another email--and another broken promise that it would be taken care of.

[SteveMartin]

"The word is spreading that Arlington staff has been told to have no communication with certain of us with "conspiracy views." That condescending attitude towards a HUGE part of your support base (and I am not limiting this to 911 stuff) is AWFUL, and is only going to hurt the campaign in the long haul. We have had enough with pandering to the "conspiracy-nuts-in-the-grassroots- don't-deserve-our-attention" attitude."

How can that be true when Ron Paul, Rand Paul, and Kent Snyder goes on the Alex Jones show very frequently?

I have it on pretty good authority from someone within the campaign, and I can also speak from my own personal experience. I used to communicate regularly with officials at the campaign, but haven't had an email or phone call responded to now since September, or early October.

[newmedia4ron]

We will do this with or without the official campaign.

Do you go here?
http://www.michigan4ronpaul.com/index.php

refer to every Ron Paul supporter in Michigan to communicate with each other there.
Forget that get their phone numbers and call them.

[Cindy]

You are being too kind. The bottom line is that these guys are now out of their leagues. No one expected this campaign to get this far or raise this much money. It is time for the campaign to hire real professionals a la Romney so we get things done. They have over 20 million dollars, money isn't the problem anymore, it is experience.

The guys working there now don't need to be fired, but they need to have new bosses of their own with real experience.

YES!!!

[SteveMartin]

http://ronpaul.meetup.com/boards/view/viewthread?thread=4013172&lastpage=yes#14015889

[1913_to_2008]

You are being too kind. The bottom line is that these guys are now out of their leagues. No one expected this campaign to get this far or raise this much money. It is time for the campaign to hire real professionals a la Romney so we get things done. They have over 20 million dollars, money isn't the problem anymore, it is experience.

The guys working there now don't need to be fired, but they need to have new bosses of their own with real experience.

Right on!!! Good thinking!!!

[Malakai0]

This stuff is all bullshit. Leave the campaign alone please.


Jesse Rand and Ron all guest on Alex Jones monthly, how exactly are they avoiding the conspiracy people?


This whole topic sounds like an opposition plant to me. A few people keep trying to stir up trouble on the different forums. 20/20 just aired a segment on the dirty tricks being use din 08, opposition trying to divide us from eachother or for the campaign is easily possible.

The campaign is doing fine. Sorry Ron isn't holding your hand and personally taking every one of thousands of calls to listen to armchair quarterbacks critique his campaign.


If you have so much time for negative content and bitching, go to your local meetup and help get RP elected.

[jake]

This stuff is all bullshit. Leave the campaign alone please.


Jesse Rand and Ron all guest on Alex Jones monthly, how exactly are they avoiding the conspiracy people?


This whole topic sounds like an opposition plant to me. A few people keep trying to stir up trouble on the different forums. NO ONE CARES

agreed. zzzzzz. boring.

[Xonox]

These guys were hired to run a second tier campaign... Now the grassroots has run us to first tier, and it's time to hire the big guns. $20 million is worthless if you can't spend it right.

[DealzOnWheelz]

OK 1st off


WHO IN THE HELL DEEMED YOU "LEADERS OF THE GRASSROOTS"


I am aware of no Leader; Unless it is an establishment puppet government like the shah, saddam, musharraf in which case

I banish you trolls

lol
j/k

Look the real point is we need to stop pointing fingers

We have got to realize that hiring someone "PROFESSIONAL" could seriously be harmful to this campaign How many "PROFESSIONAL'S" in washington want to see Dr. Paul win???

I would expect very few


and as for this type of talk

"You are being too kind. The bottom line is that these guys are now out of their leagues. No one expected this campaign to get this far or raise this much money. It is time for the campaign to hire real professionals a la Romney so we get things done. They have over 20 million dollars, money isn't the problem anymore, it is experience.

The guys working there now don't need to be fired, but they need to have new bosses of their own with real experience."


I respect the possibility of not firing but adding to the collective of Staffers

But as far as MONEY

We haven't even filled a cup in comparrison to the lakes of funds other candidates have accumulated. We still need money. Just because we don't yet know how much everyone else made their 4th quarter doesn't mean they haven't gotten donations

Remember these special interests will stop at nothing to protect their SPEACIAL INTEREST


Please I urge you be critical of the campaign but do not email them with these rants alot of people are and it is wasting their time because they need people to sort through these emails which means those people have less time to gain new support and less time to contact the media and update websites of upcoming events


If our email bombs to Cafferty file can overload their computers then we are definitely strong enough to overload the campaign's computers which could have horrible reprocussions

[SteveMartin]

I am local Meetup Coordinator #17. I have been in the campaign since late March. I am the first poster at the official meetup message boards. I have volunteered at least 2000 hours on various efforts for the campaign since March. I have met RP three times in person and have his private phone number and spoke to him just last week.

I am not some plant.

If you keep the rose-colored glasses on people, we lose...period.

[DealzOnWheelz]

IF you have RON PAULS private number than why would you need to write an OPEN LETTER TO KENT SNYDER AND THE REST OF THE STAFF

RON PAUL IS THE TOP DOG

sorry this does not compute

[james1844]

Seriously, if you have ron's private number..

