Posted October 21st, 2013 by hiwayhowie
COP on the Hill
Stories from the week of October 18, 2013
Senate candidate whispered: At Grover Norquist’s>>was a person seeking the R party nomination for US Senate …we had a brief chat. “I agree” was the response to ending federal drug prohibition. Small steps.
Spreading the message: Congresswoman Duckworth in her wheel chair (war vet w/o legs) paused after she paid for lunch to read my COP jacket which was hung over a chair for all to read. She nodded and kept going.
Worth 3 minutes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKPAn7uRcVY ”Why are so many violent criminals going free?”
At the bottom is a letter from one R office explaining why he could not meet this week. Shut down related. NOTE: almost all offices stayed open and staff was working.
Solid week on the Hill w/ a total of 15 presentations.
This week’s stats:
- 1409 Presentations to Congressional staffers..13 this week
- 46 brief chats with Members of Congress.. 02 this week
I need your help >>Reminder: have you sent your Congressman a letter in support of HR 1523? Sample here:
Dear Congressman XXXXXX
I hope and trust you will become a co-sponsor of Respect State Marijuana Laws Act of 2013: HR 1523
I hope we can agree that the 10th Amendment should be employed in many more areas. Our state should be allowed to set its own path regarding Industrial Hemp, Medicinal Use and Personal Use of Marijuana. Highly-trained federal agents are needed to find the terrorists that attack us at every opportunity, not fly around in helicopters looking for a green plant.
Moreover, the federal government currently wastes about 4 billion dollars looking for a green plant and its users. The Congress is also missing about a billion dollars in lost tax revenue. I challenge you to tell me one, substantive advantage of our prohibition approach. We all know the disadvantages (funds The Taliban, Mexican Drug Cartels, kids hurt selling, less money to education, easier for kids to buy pot than alcohol, etc).
And please, no wishy-washy letter that says thanks for your views. Take a position. Silence equals you will vote no & thus help The Taliban buy weapons which kill our troops in Afghanistan.
Sincerely,
COP stats since inception: August 2009
- 42 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, etc. this week
- 63 interviews and reports in minor media = blogs, cable TV, weekly papers, etc.. 01 this week
- 16 major conferences attended.. this week (CPAC, LULAC, NRA, CBC, ASA, DPA, Dem & Repub. Presidential conventions. etc) this week
- 34 Appearances on major TV networks..this week(Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision)
- 22 published interviews in major (daily)newspapers or magazine… this week
- 34 Radio Interviews.. this week
- 72 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $70,000)
- 2 editorials in daily papers mentioning Howard’s efforts & in support of COP position
- 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. 30 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 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 and want to be a part of the solution… Go to:
I am unable to check or respond to your message at this time. If this is an urgent matter, please call (202) 225-4561 for further assistance.
Under Public Law 113-6, enacted on March 26, 2013, current legal funding authority for government operations expired at midnight on September 30, 2013.
The Office of Congressman Peter Roskam has furloughed all employees, except those specifically provided for by law as necessary to maintain legislative operations and insure the Constitutionally-mandated representation of our district.
Congressman Roskam has been a strong proponent of keeping the government open and operating. He has been listening to his constituents and the American people, who unambiguously believe their government has a responsibility to provide essential services, from defense and homeland security, to overseeing the banking system, operating the national power grid, and administering safety net programs.
This week, Congressman Roskam joined his colleagues in the House in passing a bill to fully fund the government. Unfortunately at this time, pending Senate action to adopt the House-passed Continuing Resolution, the federal government is operating under a partial shutdown.
Under federal law, the Obama Administration has broad authority to make determinations about which federal agencies and programs can continue to operate at this time.
We ask for your patience as we work to extend government funding authority and restore operations. Congressman Roskam’s offices will remain open and continue to serve constituents to the best of our ability.
Posted October 15th, 2013 by hiwayhowie
COP on the Hill
Stories from the week of October 4 and 11, 2013
Passed the audition: I was part of a three person radio chat that went out all over South America. The host spoke slowly to me when asking for my point of view = all went well (I speak better than I understand). It did go well, my Spanish was up to ‘snuff’ and I will be invited back.
Clueless in the Senate: On the 9th at a National Press Club event where we viewed the documentary “Breaking the Taboo” Senator Whitehouse (D-RI) told us how proud he was to sponsor a bill to reduce penalties for drug crimes. After I told the 80 people there, “The War on Drugs/Drug Prohibition has been the most destructive, dysfunctional and immoral policy since slavery and Jim Crow. Prohibition is the great evil in America. So why Senator has not one Senator introduced a bill to repeal prohibition?” He mumbled that his bill would focus on sentencing. “Pitiful” I said to myself.
Fun & effective in Oklahoma: Chance Tinker decided to make Karen and me 10 feet tall on a billboard.
Life barked and I responded: I spent most of these two weeks in Georgia working on family business…mom went unexpectedly into assisted-living and I am tasked with selling her home in Georgia, etc. Given the total dysfunction in the Congress with the shutdown, it was definitely the best time to have an emergency.
