Posted September 22nd, 2015 by hiwayhowie
Stories from the week of September 18, 2015
Bold Works every time: Attending on Thursday the annual Congressional Black Caucus Conference, I sat where I had the shortest distance to the microphone. First up, I was able to address the 2,000 + XXXX on TV and asked their help to convince POTUS to declare an end to the war on drugs; this regarding #BlackLivesMatter (theme of the town hall meeting).
I received a very nice round of applause and during the day 8-10 came up and said WTG! (note: I only had the energy for one of the three day conference…still can’t wear my cowboy boots…grrr)
It is who you know: On Wednesday at the Grover meeting I was able to have a solid chat with Speaker Boehner’s aide. The info will help us plan our strategies going forward.
103 personal chats with a Member of Congress.. 05 this week
1959 Presentations to Congressional staffers.. 02 this week
2 meetings this week
COP stats since inception: August 2009
60 Radio Interviews.. 0 this week
150 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, etc. 00 this week
82 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $80,000).. 0 this week
38 published interviews in major (daily) newspapers or magazine… 00 this week
88 interviews and reports in minor media = blogs, cable TV, weekly papers, etc.. this week
22 major conferences attended.. (United Nations drug conf, CPAC, LULAC, NRA, CBC, ASA, DPA, Dem & Repub. Presidential conventions., National Review, etc) 0 this week
38 Appearances on major TV networks..this week (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision, BBC)…0 this week (BBC)
* 2 editorials in daily papers mentioning Howard’s efforts & in support of COP position
Weekly attendance at 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. www.citizensopposingprohibition.org
Posted September 14th, 2015 by hiwayhowie
Stories from the week of September 11, 2015
Karma: Just before entering a bldg near the White House, the Director of the National Drug Control Policy (Drug Czar’s office), Michael Botticelli walked out of the Starbucks. We greeted, I mentioned our last encounter at the House Judiciary hearing and gave him another minute of info on the Swiss HAT program (heroin assisted suicide).
Being known on a personal basis with a Drug Czar is priceless. Just showing up continues to pay dividends.
Maybe Important : Regarding Black Lives Matter – At the end of the OSI (Open Society Institute) quarterly ‘Justice Roundtable’ (45 organizations meet to share and network) I urged all those with White House contacts to urge the POTUS to address my profession and say; ’44 years ago the police profession was told by President Nixon that we were at war with drugs and anyone possessing them. The police began to believe that every person was a ‘potential enemy combatant’ and treated them accordingly. This has too many officers on a hair trigger. I, Barack Obama, as POTUS, hereby rescind this policy. Going forward, this country will treat drug use as a medical, not criminal issue.
Effective immediately, the police of this country should not treat all citizens as ‘potential enemy combatants.’ This should change should reduce the unjustified lethal violence against citizens by the police.’
Afterwards a prominent DC judge thanked me for the idea and he would forward my suggestion to his WH contact.
Note: I will attend one day (of three) of the annual Black Congressional Fall Blowout conference in DC. I will spread the above message to all I come in contact with. (note: I am up to walking slowly w/o a cane).
150 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, etc. 01 this week
1 meetings this week
COP stats since inception: August 2009
1957 Presentations to Congressional staffers.. 0 this week
60 Radio Interviews.. 0 this week
101 personal chats with a Member of Congress.. 0 this week
82 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $80,000).. 0 this week
38 published interviews in major (daily) newspapers or magazine… 00 this week
88 interviews and reports in minor media = blogs, cable TV, weekly papers, etc.. this week
22 major conferences attended.. (United Nations drug conf, CPAC, LULAC, NRA, CBC, ASA, DPA, Dem & Repub. Presidential conventions., National Review, etc) 0 this week
38 Appearances on major TV networks..this week (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision, BBC)…0 this week (BBC)
* 2 editorials in daily papers mentioning Howard’s efforts & in support of COP position
Weekly attendance at 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. www.citizensopposingprohibition.org
Posted September 14th, 2015 by hiwayhowie
Stories from the week of September 4, 2015
Life at Four Feet Tall: Sneaking out before dawn in order to avoid Karen stopping me (only slight exaggeration), I popped the wheelchair out of the car and off I rolled to the train station on Tuesday. I was not going to blow off 6 Senate meetings. My nurse neighbor let me borrow her Kmart special chair (no motor and no cup holder). Yes, I could drink from the lower drinking fountains, even as 20% hit my chin and drooled. A curb to the sidewalk became a Mt. Everest of a barrier; every crack eyed with care, carpets were not my friend in Hart Bldg…it was a trying & rewarding day.
Evolving: In the past couple of years I have seen an increasing number and now significant number of R offices where the TV is set to CNN and even PBS vs. Fox News. As one R staffer told me this week, ‘All Senate Staffers are basically in agreement on the drug war/marijuana policies.’ I had a shot of crown and chocolate that night, I’ll tell you.
Who knew? DC had taxis…after 10 years I took my first taxi ride to and from the Senate Office Bldgs. Yes, I completed the 6 meetings and another two on Thursday. However, I am done for a while. August was the worst month of my life. My body, mind and spirit need some healing time. I will go to Grover Norquist’s meeting and catch up on a mountain of paperwork. Keep you posted.
Update – the temporary cast came off this week, doctor said I could walk on it and I now limp along with a crutch in hand for curbs, up and down hills, etc. I’ll be about normal in a month.