PLEASE CALL HIM AND LET HIM KNOW THE CAMPAIGN IS FALLING SHORT OF EXPECTATIONS!!!

[walt]

+1

stand ready to fix

[SteveMartin]

I will use it if things don't improve AND SOON...believe you me....

[apc3161]

These guys were hired to run a second tier campaign... Now the grassroots has run us to first tier, and it's time to hire the big guns. $20 million is worthless if you can't spend it right.

ding ding ding ding...we have a winner.

[susano]

IF you have RON PAULS private number than why would you need to write an OPEN LETTER TO KENT SNYDER AND THE REST OF THE STAFF

RON PAUL IS THE TOP DOG

sorry this does not compute


Because Steve is not going to ABUSE that privilege of having that phone number.

Stever has worked his ass off. He has every right to expect communication from the campaign, as all the grassroots do. Why call Ron Paul, at home, when there are staffers making big bucks to communicate with us? These stafferes are not doing their jobs.

Guess what? I'm in Michigan with a primary a week and half away and we're about out of literature and yard signs. Too bad I sent all money to HQ or I could print this stuff myself. Now, I don't have the money. There is PAID staff in Michigan who supposed to make sure this didn't happen. Oh, well.

[deedles]

I am local Meetup Coordinator #17. I have been in the campaign since late March. I am the first poster at the official meetup message boards. I have volunteered at least 2000 hours on various efforts for the campaign since March. I have met RP three times in person and have his private phone number and spoke to him just last week.

I am not some plant.

If you keep the rose-colored glasses on people, we lose...period.

Well if you have his private phone number than why in the hell are you posting this kind of dirty laundry on a PUBLIC FORUM? Why don't you call him.

Something is wrong with this picture. Seriously. I'm not trying to start anything with you but I remember you from the meetup boards and actually you were one reason I stopped going there.

I call BS.

(and I pm'd you for help in getting ahold of Rand Paul for a rally we're putting together up here in Wisconsin and you could only come up with his office number which anyone can get off Google, for cryin' out loud. And I'll add that Justine got right back to me and referred me to someone in the campaign that is trying to make an appearance by Rand happen. I've never found the campaign to be anything but helpful, but I'm not bugging them either.)

[DealzOnWheelz]

Because Steve is not going to ABUSE that privilege of having that phone number.

Stever has worked his ass off. He has every right to expect communication from the campaign, as all the grassroots do. Why call Ron Paul, at home, when there are staffers making big bucks to communicate with us? These stafferes are not doing their jobs.
Guess what? I'm in Michigan with a primary a week and half away and we're about out of literature and yard signs. Too bad I sent all money to HQ or I could print this stuff myself. Now, I don't have the money. There is PAID staff in Michigan who supposed to make sure this didn't happen. Oh, well.



If that is the way you feel then why is sending a letter to the staffers that don't do their jobs going to make a difference

Thats like getting a job and telling your supervisor you want his job he will do everything in his power to protect his job

But if you goto his SUpervisor in this case "RON F***** PAUL" you are more likely to get results

Your logic is fundamentally flawed

[itshappening]

have they ran a national campaign before?

[Cunningham]

Well if you have his private phone number than why in the hell are you posting this kind of dirty laundry on a PUBLIC FORUM? Why don't you call him.

Something is wrong with this picture. Seriously. I'm not trying to start anything with you but I remember you from the meetup boards and actually you were one reason I stopped going there.

I call BS.

(and I pm'd you for help in getting ahold of Rand Paul for a rally we're putting together up here in Wisconsin and you could only come up with his office number which anyone can get off Google, for cryin' out loud. And I'll add that Justine got right back to me and referred me to someone in the campaign that is trying to make an appearance by Rand happen. I've never found the campaign to be anything but helpful, but I'm not bugging them either.)

That's funny. I was thinking this guy sounds like that annoying dude on the meetup forum who used to talk as if he had special enlightened campaign knowledge and experience that made him extra special. I left those forums back in April cause I got tired of him showing up in every thread talking like he had everything all figured out people just needed to do what he said.

[liberty_Forever]

bump

This is a serious issue which needs attention.

[deedles]

If there are any campaign staffers who are posting here, stop protecting your butts and calling us "opposition plants". When you raise him to the top of the polls like the grassroots have raised him to the top of the donations chart, then you can name call us as much as you like. Until you guys in the campaign deliver, the grassroots can complain as much as they like about the campaign.

Maybe someone should remind Ron Paul that his cherished free market principles apply to his campaign as well and the grassroots need some results or they will drop off and go and support someone else.

YUIOP, I've read through your 11 posts and I haven't seen one thing about what you're personally doing to help Dr. Paul, just a bunch of negative stuff with lots of :rolleyes: inserted. Just wondering if you are going to sign up to be a precinct captain, maybe?

[apc3161]

have they ran a national campaign before?

I highly doubt it.

