COP on the Hill: Stories from the week of August 17, 2012
Posted August 20th, 2012 by hiwayhowieCOP on the Hill
Stories from the week of August 17, 2012
They are just cowards: Again this Friday I wore my COP shirt to the House Offices. A woman passed me saying she agreed. I asked her to tell her Congressman how she felt. She replied, “No use. They are cowards.” So true.
By chance 20 minutes later she and a colleague emerged from an office. Her colleague was a former staffer and she remembered me. They had become staffers in a federal agency. We had a nice chat, lamenting on how the Members know what to do but lack the courage. Sigh.
Make them squirm: I was only able to go two days on the Hill this week, helped by Karen’s sister who ‘babysat’ Karen (this was her bad week of the 2nd round of chemo – good news is she was in much less pain & nausea this time..took NO Oxicontin). In one Texas R office I had a brief follow-up chat with the staffer I met last year. Let’s just say he was not happy to see me, as he was nearly rude a year ago.
Me: Did your office take a position on the bill to repeal federal prohibition of marijuana.
He: Yes, we opposed it.
Me: Recall that the bill would simply ‘Let Texas run Texas.’
He: We know that.
Me: So, the Member is not a federalist, not a believer in States Rights..long pause….on this issue.
He: (Visibly pissed) we oppose the bill.
Me: Okay, hopefully one day he will become a believer in less federal govt and more personal freedom.
He: -silence-
Me: Thanks for your time. See you next year. We will have a bill which will be much like this one.
He: -silence & visibly more pissed.
Me: smiling inside, poker-faced outside. “See you next year.”
Being perfectly professional, I was able to pour lots of salt on a gaping wound. Sometimes I just have to do it. The hypocrisy of Republican offices is off the charts.
Thursday morning I attended a seminar on ‘Human Rights Violations in Mexico’ at the Wilson Center. The 40 attendees had no interest in stopping the policy of prohibition which has caused 60,000 deaths in Mexico. They only take action AFTER the bodies come floating down the river.
On Friday I broke my rule of not doing more than 7 presentations in a day…I did 15…I paid for it the next day..It mentally wears me out.
Fourth year stats for COP- August 1, 2012 thru July 31, 2013:
33 Presentations to Congressional staffers: 18 this week
1 Radio interviews: this week
1 Blog, cable TV, minor media events: this week
2 seminar, hearing, briefing attended: 1 this week
Total stats for COP in first 3 years:
- 944 Presentations to Congressional staffers
- 26 Appearances on major TV networks
- 14 published interviews in major (daily)newspapers
- 27 interviews and reports in minor media = blogs, cable TV, etc
- 66 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $65,000)
- 2 editorials in daily papers mentioning my efforts & in support of COP position
- 33 brief chats with Members of Congress
- 19 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, etc.
- 10 major conferences attended (CPAC, LULAC, NRA, etc)
- Permanent invitation to Grover Norquist’s Wednesday brunch attended by 150 conservative leaders. Named the “Grand Central Station of the Conservative Movement.”
- Consider being a member of COP at $30.00 or more per year. All contributions are tax-deductible. Law Enforcement’s voice in opposition to current policy is vital on the Hill to achieve a repeal of federal prohibition. COP provides that voice. If you agree that Modern Prohibition/War on Drugs is the most destructive, dysfunctional and immoral policy since slavery & Jim Crow… Go to:
- www.CitizensOpposingProhibition.org and click on Donate/Join – by credit card or send a check to:
- Citizens Opposing Prohibition
- POB 2902
- Washington, DC 20013
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