1957 Presentations to Congressional staffers.. 08 this week
COP stats since inception: August 2009
0 meetings this week
60 Radio Interviews.. 0 this week
19 Conversations (five minutes or longer) with Member of Congress.. 0 this week
82 brief chats with Members of Congress.. 0 this week
82 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $80,000).. 0 this week
149 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, etc. 00 this week
38 published interviews in major (daily) newspapers or magazine… 00 this week
88 interviews and reports in minor media = blogs, cable TV, weekly papers, etc.. this week
22 major conferences attended.. (United Nations drug conf, CPAC, LULAC, NRA, CBC, ASA, DPA, Dem & Repub. Presidential conventions., National Review, etc) 0 this week
38 Appearances on major TV networks..this week (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision, BBC)…0 this week (BBC)
* 2 editorials in daily papers mentioning Howard’s efforts & in support of COP position
Weekly attendance at 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. www.citizensopposingprohibition.org
Posted September 2nd, 2015 by hiwayhowie
Stories from the week of August 28, 2015
Just show up: On the Metro going to work the two gentlemen were asking each other where they should get off – in French. I offered to help. We had a nice 1 minute chat before they left. The woman next to me asks, “Are you the cowboy who wants to legalize marijuana?” “Yes, I am.”….and she works for the DEA, is writing a master’s thesis on MJ legalization, saw me ask a question at the Wilson International Center in Spanish, asked me for a card and could she contact me for help with her thesis…. We then broke into fluent Spanish for the last minute, before she had to get off…..this kind of stuff floats my boat.
Where’s the shirt?: Lunching at Chipotle’s in Union Station, I had put my Presidential candidate shirt over my dress shirt for 90 minutes. “Where’s your pot t-shirt?” the voice rang out. I laughed and replied, ‘tis the season of politics and I will promote Mr. X until he becomes president…then back to the ‘Pot’ shirt.
Lucky: Heading for work on Thursday afternoon, I was cruising on my bike on the expressway at fifty as my exit approached. I engaged the brakes, the front ones locked up, the HD went down and I was sliding behind it by 50 feet. SOB. Good News is: the car behind me stopped, only two slight fractures in right foot, 5 square inches of road rash, lots of swelling and black and blue stuff. Took my first ever Oxycodone…surprisingly, it did not cut out all the pain.
Missed my two Senate meetings, spent the night in the hospital (being on blood thinners, the doc was justifiably concerned) and Karen is taking good care of me, if highly annoyed with my near miss at serious injury/death. I say back to work next week, Karen says over her dead body.. we’ll see.
PS — the crash bars on the bike took all the punishment… the cop who handled the accident drove it to the nearby parking lot, saving me 250 bucks.
1949 Presentations to Congressional staffers.. 11 this week
01 meetings this week
60 Radio Interviews.. 01 this week
01 Misc: 2 pages in a book about Howard & COP on the Hill: Los Legalizadores by Rafael Ruiz & Isabel Piquer
COP stats since inception: August 2009
19 Conversations (five minutes or longer) with Member of Congress.. 0 this week
82 brief chats with Members of Congress.. 0 this week
82 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $80,000).. 0 this week
149 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, etc. 00 this week
38 published interviews in major (daily) newspapers or magazine… 00 this week
88 interviews and reports in minor media = blogs, cable TV, weekly papers, etc.. this week
22 major conferences attended.. (United Nations drug conf, CPAC, LULAC, NRA, CBC, ASA, DPA, Dem & Repub. Presidential conventions., National Review, etc) 0 this week
38 Appearances on major TV networks..this week (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision, BBC)…0 this week (BBC)
* 2 editorials in daily papers mentioning Howard’s efforts & in support of COP position
Weekly attendance at 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. www.citizensopposingprohibition.org
Posted August 29th, 2015 by hiwayhowie
Stories from the week of August 21, 2015
Liberty or Death: Except in the case of using marijuana. A Legislative Director for an R Texas office and I had an excellent give/take chat. His case centered around his belief that the use of MJ causes “moral rot.” I asked if he could quote a passage in the Bible to that idea. (not yet). After I left, I read on the back of his (and the Congressman’s card) Liberty or Death….Yikes!!
Boy, if only had a nickel every time I heard that: The phrase, ‘The Senator’s position on marijuana is evolving.’ rang in my ear often this week and last. It was sweet music, as the 10th Amendment gains strength.
Transition: Making my presentations on Monday, I received a call from the rancher who boards Misty. Her one eye was in terrible shape. The vet confirmed she was totally blind. 17 years ago the same condition ‘moon blindness’ had attacked her right eye and all the medications had had zero effect. On Wednesday I had the vet put her down.
Misty, the unofficial mascot of drug reform, is now riding with the angels. Her life in fotos below.
Misty 1994 – 2015
1938 Presentations to Congressional staffers.. 16 this week
COP stats since inception: August 2009
00 meetings this week
19 Conversations (five minutes or longer) with Member of Congress.. 0 this week
82 brief chats with Members of Congress.. 0 this week
82 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $80,000).. 0 this week
149 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, etc. 00 this week
38 published interviews in major (daily) newspapers or magazine… 00 this week
59 Radio Interviews.. 0 this week
88 interviews and reports in minor media = blogs, cable TV, weekly papers, etc.. this week
22 major conferences attended.. (United Nations drug conf, CPAC, LULAC, NRA, CBC, ASA, DPA, Dem & Repub. Presidential conventions., National Review, etc) 0 this week
38 Appearances on major TV networks..this week (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision, BBC)…0 this week (BBC)
* 2 editorials in daily papers mentioning Howard’s efforts & in support of COP position
Weekly attendance at 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. www.citizensopposingprohibition.org
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Trail’s End: NYC October 2005
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Field work in Colorado 2012
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Misty (above) is the author of: Misty’s Long Ride – Across North America on Horseback
Her account of taking Howard 3100 miles from Georgia to Oregon to end the war on drugs
Field Work: 2010 California
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Field Work: Virginia 2008
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Field Work in Maryland: 2009
Crossing the Mississippi River in 2002
On the beach in Oregon 2003
Beaches of California: Spring of 2005 (ride two across America)