[westmich4paul]

Mr. Garfield aka Steve Martin whats the real deal? Nobody in Mich would put up with your rantings or your schemeing ways so now you come here to spew your poison? It's ok, I think Hillary is looking for a good campaign staffer over there. For those of you not in the know, Mr. Garfield was let go by the Campaign here in MI for reason that I do not know nor really care to know, anyways he has been trying to cause havoc here in Michigan ever since apparently because of his actions since it was a wise decision on the part of the campaign because now he is like a really bad case of herpes that just won't heal. So do not listen to the rantings.

[RonPaulVolunteer]

Sadly, every request for training videos and TV commercials for use on the Ron Paul Video Podcast that is now being used by thousands, has not been denied, but simply ignored. I have never had any response of any kind from anyone at HQ. To not give me the training videos to put on the podcast so everyone can download them and show them at their meetup groups has got to be one of the more serious f***ups of this campaign. Those training videos are ESSENTIAL and I have a medium to get them to the meetup groups. Just plain stupid.

.

[LibertyEagle]

Mr. Garfield aka Steve Martin whats the real deal? Nobody in Mich would put up with your rantings or your schemeing ways so now you come here to spew your poison? It's ok, I think Hillary is looking for a good campaign staffer over there. For those of you not in the know, Mr. Garfield was let go by the Campaign here in MI for reason that I do not know nor really care to know, anyways he has been trying to cause havoc here in Michigan ever since apparently because of his actions since it was a wise decision on the part of the campaign because now he is like a really bad case of herpes that just won't heal. So do not listen to the rantings.

Is this true, Steve? Are you Paul Garfield? :confused:

[SteveMartin]

Mr. Garfield, aka Steve Martin?

What are you talking about. Garfield is 1200 miles away from where I live in northern Maine, and I have never met him.

I don't know why he was let go either, and that is none of my concern. I am talking about the hirings that have taken place since and the disarray in Michigan that has taken place as a result of those hirings.

So don't listen to this ranter...He apparently doesn't even listen to those in western Michigan with REAL CONCERNS as expressed in this thread already.

[tsetsefly]

Sadly, every request for training videos and TV commercials for use on the Ron Paul Video Podcast that is now being used by thousands, has not been denied, but simply ignored. I have never had any response of any kind from anyone at HQ. To not give me the training videos to put on the podcast so everyone can download them and show them at their meetup groups has got to be one of the more serious f***ups of this campaign. Those training videos are ESSENTIAL and I have a medium to get them to the meetup groups. Just plain stupid.

.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^

[Liberty_is_NORML]

This stuff is all bullshit. Leave the campaign alone please.


Jesse Rand and Ron all guest on Alex Jones monthly, how exactly are they avoiding the conspiracy people?


This whole topic sounds like an opposition plant to me. A few people keep trying to stir up trouble on the different forums. 20/20 just aired a segment on the dirty tricks being use din 08, opposition trying to divide us from eachother or for the campaign is easily possible.

The campaign is doing fine. Sorry Ron isn't holding your hand and personally taking every one of thousands of calls to listen to armchair quarterbacks critique his campaign.


If you have so much time for negative content and bitching, go to your local meetup and help get RP elected.

You are being naive. The campaign staff needs proven managers at this critical point. All the Ron Paul good vibes and liberty fever just won't do it by itself.

We need someone who is not afraid to stir the pot.

[westmich4paul]

Mr. Garfield, aka Steve Martin?

What are you talking about. Garfield is 1200 miles away from where I live in northern Maine, and I have never met him.

I don't know why he was let go either, and that is none of my concern. I am talking about the hirings that have taken place since and the disarray in Michigan that has taken place as a result of those hirings.

So don't listen to this ranter...He apparently doesn't even listen to those in western Michigan with REAL CONCERNS as expressed in this thread already.

For living soo far away you seem to know an awful lot about the things going on here in Michigan. Call me a consiracy theorists if you must but Mr. Garfield you are not in any way helping this campaign. In fact your kinda like the bad breakup boyfriend stalker type that is just plain creepy.

[liberty_Forever]

The campaign has been contacted. Do not worry; they will respond to the issues that have been raised. There is alot of support for this idea to have RP HQ refine their strategy. (ie. purchase Jeremiah's ads).

[SteveMartin]

Here is my bio: http://ronpaul.meetup.com/17/members/4148284/?gj=sj3

My phone number is 207-532-3635 (there is only one area code for Maine.) Call me anytime during business hours and I will be glad to prove I am not Mr. Garfield. I have RP friends in MI who have told me what is really gong on out there.

But listen, that is only one of the points I have raised in my letter, and not a top one either. Let's not fixate on minor premises, but rather on the major premise that the campaign needs to communicate with the grassroots.

[SteveMartin]

The campaign has been contacted. Do not worry; they will respond to the issues that have been raised. There is alot of support for this idea to have RP HQ refine their strategy. (ie. purchase Jeremiah's ads).

LF,

That is awesome, awesome news!!!

[S3eker]

SteveMartin


lost in the 1998 State Senate race vs. current US Rep. Michael Michaud."


If I understand correctly, you lost a campaign at the senate level and now you know how to win this one PRESEDENTIAL campaign over Paul?

Did I read that correctly?

[sasha_2008]

The campaign has been contacted. Do not worry; they will respond to the issues that have been raised. There is alot of support for this idea to have RP HQ refine their strategy. (ie. purchase Jeremiah's ads).