This week’s stats:
- 1396 Presentations to Congressional staffers..01 this week
- 44 brief chats with Members of Congress.. 01 this week
- 34 Radio Interviews.. 01 this week
I need your help >>Reminder: have you sent your Congressman a letter in support of HR 1523? Sample here:
Dear Congressman XXXXXX
I hope and trust you will become a co-sponsor of Respect State Marijuana Laws Act of 2013: HR 1523
I hope we can agree that the 10th Amendment should be employed in many more areas. Our state should be allowed to set its own path regarding Industrial Hemp, Medicinal Use and Personal Use of Marijuana. Highly-trained federal agents are needed to find the terrorists that attack us at every opportunity, not fly around in helicopters looking for a green plant.
Moreover, the federal government currently wastes about 4 billion dollars looking for a green plant and its users. The Congress is also missing about a billion dollars in lost tax revenue. I challenge you to tell me one, substantive advantage of our prohibition approach. We all know the disadvantages (funds The Taliban, Mexican Drug Cartels, kids hurt selling, less money to education, easier for kids to buy pot than alcohol, etc).
And please, no wishy-washy letter that says thanks for your views. Take a position. Silence equals you will vote no & thus help The Taliban buy weapons which kill our troops in Afghanistan.
Sincerely,
COP stats since inception: August 2009
- 42 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, etc. this week
- 63 interviews and reports in minor media = blogs, cable TV, weekly papers, etc.. 01 this week
- 16 major conferences attended.. this week (CPAC, LULAC, NRA, CBC, ASA, DPA, Dem & Repub. Presidential conventions. etc) this week
- 34 Appearances on major TV networks..this week(Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision)
- 22 published interviews in major (daily)newspapers or magazine… this week
- 72 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $70,000)
- 2 editorials in daily papers mentioning Howard’s efforts & in support of COP position
- 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. 30 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 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 and want to be a part of the solution… Go to:
The rotating electronic message is actually clear to the public…hard to photograph…original below
Posted September 30th, 2013 by hiwayhowie
COP on the Hill
Stories from the week of September 27, 2013
Hat trick: Besides 5 regular presentations on Thursday, I bumped into three Congressman for short chats. I simply mentioned how the Holder decision for CO and WA had made my job/life a bit easier.
Marketing: As I reported many years ago (yikes!!), I have my hair cut in the House Barber Shop. Joe has been cutting hair there since the 60s. On the walls of the shop hang the fotos of about 35 famous Congressmen thru the ages whose hair he cut. He asked for my foto which now hangs in a prominent spot on his wall. He insisted the horse be included, naturally.
Adjust the sails: After discussing this with a lot of smart folks, I have made the following changes in how I approach Congress: A. for the rest of this session I will focus almost exclusively on Republican offices. As Dan Riffle (MPP.org) said, we need more Rs on the Rohrabacher bill to balance out the Dems. Besides the general R offices, I will make sure every Judiciary Member has been educated to the COP viewpoint.
This week’s stats:
- 1395 Presentations to Congressional staffers..12 this week
- 43 brief chats with Members of Congress.. 03 this week
I need your help >>Reminder: have you sent your Congressman a letter in support of HR 1523? Sample here:
Dear Congressman XXXXXX
I hope and trust you will become a co-sponsor of Respect State Marijuana Laws Act of 2013: HR 1523
I hope we can agree that the 10th Amendment should be employed in many more areas. Our state should be allowed to set its own path regarding Industrial Hemp, Medicinal Use and Personal Use of Marijuana. Highly-trained federal agents are needed to find the terrorists that attack us at every opportunity, not fly around in helicopters looking for a green plant.
Moreover, the federal government currently wastes about 4 billion dollars looking for a green plant and its users. The Congress is also missing about a billion dollars in lost tax revenue. I challenge you to tell me one, substantive advantage of our prohibition approach. We all know the disadvantages (funds The Taliban, Mexican Drug Cartels, kids hurt selling, less money to education, easier for kids to buy pot than alcohol, etc).
And please, no wishy-washy letter that says thanks for your views. Take a position. Silence equals you will vote no & thus help The Taliban buy weapons which kill our troops in Afghanistan.
Sincerely,
COP stats since inception: August 2009
- 42 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, etc. this week (OK State Senator)
- 63 interviews and reports in minor media = blogs, cable TV, weekly papers, etc.. 01 this week
- 33 Radio Interviews.. this week
- 16 major conferences attended.. this week (CPAC, LULAC, NRA, CBC, ASA, DPA, Dem & Repub. Presidential conventions. etc) this week
- 34 Appearances on major TV networks..this week(Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision)
- 22 published interviews in major (daily)newspapers or magazine… this week
- 72 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $70,000)
- 2 editorials in daily papers mentioning Howard’s efforts & in support of COP position
- 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. 30 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 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 and want to be a part of the solution… Go to:
Posted September 25th, 2013 by hiwayhowie
COP on the Hill
Stories from the week of September 20, 2013
See it in their eyes: I spent two long days attending the annual Congressional Black Caucus Leadership Conference (5,000 or so attending). For the first time I had zero.zero push back on the shirt/message. I also modified my answer to start with: ‘To eliminate the job option of selling marijuana which causes teens to be shot on a regular basis. Then I finished with: ‘Catch more pedophiles and others hurting our kids…..’
