COP on the Hill: Stories from the week of December 13, 2019

COP on the Hill

Stories from the week of December 13, 2019

Unexpected: Starting my day to finish distributing the Portugal approach to treat drug possession as a medical issue, I was making a stop at the restroom, when a voice simply said, “I agree with your jacket.” (I don’t wear it during work, because I would sweat.) I turned and the voice was attached to a man who is the National Commander of the Military Order of the Purple Heart.

He reminded me of an oak tree, tall and so solid. He was 21 years a US Marine (my dad was 26 in the Corps). We had an excellent chat on the issue of drug addiction and deaths of military veterans. Such moments keep me going.
Portugal Decrim: It took a month and the task is complete. The White House and all 535 Congressional offices are aware of what making drugs a civil matter looks like. I had several hundred conversations with staff about the program and what it would mean for the USA. Again, my thanks to Colleen Cowles of Wisconsin and the author of War on US, who wrote the summary I used to educate the Congress.

Marketing and Sales: Leaving my local post office, the driver of a pickup asked me why (he had read the message on my jacket as I was walking in). The other two passengers and I had pleasant 4-5-minute chat on why legalize heroin. This illustrates how absolutely open and inquisitive the American public has become to the concept of legalize/regulate all drugs.

17 months ago, my “bold and semi-crazy” idea to put ‘legalize heroin’ on my shirts and jacket turned out to be a puppy, as 95% of the hundreds of contacts have been pleasant and useful. The only hard part, the punch in the gut has been to listen to the many, many stories of addiction and death from the person asking “why”? And that is why COPs pays me the big bucks.

This week’s stats:

3305 Presentations to Congressional staffers… 07 this week

390 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, etc. 03 this week (Rs running for Congress)
01 Meetings – Grover Norquist

Audentes Fortuna Iuvat / Fortuna Eruditis Favet

Lead, Follow, or Get out of the way

COP stats since inception: August 2009

317 personal chats with a Member of Congress… 0 this week
166 interviews and reports in minor media = 0 this week
85 Radio Interviews.. 0 this week
102 Appearances/Interviews on major TV/Radio/Print media. 0 This week
Blaze TV {new, popular right-wing}, (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision, BBC, CNN, NPR, German, Swiss, French, Spanish TV and radio) Detroit News, Detroit Free Press, Grand Rapids Press + 9 other MI papers. Chicago Tribute, Honolulu Star Advertiser {foto and caption}, Reason Magazine, Reuters
31 major conferences attended – (UN drug conference, CPAC, LULAC, NRA, CBC, ASA, DPA, Dem & Repub. Presidential conventions., National Review, Republican Annual Retreat etc.) 0 this week
Weekly attendance at Grover Norquist’s Wednesday brunch attended by 150 conservative leaders. Named the “Grand Central Station of the Conservative Movement.”
* 2 editorials in daily papers mentioning Howard’s efforts & in support of COP position
84 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $83,000) 0 this week
43 published interviews/foto in major (daily) newspapers or magazine… 0 this week
* Consider being a member of COP at $40.00 or more per year. All contributions are tax-deductible. 40 dollars buys all the copy paper COP uses in one year. Law Enforcement’s voice in opposition to current policy is vital on the Hill to achieve a repeal of federal drug prohibition. COP provides that voice. www.citizensopposingprohibition.org