What are the chances of them funding Jeremiah's ads?

[SteveMartin]

"over Paul"...No, of course not, but he is too busy to micromanage things in Arlington, VA.

Look, if your happy with the state of affairs, I am happy for you--that's fine, but a significant portion of the grassroots seems dissatisfied with some of the things I have written about. Are you disputing that?

If they can be fixed efficiently and smoothly, GREAT!...the letter has accomplished it's intent. I am not calling for firings, unless things continue to deteriorate without any changes being made.

I am not saying I even ENDORSE all the complaints I have reported. I just think the campaign needs to be made aware of them before they spin out of control.

[liberty_Forever]

Right. We are just asking for people's concerns to be addressed in general.

[SteveMartin]

Exactly!

[Thunderbolt]

I will use it if things don't improve AND SOON...believe you me....


Look, it is about time that Ron Paul knows what is going on in his campaign. I get treated very rudely any time I call. I have never been put through to anyone and thus, all comments are simply ignored by incompetent children who are too idiotic to know what needs to get passed along. The press has been ignored over and over.

We continually here of messages that don't get through, a four week wait for campaign materials (at least that is how long it took my last shipment to get here) etc. etc. etc.

I think Bradley put it best when he wrote insanity is repeating the same mistakes and expecting different results.

They need a good kick in the pants and most of those children over there need to be fired. Period.

[SteveMartin]

Thank goodness for a little Thunderbolt, now and then!

[anewvoice]

I'm also from Michigan and worked with Mr. Garfield previously. Unless I've been completely hornswaggled, Paul Garfield and Steve Martin are definitely NOT the same person. If I'm wrong, let me know, but that'd be a neat trick.

[colecrowe]

bump


The campaign has been contacted. Do not worry; they will respond to the issues that have been raised. There is alot of support for this idea to have RP HQ refine their strategy. (ie. purchase Jeremiah's ads).

[RollOn2day]

even when we are getting shot from our own foxhole!

Look, the reality is that we do not feel that HQ has got what it takes to even keep up with us....much less lead the campaign. So be it. Lets take the matters into our own hands and do exactly what we are asking HQ to do.

With funds collected from local meet-ups lets:

Place select paper ads in our local paper
http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?t=75102

Place select TV commercials on our local cable tv
(yeah the ones we know inspire and inform!Cheaper than you might think)
http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?t=71978

We are not going to fix HQ. It will either fix itself....or it won't.

But here's the beauty of it. We can do what we are asking them to do if we just take the matter into our own hands....glean from the creativity on this board....and place the ads ourselves.

Isn't this in the spirit of Ron Pauls message? Self Reliance!
Maybe they will shift gears but if they do...let them find us working diligently in our own communities to make this happen. ..with or without them.

[SteveMartin]

Thank you anewvoice! Of course I am not Garfield. That is a ridiculous charge from (apparently) some disgruntled folks in Michigan who prefer the new "leadership."

From what I had heard, Mr. Garfield is a bit brusque and expected work to be done, and that rubbed some people the wrong way. Tact may not be he his strong suit, from what I have heard, and even though that is important in a campaign so are things like tireless efforts, coordination and leadership. That having been said, that single point in this letter is NOT about the firing of Mr. Garfield, but rather about the complaints about some of the paid replacements that were sent in who have far less campaign experience.

[libertyguy]

This whole topic sounds like an opposition plant to me. A few people keep trying to stir up trouble on the different forums. 20/20 just aired a segment on the dirty tricks being use din 08, opposition trying to divide us from eachother or for the campaign is easily possible.

The campaign is doing fine. Sorry Ron isn't holding your hand and personally taking every one of thousands of calls to listen to armchair quarterbacks critique his campaign.


If you have so much time for negative content and bitching, go to your local meetup and help get RP elected.[/QUOTE]

My thoughts exactly....this is how the enemy will defeat us. The British used this against the Scots and the Irish! Yes, there are issues, but there are good ways of handling this. Stop dividing the ranks!

[SteveMartin]

Libertyguy: La, la, la la...isn't everything beautiful!

Let's all hold hands and sing Kum by Yah!

[Swmorgan77]

You are being too kind. The bottom line is that these guys are now out of their leagues. No one expected this campaign to get this far or raise this much money. It is time for the campaign to hire real professionals a la Romney so we get things done. They have over 20 million dollars, money isn't the problem anymore, it is experience.

The guys working there now don't need to be fired, but they need to have new bosses of their own with real experience.

No way. These guys have helped Ron Paul win through his congressional career. I have met 2 of the 3 of them and personally trust each one of them which is really important.

I am also very impressed with what the campaign has done with the Precinct captain initiative, and it has made it extremely easy to be a very effective activist in my area.

What do you want, a bunch of slick establishment types like Romney has? These guys, most importantly, each understand and embrace personally the principles behind this campaign and the movement. Bringing in some sort of slick campaign firm would be a huge risk. How do we know would could trust these people.

If campaign didn't do something you wanted done as effectively as you wanted it done then get out there and pick up the slack yourself.

[Question_Authority]

This stuff is all bullshit. Leave the campaign alone please.


