Hello Folks,
I need to clear something up. I did not write that article, although I did modify it a bit to suit my own tastes. I accidentally published it instead of saving it before I had the chance to cite the original author. I had to leave the computer for a few hours before I realized what had happened.
I was surprised with all of the hits and comments I received during that short time. I took a look at my stats page, and I realized that the article had been dugg. Wow. I have had some action on my blogs before, but nothing like this. So as soon as I discovered this, I updated the article to (a) show the source of the message and (b) ensure that the reader understands that it is tongue-in-cheek.
However, a comment was left for me by Eric Dondero. From what I understand by reading his comment and googling his name, he was a former staffer who was fired, according to Ron Paul in this article. I do not know the internals of what happened nor do I care to comment on any of that to as I am not privy to the facts. Either could have been right/wrong or grey. Neither of them will tell me what really happened, I am pretty sure of that.
However, I would like to respond to his comment that he left on the previous article I posted here. Here is Eric’s comment. My questions comments appear in blue
On the contrary. The exact opposite is happening. They’re giving Ron Paul a complete pass.
Romney and Guiliani (Mr. 9/11) are getting free pass. Huckabee has been getting a free pass. Oh sure, there are attacks on each other with respect to petty things that don’t really matter but make a good dog and pony show. I direct your attention to a comment I sourced from a US banking magazine:
Capital must protect itself in every possible manner by combination and legislation. Debts must be collected, bonds and mortgages must be foreclosed as rapidly as possible. When, through a process of law, the common people lose their homes they will become more docile and more easily governed through the influence of the strong arm of government, applied by a central power of wealth under control of leading financiers. This truth is well known among our principal men now engaged in forming an imperialism of Capital to govern the world. By dividing the voters through the political party system, we can get them to expend their energies in fighting over questions of no importance. Thus by discreet action we can secure for ourselves what has been so well planned and so successfully accomplished.
– US Bankers Magazine, Aug 25, 1924
Read that quote carefully. Doesn’t it seem to fit with what is going on today? This is just more of the same.
I served as his 1996 Campaign Coordinator here in Texas for his Congressional Campaign. The liberal Houston and ultra-liberal Austin newspapers ate Ron Paul for lunch. Daily barrage of attacks on his for being a “Racist” and tied in with Anti-Semitic groups, and a fringe Texas Separatist. It was awful stuff.
Geez, Eric. That’s pretty serious stuff. One question. Were they right? Is or was Ron Paul a racist? This seems to be the topic floating around these days, although I have to admit, even Old Media is reluctant to touch that one – with the exception of the $500.00 donated by Don Black recently. I suspect they don’t want to touch that one as they figure that they cannot substantiate it, thus avoid the nasty libel suit that would be sure to follow from Paul’s camp.
Is he tied in with Anti-Semitic groups? A fringe Texas Separatist? What is that? He wanted to have Texas secede from the US, similar to the way Quebec held a referendum in 1995 to determine whether or not to seperate from Canada ?
You said it “was awful stuff”. You failed to state whether or not it “was accurate stuff”.
But back then Paul was running more as a standard Republican, almost a Bush Conservative.
But that was in 1996, right? Before 9/11? Before the Iraq War that was sold to Americans under false pretenses? When the US dollar was pretty stable and strong before the Fed under Greenspan started assaulting it? I have been reading Ron Paul’s articles for about 5 years, and he seems consistent to me.
Now, he’s bashing Bush and opposing the War in Iraq. So he’s become the media darling, getting far more press than he deserves.
Media Darling? If you define the time and effort by media marginalizing him, suppressing his message, pulling online polls because he keeps winning the darn things as supporters of other candidates are not all that impassioned for their man/woman, and other tricks, then I agree with you, he is getting far more press than he deserves. The last thing I would want is that kind of press either. I just want them to give me equal airtime, let the people learn about the message I represent, stop spinning me as a kook or pre-decide I am a long-shot and leading the people on what to think, OK?
Witness his national polls numbers are consistently less than 5%. Yesterday a poll came out of Florida with Paul at 2%!!
I am very curious about the legitimacy of these polls, the motivation of the folks who conduct them and the people that pay the pollsters. There have been many many reports Eric, of polls engineered to not include Ron Paul’s name on it. Here’s one for a hoot.
