Posted August 27th, 2011 by hiwayhowie
COP on the Hill
Your Voice in the United States Congress
Day at the office– bovines, steers, milk cows??: Entering an office on Monday, 3 staffers were having a lively chat about cattle. ”Can you tell us the difference between a milk cow and a steer?” one asked. “Yeahhh” I replied. I explained the difference between a milk cow, steer, bull and the word bovine. They thanked me for the help and then I had my chat with their colleague on the issue of drug policy.
Must have been the hat that tipped them off* that I knew something about cattle. As I have written before, I must be ready to know something about nearly everything.
Busy week: I made 26 presentations this week, as I take advantage of the August recess. Sundays are spent catching up on the data entry into the spread sheets, the contact list and thank you letters. Karen is a saint to not fuss* at me.
Fruits of Longevity: The Legislative Director of a Washington office politely refused a meeting this year. “I remember quite well your arguments and concerns from our meetings the last two years. Besides, you have also met with two others now on my staff.”
Checking my records the LD and I had had a 45 chat and a 20 minute follow-up chat. I could not ask for more exposure to our issue. Three in one office may be a first.
Transitions: Jennifer Stiddard was the first ever staffer I spoke to in the US Congress in the fall of 2005. She was with Eddie Bernice Johnson’s office (D-Dallas, Texas). We had a nice chat every year for five years. She recently moved on to another job. I will miss her.
*tipped them off = bekannt machen
*fuss = Umstände machen
COPs 2nd year stats to date:
257 presentations to Congressional staffers: 26 this week
TV appearances: 14 … this week (ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, etc)
Newspaper stories: 7 dailies, 3 weeklies
Radio appearances: 13 – this week
Published LTE: 20 (this week) –see below
Other media (bloggers, cable TV, minor publications, etc): 12 (this week)
12 (Member of Congress) contacts: this week
6 other VIP (state Senators & Reps):
Consider being a member of COP at $30.00 or more per year. All contributions are tax-deductible. Your support keeps the COP voice loud and strong in the halls of the United States Congress. We 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:
COP
POB 772
Buckeystown, MD 21717
Posted August 20th, 2011 by hiwayhowie
COP on the Hill
Your Voice in the United States Congress
Busy week: Vacation was definitely over this week, as I made 25 presentations in four days (10 per week is about average). Recess also allowed the staffers more time for each chat, thus improving our relationship. 25-30 minutes per meeting was the rule, even for follow-up visits.
Bull Rider?: Meeting a house staffer –Jim -who used to work for at a Senate office, he told me a story. A few weeks ago a colleague had asked, if he had heard about a retired cop with a huge belt buckle inscribed with BULL RIDER. He was a retired cop who wanted to legalize drugs. Jim replied that he had seen the guy in the Dirksen (Senate) café and believed he had an appointment with him this week.
I spent the first minute talking about my ‘Paul Revere Ride’ & how Misty carried my little butt across America, thus earning the buckle of LONG RIDER. Then we got down to business and had a good chat. LOL
Love/Hate to see staffers leave: HATE-Every year about 25% of staffers leave the Member’s office. Short term – this is lousy because our relationship is over and I have to ‘break-in’ a new person. This makes it less certain the aide will ‘carry water’ i.e. the bill or the COP message to the Member with a positive recommendation.
LOVE: -As Peter Christ of LEAP pointed out many years ago, once a person has heard an anti-prohibition presentation by a police officer or other law enforcement professional, they will always filter any discussion about drug policy thru the COP/LEAP filter. Staffers often move back home, where they continue in politics, becoming young members of state legislatures or upper level staff of state politicians. The time & information I give them are not lost by any means. This prohibition will take many more years to be stamped out at the federal and state levels.
New record: I spoke to 5 legislative directors (second most important position in a member office) this week, all of whom gave me 30 minutes. Most I had met before, so such a long chat was much appreciated. They all had great questions about 2306 – the repeal MJ bill. One gentleman from Tennessee completed several of my statements =great feeling.
The very last presentation on Friday was a 37 minute chat with John Boehner’s judicial aide. I floated down the hallway. It was double Crown Royal and Swiss chocolate night! (now you know that the real reason I went to Europe this year = I was out of Swiss chocolate!!)