Jesse Rand and Ron all guest on Alex Jones monthly, how exactly are they avoiding the conspiracy people?


This whole topic sounds like an opposition plant to me. A few people keep trying to stir up trouble on the different forums. 20/20 just aired a segment on the dirty tricks being use din 08, opposition trying to divide us from eachother or for the campaign is easily possible.

The campaign is doing fine. Sorry Ron isn't holding your hand and personally taking every one of thousands of calls to listen to armchair quarterbacks critique his campaign.


If you have so much time for negative content and bitching, go to your local meetup and help get RP elected.


Well, YOU sound like the Bush crowd. "You're either with us or against us".

Grow up. Some of us have dissenting views....OH MY GOD! The horror! The horror!

I support the OP 100%. I could add about 10 items to the list.

[Question_Authority]

No way. These guys have helped Ron Paul win through his congressinal career.

Oh please. A congressional race is a completely different animal than a national campaign. These guys know JACK SHIT about NH. I live here. I know.

[SteveMartin]

This is not about me! Would you people get it through your heads?

It is about the fracturing of the grassroots, and an appeal for fences to be mended before it is too late!

[daviddee]

...

[liberty_Forever]

No response from campaign today by email or phone. This is really frustrating.

For those who want to keep their head in the sand, by all means. We are just trying to get a simple response from the campaign . We cannot even get that.

[SteveMartin]

daviddee,

I am 47 years old, a father of four, and have been involved in conservative politics for 28 years.

You?

[deedles]

No response from campaign today by email or phone. This is really frustrating.

For those who want to keep their head in the sand, by all means. We are just trying to get a simple response from the campaign . We cannot even get that.


I had two responses from the campaign today in response to my requests for info/supplies.

[liberty_Forever]

Did they respond to the open letter?

Who did you speak with?

[davidhperry]

I don't disagree with some of the assertions in the letter. However, as a member of RPF, this letter does not speak for me and I hope the campaign realizes this.

[liberty_Forever]

I think they do. At least when I forwarded it, I did not put RPF on it, since it came from CA. I just think the concerns raised are valid ones. My problem is the lack of ANY response. But perhaps they were busy today. I'll contact them tomorrow.

[dircha]

Those who believe that the Bush administration planned and orchestrated the attacks on 9/11 do NOT make up a large percentage of our support.

[liberty_Forever]

That's not the point. . .

[SteveMartin]

An email I just received as a forward. The writer chose to remain anonymous, and I have no idea who it is...

Hi,
>
> I found your post really interesting. I agree 110%. I unfortunately had
> a terrible experience with the campaign. I got the opportunity to join
> the campaign but was let go two days after I started for unknown reasons.
> It was quite perplexing and disconcerting.
>
> Anyway, from what I can surmise, I don't think these people know what they
> are really doing. In other words, i think there is a disconnect between
> the people at the HQ and reality/the ability to relate to people. As
> someone in my meetup group (philly) said, "They are like robots." They
> seem to lack a personable factor that is obviously crucial in anything. In
> addition, I think some of these people working for Ron unfortunately have
> an attitude problem, specifically Joe Seehusen, at least this was my
> experience. I could be wrong. Nonetheless, I think regrettably the NHQ
> have made many failures. It's unfortunate for this to be the case for
> such a good decent person as Ron Paul. The only hope is that he does
> amazingly well in NH otherwise it is probably realistically over.
>
> take care,


Could the writer be "playing us" in an attempt to divide us over personal sour graps? Possibly, yes. I just thought you all should see this.

[SteveMartin]

Eduardo the Individual

Rumors from multiple sources within Ron Paul’s Iowa campaign are that the “get out the vote” push on January 3 for the campaign, which had far more volunteers than any other campaign, actually ended up contacting only hundreds, not thousands of voters as was planned.

What happened?

Apparently, an “individual” claiming to be a real estate agent named Eduardo from Southern California acquired control of the voter database list and, uh, something went wrong…

A student volunteer from Iowa reports:

I was a student volunteer in the Des Moines, Iowa Ron Paul campaign office.

Here is what happened:

The campaign hired an individual who promised to deliver the contact list which was admittedly confused. That individual did not come through with his project.

Additionally, there was a student volunteer named Edwardo from southern California who had been there for an extended period of time. He was somehow given the responsibility of organizing all of the 2008 caucus locations and their corresponding short codes.

He did finish that list just in time for the complete list to be assembled. However, he decided to make up his own codes instead of the ones that everyone else was using. He was relieved of his duties, and was send home.

That screwed things up.

The main thing that I saw in Iowa was a complete lack of organization. It has been explained to me that the Iowa strategy was rolled out to quickly and too last minute. Kinks were inevitable.

This is not a personal attack, but I believe that Edwardo could be a plant. I don’t believe that he is involved in a meetup group in southern California, and he claimed to be a real estate agent.

It is my personal opinion that the amount of private contractors running the campaign was astonishing.

The computer wiz/graphic artist admitted to me that he had stolen the source code to a fantastic database management tool specifically written to compile call/data lists for campaign use. He said that he had obtained it while working on a previous campaign. He offered this database management program to the Ron Paul campaign for $20,000. The campaign said no, thank you.