Duncan Hunter has nearly the same poll numbers, but you don’t see the media fawning all over him.
Ron Paul’s message threatens the establishment of big government, mainstream media credibility, lucrative foreign entanglements. We have been manipulated for years! Everyone I talk to – and it has been dozens, both friends and strangers – about Ron Paul essentially say the same thing: “Wow! A guy who makes sense. They’re never gonna let him win or he’s gonna get shot.”
Duncan is a non-starter. It won’t be long before he bows out and backs either Romney or Guliani.
Of course Hunter supports the War in Iraq. Ron Paul doesn’t. There’s your answer.
No it isn’t. Look, when I started following Ron Paul’s message, I didn’t believe mainstream media would spin/suppress the messages. I was wrong. Boy was I wrong. I incredulously collected evidence day after day. It was very hard for me to believe it Eric.
I have to run. If I get time, I will update this post.
11 responses so far ↓
Eric Dondero // December 23, 2007 at 4:27 pm |
I would formally ask you to retract the above statement. I was not at all fired. It is purely liable to make such a charge, and I would advise you in the strongest terms to retract it.
Eric Dondero // December 23, 2007 at 4:29 pm |
Again, I would advise you in the strongest terms possible to retract the above statement. It is entirely false . Those who repeat such lies are engaging in what attorneys like to call as slander.
RL // December 23, 2007 at 5:26 pm |
Bit quick on the attorney gun there, I never trust the sue happy…
imp // December 23, 2007 at 5:53 pm |
In government staff positions, it is considered courteous to allow a subperforming employee the face-saving opportunity to resign rather than be officially fired.
Did Ron Paul indicate in any way that he wanted you to resign?
gilliganscorner // December 23, 2007 at 6:43 pm |
Eric,
I did not make the statement that you were fired. I simply quoted Reason Magazine where they interviewed Ron Paul. The exact exchange as quoted from the link in my article was:
—–
Reason: Your former staffer Eric Dondero is challenging you for your House seat in 2008.
Paul: He’s a disgruntled former employee who was fired.
—–
There it is, in black and white.
By the way, verbal defamation is slander. Written defamation is libel. I am not committing either.
However, your comment above:
“I served as his 1996 Campaign Coordinator here in Texas for his Congressional Campaign. The liberal Houston and ultra-liberal Austin newspapers ate Ron Paul for lunch. Daily barrage of attacks on his for being a “Racist” and tied in with Anti-Semitic groups, and a fringe Texas Separatist. It was awful stuff.”
You have managed to associate Ron Paul’s name with some pretty strong words like “racist”, “anti-semetic”, and “fringe Texas separatist” – and indicated the media “ate him for lunch”. Your word-smithing above paints an image without making an accusation.
What you have not stated whether or not the newspapers were accurate. Being as you were so close to Ron Paul in 1996, are you prepared to state whether or not he is or isn’t the things the media attributed him to?
EA // December 23, 2007 at 7:39 pm |
Eric Dondero you are a fool…
LPM // December 23, 2007 at 9:51 pm |
Gilligan, excellent! I have heard about the Eric character for awhile now, and though I don’t know any specifics, he seems and acts just as a disgruntled employee would after being fired. He and Paul have some deep conflict that appears to be hidden and I gather will remain so as both parties apparently refuse to discuss it openly. Since that is the case, Mr. Eric needs to substantiate any and all claims and let us verify and allow Paul to respond. Since he does not do this, his voice is marginalized and worthless. Come on Eric, say what’s on your mind, hang out the dirty laundry if you think Ron is really that bad – let us KNOW it and we will stop supporting him… but anything less will be disregarded. Do you want to be singularly responsible for allowing this ‘awful’ man to obtain the Presidency when you could have stopped it? I fear that the answer lies in your silence – Paul is NOT a bad person, he is NOT a racist, he is NOT the horrible monster you seem to think he is. He is simply someone who perhaps slighted you in some personal manner and you can’t let it go – grow up!
Eric Dondero // December 24, 2007 at 2:47 pm |
Wrong on all counts.
Firstly, if I was a “disgruntled former employee” why would I have been moderately supportive of Ron Paul’s efforts since I left staff in 2004?
