COP on the Hill: Stories from the week of September 21 and 28, 2012

COP on the Hill

Stories from the week of September 21 and 28, 2012

Keeping the issue in front of VIPs:    The main event this week was the annual CBC ALC (Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference).  I made dozens of solid contacts, one radio show, offers to bring me to Cincinnati and Houston to speak and most importantly this:

At the opening plenary –town hall –  session which focused on the loss of voting rights due to Voter ID Laws, I was able to ask my question to the audience of about 1000, the panel which included 3 Congressmen and Nancy Pelosi who was waiting behind the curtain to surprise us.  After introducing myself I asked, ‘With all due respect Reverend Sharpton, we have two wars going on in this country.  You forgot about the War on Drugs.  This Drug War or  New Jim Crow has taken away of the voting rights of hundreds of thousands of black Americans whether they have ID or not.  Why are you (the panel) not addressing this massive problem?’

I had a large segment of the audience clap and cheer my question. The panel agreed it was a problem. Later in the hallway 7-8 came up to me and thanked me for the question.  Indeed, nobody this election season is addressing this massive, failed policy.  I rubbed their nose in it, politely.

Chew on that MJ bone:   At Grover’s bunch this week the chief assistant to a large 501c4 (political action committee) said good morning like he has the past 3 years.  He initiated a chat on my issue saying, ‘I have thought some more about legalizing marijuana & I have decided it would be okay.  Someone wants to smoke in their own home..I guess that would be okay.  It is still not the moral thing to do but for adults it would be okay.’

I thanked him for his change in position. ….By presenting  simple & cogent reasons to legalize/regulate I  create a ‘bone’ that I hope people will chew on.  ‘Mike’ chewed for 3 years before he finally reached the marrow and the heart of the anti-prohibition concept.  Note that now a slight majority of the Grover brunch – The Grand Central Station of the Conservative Movement – take the COP position on at least marijuana in private.  Small Steps.

Drug Crowd in Congress:  I had a good chat with the Chief Legal Counsel to a VIP Member of the House Judiciary Comm.  He explained his boss does support the marijuana repeal bill but would not publicly because of the ‘message’ it would send to other Members.  I responded, “You mean the message of  becoming part of the ‘drug crowd’ of the US Congress? “ Yes, he responded.

Note:  this session a total of 21 United States Congressmen were part of the ‘drug crowd’ who had the courage to put their name next to the legislation.  Another 145 or so voted to stop spending federal money  on DEA drug raids in states with medical cannabis stores.. all total the House has about 170 Members in the ‘drug crowd.’’  My job next year (and yours) is to increase that number to 218.

I took as vacation time the week of September 28.

Fourth year stats for COP- August 1, 2012 thru July 31, 2013:

51 Presentations to Congressional staffers: 1 this week

4 Radio interviews:  1 this week

14 Blog, cable TV, minor media events:  1 this week

2 seminar, hearing or briefing attended:  this week

1 chat with Congressman: 1 this week

10 Presentations to lesser VIPs:  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