There are many more reasons why things did not go as well as we had hoped. The number of voters that we had expected to caucus for Ron Paul was 20,577. As all of you know, only half that amount actually turned out.

I hope this is not an indication of how the campaign will be run.

I have one suggestion for everyone. Submit conceptual artwork to replace the standard Ron Paul hope for America signs. Our signs are boring. The campaign cannot sell Americans on truth alone. Marketing is a weak point for the campaign. Submit your artwork!

Posted by James Bowery on Saturday, January 5, 2008 at 06:13 PM in
Comments (2) | Tell-a-Friend

http://majorityrights.com/index.php/weblog/comments/eduardo_the_individual/

[SteveMartin]

bump

[LibertyEagle]

So, this letter had been sent?

[liberty_Forever]

No response yet

[SteveMartin]

UNBELIEVABLE! Who WILL these people respond to??

[ghemminger]

Steve,
This will be resolved next week - word is traveling up the food chain as we speak - I'll be speaking with them Monday.....

Also, possibly meeting up with them at Leno....

[SteveMartin]

ghemminger!

Thanks so much!!!!

God bless you, fellow patriot!

[wfd40]

I don't disagree with some of the assertions in the letter. However, as a member of RPF, this letter does not speak for me and I hope the campaign realizes this.

Did you happen to catch the CNN interview.. Dole's head of Campaign basically summed up Dr. Paul's HQ in one strikingly clear statement... "They have an incredible amount of money and NO CAMPAIGN STRATEGY TO WIN"

All this open letter is asking is: WHAT IS THE STRATEGY TO WIN.. where are the SEASONED VETERANS who can take this campaign TO THE NEXT LEVEL??

[SteveMartin]

wfd40,

I sure did catch that, and I was very interested to see that RP did not even attempt to take on what he said in terms of not having a firm campaign strategy.

Perhaps RP himself is growing unhappy?? That's what needs to happen, for sure!

[wfd40]

wfd40,

I sure did catch that, and I was very interested to see that RP did not even attempt to take on what he said in terms of not having a firm campaign strategy.

Perhaps RP himself is growing unhappy?? That's what needs to happen, for sure!

I mean, its not like we're asking for snow in August here.. we're simply asking that a POLITICAL FIRST TEAM ALL-AMERICAN ALL-STAR gets brought in and given reign... not over Paul's message or how he wants to communicate to the people, but OPERATIONS... the mundane yet CRITICAL functions that campaigns like Obama and Hilary absolutely nail.

I mean, did you hear about obama's vote counters in Iowa.. they had abacus necklaces around their necks to tally each and every vote in every single caucus location in the state. THATS WHAT IT TAKES..,.

People keep worrying that the MSM will spin this as "Paul campaign in turmoil, brings in Season veteran to bring order to campaign".. I for one LAUGH at such assertions.. if anything, such a move will let the FENCE SITTERS know that Ron PAUL IS IN THE TO WIN AND IS WILLING TO SPEND MONEY ON VETTED TALENT TO DO SO.

You think fans of the dallas mavericks get upset when Cuban spends a ton of money to get a couple of all-stars??? LOL, hell friggin no.

[SteveMartin]

Well, where are we going to find someone of that caliber WHO WE CAN TRUST?? The operatives out there now are all neocons (of our side of the aisle) and those who are good at what they do (i.e. destroying America by keeping neocons in power) are not what we want.

[wfd40]

Well, where are we going to find someone of that caliber WHO WE CAN TRUST?? The operatives out there now are all neocons (of our side of the aisle) and those who are good at what they do (i.e. destroying America by keeping neocons in power) are not what we want.

Agreed.. perhaps this is why the paul campaign isn't hiring from the outside? Which is not a good reality to be facing.

[freelance]

3. The Michigan situation has grown intolerable. You have put people in place there with next to no political experience AND THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PRIMARY before Super Tuesday. You have a former Communist Party member and pornographer, a housewife who never voted before, and a very young former Bush campaign staffer handling this state now, and we are going to pay for it dearly on January 15th.

This is the part that caught my eye. Can anyone else confirm this?

[libertyguy]

I have heard a lot of you squak about the incompetence of the NHQ. Not having any contact means that I have no reason to know or complain. They DID send my bumper stickers and lawn signs. However, history offers it's solution for those that feel things need to be corrected.

During the Americn Revolution, Washington's troops were at Valley Forge for the winter. They were a motley crew of undisciplined soldiers that did not have a means to know even how to fight. HOWEVER, Baron Von Steuben offered his services and he trained the soldiers to fight using known battle methods utilized in Prussia. Von Steuben later printed these techniques by a request of Congress and I happened to have one of the original books in my hands a couple of years ago. It was an amazing book of drill techniques, camp sanitary methods, marching formations, etc.

We need a Von Steuben to train our troops and raise morale! Someone to believe in our cause, no mercenaries, as they have to believe in our fight. Someone who can show us the way and whom we can give our trust and confidence. Any ideas for our Von Steuben?

[FSP-Rebel]

No amount of complaining is gonna do to get HQ's attention. They're gonna do what they think is right and that's it. They're not gonna play customer service agent with us. So, let this thread die please. We're gonna have to supplement whatever they do in our own way. We can't get mad at our people, we need to support them unless we plan on folding...

[RP-Republican]

We will do this with or without the official campaign.

Do you go here?
http://www.michigan4ronpaul.com/index.php

refer to every Ron Paul supporter in Michigan to communicate with each other there.
Forget that get their phone numbers and call them.

Is there a way to send to all meet-ups in michigan so they are all aware of this site?

[slamhead]

I don't know why you worry about talking to the campaign. It is not going to make you anymore important. Your not going to have lunch with Ron Paul. This is grassroots. Go read about how to canvas. Go read up on why Jefferson County won it for Ron Paul and set a date to discuss strategies with your meetup. My meetup is getting together at a restaurant tonight. You don't need the campaign to get the message out. All the information is here.

All the staff at HQ are vetted. They don't know the people from the grassroots. For all they know you may be associated with some neo-nazi group. They cannot take a chance. That is propably the concern you hear about 9/11 truthers.

All I expect to the campaign to do when they come to my state is to show up with a shit load of signs and materials to help us get the word out.

[pacelli]

Mr. Garfield aka Steve Martin whats the real deal? Nobody in Mich would put up with your rantings or your schemeing ways so now you come here to spew your poison? It's ok, I think Hillary is looking for a good campaign staffer over there. For those of you not in the know, Mr. Garfield was let go by the Campaign here in MI for reason that I do not know nor really care to know, anyways he has been trying to cause havoc here in Michigan ever since apparently because of his actions since it was a wise decision on the part of the campaign because now he is like a really bad case of herpes that just won't heal. So do not listen to the rantings.

Thanks for the info.

[Highstreet]

bump

[SteveMartin]

Pacelli,

DO NOT continue with westmich4paul's lies. If you think I am Garfield, call me at 207-532-3635. (That's in MAINE).

slamhead,

You have appropriately chosen your username. Brain damage is apparent in your childish remarks.

[pacelli]

Pacelli,

DO NOT continue with westmich4paul's lies. If you think I am Garfield, call me at 207-532-3635. (That's in MAINE).


Sorry, I hadn't read the rest of the thread before responding. Question - is there anything concrete that the grassroots can do to avoid an Iowa snafu (i.e. with other 'individuals') in Michigan?

[SteveMartin]

Reportedly, this letter has gone to the top (KS), and changes are going to be implemented. I hope that is true.

That is certainly all I (and hundreds of others) was hoping for...

[John P Slevin]

I am local Meetup Coordinator #17. ...I have met RP three times in person and have his private phone number and spoke to him just last week.

Ron Paul's home number is listed in the phone book (as is the home phone number of most elected officials).

Ron Paul has met how many tens, or hundreds of thousands of people in the last many months?

Due to the attentions of his most fervent admirers, probably, no one answers anymore. I assume there have been thousands of breathless callers attempting to hound Ron Paul at that phone number as well as the campaign numbers.

It is incredible that people continue to blast the hardworking campaign staff.

Perhaps this thread was started by a troll...fact is, anyone claiming, as does the person quoted above, that involvement in this campaign "since March" means ANYTHING, has a problem seeing the forest for the trees.

Ron Paul, and thousands of actual Americans, have been at this fight for decades.

The RP campaign staff has done an excellent job from what I can see. The fight we are waging is against overwhelmingly superior forces.

Those who continue to underestimate the challenge we face in fighting the leviathan state, in reclaiming our nation, our rights from those who would rule us, ought to remove those colored glasses, and get to work.

[pacelli]

I truly hope it helps.

[All Seeing Eye]

If you have so much time for negative content and bitching, go to your local meetup and help get RP elected.


"Steve Martin
Ron Paul Meetup Coordinator #17
Northern Maine"

Ouch...That's GOTTA hurt!

Anyway, my $0.02...

A grassroots campaign ignoring critique, advice and help from its "footsoldiers" is about as useful and sensible as a one legged man entering an ass-kicking competition!

If the people on the ground cannot communicate with those that are spending the $20m raised by people like Trevor whom, after leaving his career and state and coming up with the battle plan to raise that much cash, was told via CNN that there were no plans to hire him or even speak with him.

That is simply ridiculous.

How much has the official campaign raised?

How much positive air time did the money-bombs get Dr. Paul?

How much positive air time has the official campaign gotten for Dr. Paul?

The very instant that this campaign got too big for its boots was the very moment that the momentum built over the past 9 months (but mainly the past 5 months) started to falter.

This is the point at which we should be peaking, not faltering. We have received a lot more MSM coverage recently than at any other point in the campaign, some great, some bad, some indifferent, and we should be capitalising on this and we clearly are NOT!

I appreciate that the bad press is, in no small part, thanks to those amongst the grassroots that have clearly gone totally AWOL, but, for what it is worth, I believe that this is another example of a total lack of direction from the official campaign who ARE NOT COMMUNICATING PROPERLY WITH THE GRASSROOTS SUPPORT.