I voted for him, and supported him in his reelection in 2006.
I even penned an article back in February on my blog at http://www.libertarianrepublican.blogspot.com available for all to see that was positive on Paul’s run for President, and wishing him the best.
It was his over the top outlandish, near treasonous statement at that infamous May debate with Giuliani, blaming the attacks of 9/11 that infuriated me, and caused me to turn on my old boss.
Additionally, I have used Ron Paul as an employment reference for the last 3 years. I know for a fact that at least one major employer contacted him, and presumably got a good reference, since I was hired at the firm as an Interpreter.
If I had been “fired” then surely I would not list him on my resume and as an employment reference.
This “fired” meme was started by an Anarhist named Paul Frankel alias Disinter, a few months ago, first on libertarian boards, and it’s been repeated all over the internet.
It is completely and utterly untrue.
TheTownCrier // December 24, 2007 at 5:24 pm |
People, look at his record. Paul never accomplished anything except cosponsor way too many bills written by the most liberal in congress.
Paul was never able to get one piece of his legislation through the process. He was a failure as a legislator.
Here’s where the Paul small government argument breaks down.
In a ten year period Ron CO SPONSORED 1876 bills written by other people. That’s 1000 more than Duncan Hunter. Now if you believe those 1876 bills were all to decrease government (remember written by others who Paul supporters say NEVER lower government!) , I don’t know what to tell you.
Ron Paul has proved he can’t ‘govern’. He has a zero record of accomplishments, except for pushing 1876 bills others wrote through congress. Small government guy?
Just for comparison of actual accomplishments in congress:
Sponsored means he wrote or introduced the bill. Co sponsors sign on to other bills written by someone else.
Statistics: Duncan Hunter has sponsored 105 bills since Jan 7, 1997, of which 72 haven’t made it out of committee (Average)
and 10 were successfully enacted (Good, relative to peers).
Hunter has co-sponsored 894 bills during the same time period (Average, relative to peers).
Now take a look at Ron Paul, who claims many ‘accomplishments’ and would never vote for any frivolous, unconstitutional bill!
Statistics: Ronald Paul has sponsored 346 bills since Jan 7, 1997, of which 341 haven’t made it out of committee (Extremely Poor) and 0 were successfully enacted .(Average, relative to peers).
Paul has co-sponsored 1876 bills during the same time period (Average, relative to peers) NOTE: 1876 bills, written by other congress members. All ‘constitutional’ ? You decide.
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/person.xpd?id=400191
One of the stranger pieces of legislation that Paul Co sponsored would have kept him out of the debates!!
. H.CON.RES.263 : Expressing the sense of Congress that any Presidential candidate should be permitted to participate in debates among candidates if at least 5 percent of respondents in national public opinion polls of all eligible voters support the candidate’s election for President or if a majority of respondents in such polls support the candidate’s participation in such debates. Sponsor: Rep Jackson, Jesse L., Jr. [IL-2] (introduced 11/6/2001) Cosponsors (2)
See some of Paul’s CO sponsored legislation here:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-rlc/1940847/posts?page=28#28
Cleaner44 // December 27, 2007 at 3:07 pm |
Eric,
If you fail to recognize that the U.S. played a role in the attacks of 9/11/2001 then you simply need to study. We can not pretend that we are just this innocent victim. Muslims do not simply hate us because we are free. To acknowledge the truth of bad actions that were followed by bad reactions does not make someone “treasonous” or in anyway unAmerican.
If you were infuriated because of Ron Paul’s statements I would say that is because your have been sucked into the NeoCon talking points. Back away from the hate and learn the truth. Do some reading, listen to what our intelligence community has told us, read what Osama Bin Laden says. Use your common sense.
America was not simply minding our own business when those big bad terrorists attacked us. Stop with the poor innocent victim routine.
P.S.
Before you call me a “blame America first” unpatriotic traitor, please know that I am a veteran of the U.S. military and I would still die for my country.
bobtailcat // January 10, 2008 at 10:50 pm |
Eric, don’t be naive about 9/11. Even Hillary has said Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Tenet and Rice had meetings about future 9/11 attacks before it happened and that CIA employees were screaming out warnings which were all ignored. I don’t think Bush and his group planned the attacks but things like this tell me we’re not being told the whole story.