August 2004: IPIU's Co-President aiding USA President

[Robert Donovan]

As many of you know, our USA union president (Mr. Don Merritt) served under President Reagan as one of his speech writers for the White House Communications Department during the 1980's. Mr. Merritt has also been serving President Bush as his speech writer these past years, and is currently very busy with the forthcoming New York Replublican Convention scheduled for this month.

We are very proud and fortunate to have Mr. Merritt continue to serve as our USA union president. We fully understand his responsibilities during this time of year as the United States debates and elects their choice of a leader who will direct them through the next 4-years as the most powerful and influential country the world has ever known.

Whatever the outcome in the November elections, IPIU will fully sustain the elected leaders of the country that our union members reside in.

On behalf of the Canadian Board of Directors and our Canadian Union President, Mr. Mark Scardino,

We wish our colleagues the very best,

Robert Donovan

[Edward Taguba]

Robert,

Thank you so much for sharing this story to everyone at IPU. I'm glad to hear that our Co-President is helping the USA President.

Aloha,
Ed

[M Michelle Le Fevre--]

I am even prouder now to be a part of IPIU

Michelle

[Steve Milner -]

Way to go Mr IPIU Co-President, any chance he could get us
a free tour of the Bush Ranch!

Just Kidding!

Thank you for all hard work.

[Brenda Templin]

Thank you, Robert. This is good to know.

Brenda Templin

[Technical Support]

Way to go Mr IPIU Co-President, any chance he could get us
a free tour of the Bush Ranch!

Mr. Merritt's secretary mentioned that the president's Air Force 1 landed at his nearly airport a few months ago to pick him up for a flight back to Washington DC while they spoke about his recent promotion. Rather than the tour of the president's ranch, I'd like a tour of Air force 1. Imagine all of the tools they have that private investigators could use.

Cheers,

[Steve McAtee]

That is so AWESOME!

Makes you even more proud to be part of the IPIU organization!

[Corwyn Patterson]

Way to go.I didnt know ipiu had such high ranks in politics...........sooooooo cool

[Antonio Crosley--]

Hey everybody, IPIU is bigger than I thought. It's an honor to be on the same team as Mr.Merrit.

[Petra Post -]

Apparently IPIU is more known than some people think. Or rather... the right people know about IPIU. I am glad to be part of it as well. Thanks to everybody for making this happen.

[Jennifer Harrell]

Robert,

Thank you so much for informing us about Mr. Merritt's credentials and experience. I am proud to know that he is a supporter of "W" and the president of our country.

Mr. Merritt,

All I can say to you is....way to go!!!!!!!

Best Regards and warmest wishes,

Jennifer
Texan

[Tammy Elia]

Hats off to Mr Merritt!
I'm with tech support on Air Force One and the great tools!

[Ken Yousif -]

Im just padding my post count but that is really cool.

Ken

[LaToya M Gaddy]

It is an honor to be involved in an organization with such a distinguished gentleman. I am certainly proud that I have joined an astounding union.

[Lori Gilmore]

It's great to see how involved the members really are. This is good to know.

[Jimmy Jordan -]

I'd like a tour of Air force 1. Imagine all of the tools they have that private investigators could use.

Ditto !

I too am extremely proud to be a member of IPIU. Way to go Mr. Merritt

[Melinda Mclendon]

Thanks for the info Robert. It does make me feel proud to be a member of an organization with such distinguished members.

Melinda Mclendon
Badge # (work in progress)

[David Copeland]

For those who watched the convention, I thought the efforts of those with whom Mr. Merritt works for presented a very enlightening presentation for your US President Bush.

Again, regardless of how the US elections come out - IPIU will fully sustain the elected President.

[Jared M Holz -]

I wish Mr. Merritt all the best in his efforts to aid my president. I'd like to see the one speach he wishes he could have the president give, that would certainly be intertaining.

[Michael Foster]

I was very impressed by the information re. Mr. Merritt.

M. Foster Esq.

[Legal Affairs]

Note to all:

1. President Bush does not require all of his staff to be "government employees". There are literally thousands of staff that work for the US President in a number of positions that are either not on the official government payroll or are funded by the president's other organizations or political groups. Most of the senior non-govenment staff earn far more salary from their own company or other enterprises than what the USA government could afford to pay them.
   
   
2. Nor does President Bush provide a public telephone number and public access to all of his chosen staff.
   
   
3. Nor does the government Office of Personnel at the Whitehouse have access to the National Republican Party's personnel records or numerous other political groups.
   
   
4. Nor does President Bush freely advertise the personal names of those who author his speeches. (Otherwise, he could probably hire an actor to read the speeches that Mr. Merritt authors for the president.)
   
   
5. And in non-election years, President Bush does not require his speech writer(s) to be full time.

---

Why is our office clarifying a comment where nearly all private investigator union members need no further clarification? Because we have recently received an email from a "guest forum member" who needed an enormous amount of clarification, rather than simply emailing us first for a simple answer.