On a number of persons who heard that, you could see in their faces a wince, a personal connection to a teen being shot/shot dead. And still the leadership at the conference had no sessions on the War on Drugs/Drug Prohibition (as a policy), even as EVERYONE recognized the harms done to people of color. See me shaking my head.
PS.. I asked several and they all had the same answer. It is redundant and unnecessary to point out the horrific racism of drug policy to a person of color.
? Can I take some credit? This week Republican, freshman Congressman Steve Stockman became a co-sponsor of HR 1523 – the repeal federal prohibition of marijuana act. When I met with that office’s legislative assistant back in January, his boss (legislative director) and another LA sat in on the 30 minute meeting. During August recess I emailed the LD to remind him of our chat and HR 1523. A week after the return of the Member, they are now on the bill. Either way…wooohooo!
Reminder: have you sent your Congressman a letter in support of HR 1523?
This week’s stats:
- 1383 Presentations to Congressional staffers..02 this week
- 40 brief chats with Members of Congress.. 01 this week
- 42 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, etc. 01 this week (OK State Senator)
- 63 interviews and reports in minor media = blogs, cable TV, weekly papers, etc.. 01 this week
- 33 Radio Interviews.. 01 this week
- 16 major conferences attended.. this week (CPAC, LULAC, NRA, CBC, ASA, DPA, Dem & Repub. Presidential conventions. etc) 01 this week (Congressional Black Caucus)
COP stats since inception: August 2009
- 34 Appearances on major TV networks..this week(Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision)
- 22 published interviews in major (daily)newspapers or magazine… this week
- 72 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $70,000)
- 2 editorials in daily papers mentioning Howard’s efforts & in support of COP position
- 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. 30 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 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 and want to be a part of the solution… Go to:
Posted September 13th, 2013 by hiwayhowie
COP on the Hill
Stories from the week of September 13, 2013
This week’s stats:
- 1381 Presentations to Congressional staffers..07 this week
- 39 brief chats with Members of Congress.. 02 this week
- 41 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, etc. 01 this week (KY Agriculture Commissioner)
- 62 interviews and reports in minor media = blogs, cable TV, weekly papers, etc.. 01 this week
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A friend of yours =a friend of mine: Ben Droz, lobbyist for www.votehemp.com put together a briefing on industrial hemp for House staffers this week. A packed room heard support from Congressmen Massie (R-KY) and Polis (D-CO) extol the virtues of industrial hemp. Of note, KY Ag commissioner stated that due to the Holder memo of August 29, farmers in Kentucky WILL be putting seed in the ground next spring. KY is one of three states that have in place the rules/regs for growing hemp.
After the meeting I had an excellent six minute chat with Congressman Massie, giving him & Ag Comm. James Comer the full COP rationale of ending fed, MJ prohibition and why legalize/regulate/tax the entire green plant. Such opportunities are rare. Thanks Ben for the invite.
Senator Leahy’s hearing on marijuana was a snoozer: = Perfect. It was a who’s who of the drug reform/marijuana reform movement on hand Tuesday for the first ever Senate hearing on marijuana prohibition. Essentially the Dept. of Justice did not back down an inch from the Holder memo of two weeks ago. The sheriff of King County (Seattle, WA) testified like a LEAP speaker, not just defending the voter’s decision but actually promoting legalize/regulate/tax marijuana. It was a wonderful moment in my eight years on the Hill.
Change: Due to the Holder amendment, I am doing a thorough, top to bottom, critical analysis of how COP should proceed in this new environment. I am speaking to staffers I trust, mentors, drug reform experts, etc. As part of that, I analyzed where the legislative aides are on the issue. In particular one Democratic, Ohio office went from an aide who believed in prohibition (she left) to one who will help pass HR 1523. In the entire House I can count on two hands how many aides are believers in MJ prohibition. I wish I had kept my first spreadsheets from 06, 07 to see concretely the difference.
Hell froze over this week: Senator John McCain said the time may have come to legalize marijuana. “I will respect the will of the people.” Recall his former aide (and probably the Senator) thought the solution was to kill any and all who sell drugs.
COP stats since inception: August 2009
- 32 Radio Interviews.. this week
- 34 Appearances on major TV networks..this week(Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision)
- 22 published interviews in major (daily)newspapers or magazine… this week
- 72 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $70,000)
- 2 editorials in daily papers mentioning Howard’s efforts & in support of COP position
- 15 major conferences attended.. this week (CPAC, LULAC, NRA, CBC, ASA, DPA, Dem & Repub. Presidential conventions. 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. 30 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 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 and want to be a part of the solution… Go to:
