Stories from the week of December 2, 2011

 COP on the Hill

Your Voice in the United States Congress

What makes the difference?: During my chat with Molly she said her boss is on our side and might even co-sponsor the repeal of marijuana bill.  However, she informed me that no one in her district had sent a letter/email this year in regards to marijuana prohibition.  The boss would not stick his neck out, if his constituents did not care enough to write.

Shake them up or alienate them?  At the very bottom are two fotos I am contemplating using for my follow-up thank you note with staffers I meet.  The past 6 years I have used a foto of Misty and me en route from LA to NYC = warm and fuzzy.  Asking 5 aides on Friday, the vote was 3 to 2 in favor of using the fotos.  WARNING:  the very bottom foto is real.  It is 4 heads placed on the rear window sill of a car.  I value your opinion.  Please share.

Personal Note:  I took some time out on Black Friday to protest the war in Afghanistan (not wearing my COP t-shirt).  The local, daily paper was kind enough to put a large foto of us on the front page…  along with a nice article which mentioned my work in DC. 

First for everything:  In the past six years I was never too sick to work…until this week.  I ‘called-in-sick’ the first four days.  By Friday I was feeling okay enough to have 7 meetings with staffers.   All better now. 

Stats for COP’s third year, started on August 1, 2011:

208 presentations to Congressional staffers:   07 this week

4 Letter to the Editor:   this week

2 Television appearances (Univision):   this week

5 Other media (blogs, cable TV, etc):  this week

4 radio shows:   this week

9 (Member of Congress) contacts:   this week

Permanent invitation to Grover Norquist’s Wednesday brunch attended by 140 conservative VIPs.

2 Major conferences attended: Drug Policy Alliance International & the Congressional Black Caucus

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: 

COP

POB 2902

Washington, DC  20013

If you have questions or comments, please send an email to: howard@citizensopposingprohibition.org

COP total stats in first two years:  August 1, 2009 thru July 31, 2011)

 649 Presentations to Congressional staffers

22 Appearances on major TV networks

10 published interviews in newspapers

12 interviews and reports in minor media = blogs, cable TV, etc

57 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $56,000)

19 brief chats with Members of Congress

13 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, etc.

6 major conferences attended (CPAC, LULAC, NRA, etc)

Permanent invitation to Grover Norquist’s Wednesday brunch attended by 140 conservative VIPs.

Because we marijuana prohibition in the United States:

In Mexico, Guatemala & Honduras – they  have this —