The guest wrote:

". . . after seeing the claim that a Mr. Merritt is a presidential speech writer and finding it to be patently false after checking with the personnel division at whitehouse.gov I have no desire to be involved with your organization.

As a matter of courtesy, respect, and policy, we wish all to view our previous announcement as a fact. If guest forum members cannot support us, then we wish them well in pursuing other avenues available to them.

[Michael Newman]

Why is our office clarifying a comment where nearly all private investigator union members need no further clarification? Because we have recently received an email from a "guest forum member" who needed an enormous amount of clarification, rather than simply emailing us first for a simple answer.

Personally, I think the jerk was a sap working for the opponent of President Bush.

I am probably wrong about my opinion, and I hope it was just a fly-by wannabe that did not invest the time to get to know the International Private Investigators Union as a viable source for professionals who have always stated the facts. And I fully understand why anyone in this country would not want to have their phone or name open for criticism when writing privately for the president of the United States!

(I did a search for speech writers for presidents and found that the ONLY names that came up were speech writers that are no longer writing for a USA President (including retired presidents.) I guess once they stop working for a president, they are free to let everyone know what they did in the past. And it is perfectly obvious to me, and probably all union members, that Mr. Merritt has never stopped writing speeches for presidents, which would include the recent President Reagan. And I also assume Mr. Merritt will continue staying out of the spotlight until he stops writing for President Bush)

I am sorry to see that your office had to receive such an email, and I am very glad to see it was not a union member. As stated above by others, we are very proud to be a member of the International Private Investigators Union for many reasons, including Mr. Merritt's service to our country. We are also very proud to see IPIU serve the southern states private investigators and their families through the IPIU Aid Program, regardless of whether or not the hurricane PI families are union members or not.

By the way, does IPIU offer a Lifetime Membership? I'd like to save my money to sign up!

[Cynthia Keating]

I too am proud of Mr. Merritt's association. The quoted e-mail was unprofessional and completely lacking in validity. The forums are here to answer questions and this individual should have utilized this great resource accordingly. It does appear that he was questioning Mr. Merritt's service before conducting any research. In any event, I agree with you Michael. A simple question like "Why doesn't Mr. Merritt's name appear......." would have been sufficient.

Cindy

[Cynthia Keating]

Many thanks, Robert for sharing this information. As stated in my last post, I am very proud to be associated with IPIU and I continue to be impressed with it's prestige.

Cindy

[Karen McQuilken]

Thanks for sharing this info. It is nice to know that our USA union president (Mr. Don Merritt) served under President Reagan as one of his speech writers for the White House Communications Department during the 1980's. This should speak for it's self.

[Catherine Perry -]

Thank you for sharing that important piece of information. I know I am a little behind on my congrats, but wanted to say all the more how proud I am to be a part of this organization.

Congratulations Mr. Merritt!

[Gay Nivens]

I too am proud to hear of Mr. Merritt's association with our newly elected for the second time President Bush!!!!

[Timmons J Longberry]

It;s nice to hear stories like that

[Flora Porter]

It;s nice to hear stories like that

Way to Go,

I do enjoy hearing these stories. Congrats and good luck.
Good feeling being apart of IPIU.

[Eric Christian]

That's a lot of young people would call very cool.

[DJ Moran --]

Robert, I want to thank you for sharing this information with us. This goes to show even more so, the integrity of IPIU. Thank you for allowing the members here to be a part of such a great organization.

[James A Stewart -]

I too am proud to hear of Mr. Merritt's association with our newly elected for the second time President Bush.

[Michael Rossano]

Just wanted to give a quik CONGRATULATIONS MR. MERRITT!!

It's very encouraging to know you are a part of something that any and all can be very PROUD of.

Keep up the Great Work .....

HAPPY HUNTING!!

[Steven D Mahan -]

Great News,glad To Hear Positive Media.

[Ralston Taylor]

I am also proud to be associated with Mr. Merritt, President Reagan and "W" via IPIU. I feel politically alone here in NY and while visiting my family in MD.

RT

[Robert Dalykas--]

As everyone else has said, it is great to me a member of IPIU.
I didn’t know that we have such great high ranking members here in the union.
Congratulations Mr. Merritt, keep up the good work…

Thanks to everyone who make up the IPIU, and make it a great placed for us to come…

[Neil Crayden]

Thanks for the information it is great to see member are involved.

[Hugh Brown Jr]

This is good because it will show those people that IPIU is no joke.I am proud that we have Mr. Merrit in IPIU as the Co President.Thanks for the information.

[David Tallia]

We are very fortunate and proud to have Mr. Merritt as our USA union president. I believe that Mr. Merrit will continue to thrive and be as effective as he is today and will be years to come.

I am proud to be a part of this organization more now than ever before and will do whatever it takes to assist IPIU in their future endeavors.

[Joshua Watson]

I would also like to give Thanks to sharing the inside about our great USA union president!!!!