COPs on the Hill: Stories from the week of March 11, 2011

Your Voice in the United States Congress

Good Start to any chat:  Meeting an aide for Senator McCaskill for the first time, he began the meeting by saying he had seen me on my horse in Reason magazine.  Given that Reason supports the COP position, I knew we would have a good chat and we did….Recall we were a two page centerfold.

 Break the rules:  On Tuesday I needed to finish up collecting the data/changes on all the offices in the House.  Comfortable in my COPs t-shirt and because of it, I had short chats with two Members plus dozens of tourists, all very positive.  I had thoughtful 4-5  minute chats with visitors with a total of some 25 people listening.  I passed out 20 business cards.    It was a highly successful day which I thoroughly enjoyed.  Thus….

Fun days:  Frankly speaking, it has become harder to fire up, put on a coat and tie and go to work…this routine going into its sixth year.  Based on my experience of being all positive-fun days wearing my shirt to Congress, I had a chat with my mentor Eric Sterling about any downside to wearing the shirt two times per month.   Given that I have established myself as a serious advocate for staffers and Members, Eric gave me the green light.   I will wear the shirt about two times per month and NOT when I give presentations to staffers, attend hearings etc.

 Who you going to call?  Ghostbusters?  No, Howard…. I spent an hour this week being interviewed by an organization interested in how to frame the drug reform message for conservative audiences.   I asked her if I should put on my NRA baseball cap (National Rifle Association)  to better get in character. J  We had a great chat.

$$ for sign:  After my magnetic sign was stolen a few months back, I received a membership renewal of an odd amount.  Calling the COPs member, I learned the amount covered membership plus the forty-seven (47) dollars to replace the stolen sign.   Thanks Dick.

 Howard

COPs 2nd year stats to date:

 TV appearances: 11 (ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX, cable) 

Newspaper stories: 7 dailes, 3 weeklies

Radio appearances: 7 

Published LTE: 12  (one this week)

Other media (bloggers, cable TV, minor publications, etc): 9

 92  presentations to Congressional staffers: (11 this week)

7 (Member of Congress) contacts:    (two this week)

5 other VIP (MD state Senator & Rep):   

 Consider being a member of COPs at $30.00 or more per year.   All contributions are tax-deductible.   Your support keeps the COPs 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:

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