How much time would it have taken to predict the possibility of this type of protest getting a little out of hand and how much effort would it have taken to quell any "over enthusiastic" individuals BEFORE things got stupid?)

We should be watching poll leaps, large days of donations WITHOUT money-bombs, primary bumps and much more...

But we are not, are we?

Ask yourself...Is that the grassroots fault? Are WE responsible for raising all that money and spending it on half-baked ad campaigns? Are WE responsible for not turning all of that media attention into votes? Are WE responsible for the database problems in Iowa? Are WE responsible for the almost complete lack of vote counters at the primaries?

Exactly how much do you think that the grassroots supporters should be responsible for or even capable of without receiving any real communcation from the official campaign?

The official campaign has got so used to being "the underdog" regardless of the amount of momentum we have built up for them that they cannot seem to get out of that mindset.

Look at Aravoth's videos...Why are they not asking for his input on campaign ads?

Look at the Operation Brodcast Freedom ads...Why are they not asking for their input on campaign ads?

I would rather be getting disappointing 2nd & 3rd places in primaries after believing that we can win them than getting "hopeful signs" 5th places after believing that 3rd is the best we can wish for.

The offical campaign is behaving like we would be lucky to win anything.

For the record, I believe that the one member of the official campaign who is NOT behaving in this manner is Dr. Paul himself.

Why is the RON PAUL campaign not taking its cues from RON PAUL?!

[SteveMartin]

Well said, ASE!

[BillyDkid]

Here we are doing our best inpersonation of the Libertarians - let's all destroy ourselves with infighting. Let call each other names and slander each other. Anything but pull together and set aside our petty bickering for the greater cause of liberty. There are issues, no doubt and the general feeling that the campaign staff is in over their heads is probably a fair interpretation. The question is, how do we pull together and make this work before it is too late? We're not dead. Even if we tank in NH (which I pray we don't) we still have a lot of money. My concern is that in not doing well in the primary our well spring of contributions will dry up - that is why putting serious resources beyond the grassroots was so important. We can still do this - just stop friggin falling to pieces. And yes, to a very great extent the grassroots is the campaign and if it starts to falter we are doomed. Within the limits of the law, the campaign and the grassroots HAVE to be working in a coordinated manner and we have to feel we are supported. If donations dry up because people are fed up and feel they are unappreciated or undervalued or because they feel the campaign is falling down on the job (fairly or unfairly) - it will have all been for nothing.

[beachmaster]

"Steve Martin
Ron Paul Meetup Coordinator #17
Northern Maine"

Ouch...That's GOTTA hurt!

Anyway, my $0.02...

A grassroots campaign ignoring critique, advice and help from its "footsoldiers" is about as useful and sensible as a one legged man entering an ass-kicking competition!

If the people on the ground cannot communicate with those that are spending the $20m raised by people like Trevor whom, after leaving his career and state and coming up with the battle plan to raise that much cash, was told via CNN that there were no plans to hire him or even speak with him.

That is simply ridiculous.

How much has the official campaign raised?

How much positive air time did the money-bombs get Dr. Paul?

How much positive air time has the official campaign gotten for Dr. Paul?

The very instant that this campaign got too big for its boots was the very moment that the momentum built over the past 9 months (but mainly the past 5 months) started to falter.

This is the point at which we should be peaking, not faltering. We have received a lot more MSM coverage recently than at any other point in the campaign, some great, some bad, some indifferent, and we should be capitalising on this and we clearly are NOT!

I appreciate that the bad press is, in no small part, thanks to those amongst the grassroots that have clearly gone totally AWOL, but, for what it is worth, I believe that this is another example of a total lack of direction from the official campaign who ARE NOT COMMUNICATING PROPERLY WITH THE GRASSROOTS SUPPORT.

How much time would it have taken to predict the possibility of this type of protest getting a little out of hand and how much effort would it have taken to quell any "over enthusiastic" individuals BEFORE things got stupid?)

We should be watching poll leaps, large days of donations WITHOUT money-bombs, primary bumps and much more...

But we are not, are we?

Ask yourself...Is that the grassroots fault? Are WE responsible for raising all that money and spending it on half-baked ad campaigns? Are WE responsible for not turning all of that media attention into votes? Are WE responsible for the database problems in Iowa? Are WE responsible for the almost complete lack of vote counters at the primaries?

Exactly how much do you think that the grassroots supporters should be responsible for or even capable of without receiving any real communcation from the official campaign?

The official campaign has got so used to being "the underdog" regardless of the amount of momentum we have built up for them that they cannot seem to get out of that mindset.

Look at Aravoth's videos...Why are they not asking for his input on campaign ads?

Look at the Operation Brodcast Freedom ads...Why are they not asking for their input on campaign ads?

I would rather be getting disappointing 2nd & 3rd places in primaries after believing that we can win them than getting "hopeful signs" 5th places after believing that 3rd is the best we can wish for.

The offical campaign is behaving like we would be lucky to win anything.

For the record, I believe that the one member of the official campaign who is NOT behaving in this manner is Dr. Paul himself.

Why is the RON PAUL campaign not taking its cues from RON PAUL?!

bumpin it

(Any word on improvement on the situation for Super Tuesday?)