COPs 2nd year stats to date:
231 presentations to Congressional staffers: 25 this week
TV appearances: 14 … this week (ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, etc)
Newspaper stories: 7 dailies, 3 weeklies
Radio appearances: 13 – this week
Published LTE: 20 (this week) –see below
Other media (bloggers, cable TV, minor publications, etc): 12 (this week)
12 (Member of Congress) contacts: this week
6 other VIP (state Senators & Reps):
Consider being a member of COP at $30.00 or more per year. All contributions are tax-deductible. Your support keeps the COP voice loud and strong in the halls of the United States Congress. We 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:
COP
POB 772
Buckeystown, MD 21717
Posted August 15th, 2011 by hiwayhowie
COP on the Hill
Your Voice in the United States Congress
With the big boys: On Monday I did my first in camera interview in the rotunda of the Cannon building. This is where nearly all House Members interviews you see on TV are done. It was a reporter for Danish television. It was a hoot. It felt good.
Not a tenther:* Leaving the interview, I matched up with a Member walking down the hall. He asked how it was going. I told him about the TV interview which was about the violence and death our teens encounter because they sell drugs and are shot. I continued that the Ron Paul-Barney Frank bill would employ the 10th amendment to allow the states to choose their own path. “What do you think?” “Not a good idea, “he replied. „Not a big fan of the 10th amendment? “ I asked. „I am but not with drugs,” he responded and we parted company. Too many Members like him = no principles.
Need your help on 2306: Please send an email to your Congressman, asking for their support for the Frank-Paul Repeal Federal Prohibition Act of 2011 (HR 2306). They will answer. Then send their reply to me. We have an 8 person working group which is dedicated to passing 2306. We need to learn where each of the 435 Members stand on this and why they oppose. For you over-achievers, ask your friends outside your District to do the same. This is how regular citizens can help pass legislation. Thanks in advance.
*Tenther = eine Person, die über unser 10te Zusatz ein Fan ist; 10te = die Staate sollen mehr Vorrechte haben, ihre eigene Politik einzuführen
One published letters to the editor below.
COPs 2nd year stats to date:
206 presentations to Congressional staffers: 9 this week
TV appearances: 14 … this week (ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, etc)
Newspaper stories: 7 dailies, 3 weeklies
Radio appearances: 13 – this week
Published LTE: 20 (1 this week) –see below
Other media (bloggers, cable TV, minor publications, etc): 12 (this week)
12 (Member of Congress) contacts: this week
6 other VIP ( state Senators & Reps):
Published in the Baltimore Sun: Aug 3
TIME TO END FAILED WAR ON DRUGS
Speaking as a retired police detective and member of LEAP (Law Enforcement Against Prohibition), I heartily concur with the NAACP that it is past time to terminate our failed war on drugs also known as the war on people — mostly of color (“The NAACP is calling for an end to the drug war; what about you?” July 31). My profession, which is shrinking all over America, must return to its true mission of public safety.
If you have a drug problem, see an addiction clinic.
Howard Wooldridge,
Consider being a member of COP at $30.00 or more per year. All contributions are tax-deductible. Your support keeps the COP voice loud and strong in the halls of the United States Congress. We 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:
COP
POB 772
Buckeystown, MD 21717
Posted August 13th, 2011 by hiwayhowie
TIME TO END FAILED WAR ON DRUGS
Speaking as a retired police detective and member of LEAP ( Law Enforcement Against Prohibition ), I heartily concur with the NAACP that it is past time to terminate our failed war on drugs also known as the war on people — mostly of color ( “The NAACP is calling for an end to the drug war; what about you?” July 31 ). My profession, which is shrinking all over America, must return to its true mission of public safety.
If you have a drug problem, see an addiction clinic.
Howard Wooldridge,
Howard Wooldridge is a Drug Policy Specialist with Citizens Opposing Prohibition.
Posted August 8th, 2011 by hiwayhowie
Editor,
Speaking as a retired street cop, the amount of time and money going after the marijuana crop is a horrific waste of taxpayer money. Pot has been readily available to kids for over 30 years, despite the pinpricks in supply reduction.
As the “Thin Blue Lines” get thinner, I hope my colleagues will focus their attention on pedophiles, drunk drivers and other public safety threats.
Got a problem with marijuana? See an addiction doctor.
Howard Wooldridge
