Posted January 3rd, 2020 by hiwayhowie
COP on the Hill
Stories from the week of December 27, 2019 & Jan 3, 2020
I’ve seen your message for years: While having dinner at the bar at a restaurant, the woman next to me remarked she had seen my car and motorcycle for years with the message of Legalize MJ, heroin. Okay, why? And we had an excellent 10-minute chat. Marketing, marketing.
Where do I send the consulting bill?: the phone rang this week and the Republican candidate for the US House needed some help with marijuana questions. We had met at the Grover Norquist meeting. At the end of our 10 minutes, I asked him how to bill for the quarter hour of consultation. ! Just Kidding!
Worth Repeating:
Meeting in Bern, Switzerland in September with chief administrator of the Swiss heroin treatment program. Later, working lunch in Bern with a doctor and former director of a heroin clinic. The Swiss reconfirmed their willingness to send a team to the Congress, if invited.
George Will sent a note, thanking me for my advice on prohibition policy.
Continue to be Grover Norquist’s “go-to-guy” for drug war issues.
2019 COP by the Numbers:
Chats with Members of Congress: 36
Presentations to Congressional Staff: 337
34 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, etc.
3 Appearances/Interviews on major TV/Radio/Print media
12 interviews and reports in minor media
Conferences attended: One – CPAC ( Conservative Political Action Conference ) 4 days with 10,000 rabid conservatives near DC
Weekly attendance at Grover Norquist’s Wednesday brunch attended by 150 conservative leaders. Named the “Grand Central Station of the Conservative Movement.”
Audentes Fortuna Iuvat / Fortuna Eruditis Favet
Posted January 3rd, 2020 by hiwayhowie
COP on the Hill
4 contacts in WH: I learned this week that another, long-term professional friend is working in the White House. That makes four with 3 of them working on domestic policy. 2 of the 4 – I met at the Grover Norquist weekly meeting.
End of year analysis: 2019 started with great promise, as we expected the Democrats to pass meaningful legislation to roll-back or repeal the 1937 law of federal, marijuana prohibition. 12 months later and well, not much…the banking bill was passed by the House and now gathers dust in the Senate. Late this year the MJ de-schedule ( MORE Act ) bill was passed out of committee and then stopped again. The Congress only decided to protect medical MJ from federal interference, less than the last fiscal year.
2020 Predictions: I am at low confidence, we will put anything on the President’s desk. The States via the legislature or ballot initiative will have 6-8 “go Colorado.” All the real action will be at the state level in my opinion. So, do I take 2020 off? No. I will continue the COP work of making contacts, presentations and building relationships. I am working with Tulsi Gabbard’s office to introduce a bill to have the feds “go Portugal” decrim. Despite being a lot closer to the end of the tunnel / goal post re: marijuana, this is still a marathon, not a sprint.
My new horse continues to make steady progress and I have high confidence she will be ready for politics starting about May or June. Like the five weeks I spent in Michigan last fall, Missy and I will go somewhere and help ensure a win.
This week’s stats:
388 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, etc. 01 this week (WH policy advisor)
02 Meetings – Grover, NCIA (National Cannabis Industry Association)
COP stats since inception: August 2009
317 personal chats with a Member of Congress… 0 this week
3298 Presentations to Congressional staffers… 0this week
166 interviews and reports in minor media = 0 this week
85 Radio Interviews.. 0 this week
102 Appearances/Interviews on major TV/Radio/Print media. 0 This week
Blaze TV {new, popular right-wing}, (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision, BBC, CNN, NPR, German, Swiss, French, Spanish TV and radio) Detroit News, Detroit Free Press, Grand Rapids Press + 9 other MI papers. Chicago Tribute, Honolulu Star Advertiser {foto and caption}, Reason Magazine, Reuters
31 major conferences attended – (UN drug conference, CPAC, LULAC, NRA, CBC, ASA, DPA, Dem & Repub. Presidential conventions., National Review, Republican Annual Retreat etc.) 0 this week
Weekly attendance at Grover Norquist’s Wednesday brunch attended by 150 conservative leaders. Named the “Grand Central Station of the Conservative Movement.”
* 2 editorials in daily papers mentioning Howard’s efforts & in support of COP position
84 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $83,000) 0 this week
43 published interviews/foto in major (daily) newspapers or magazine… 0 this week
* Consider being a member of COP at $40.00 or more per year. All contributions are tax-deductible. 40 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 drug prohibition. COP provides that voice. www.citizensopposingprohibition.org
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Posted December 22nd, 2019 by hiwayhowie
COP on the Hill
Stories from the week of December 13, 2019
Unexpected: Starting my day to finish distributing the Portugal approach to treat drug possession as a medical issue, I was making a stop at the restroom, when a voice simply said, “I agree with your jacket.” (I don’t wear it during work, because I would sweat.) I turned and the voice was attached to a man who is the National Commander of the Military Order of the Purple Heart.
He reminded me of an oak tree, tall and so solid. He was 21 years a US Marine (my dad was 26 in the Corps). We had an excellent chat on the issue of drug addiction and deaths of military veterans. Such moments keep me going.
Portugal Decrim: It took a month and the task is complete. The White House and all 535 Congressional offices are aware of what making drugs a civil matter looks like. I had several hundred conversations with staff about the program and what it would mean for the USA. Again, my thanks to Colleen Cowles of Wisconsin and the author of War on US, who wrote the summary I used to educate the Congress.
Marketing and Sales: Leaving my local post office, the driver of a pickup asked me why (he had read the message on my jacket as I was walking in). The other two passengers and I had pleasant 4-5-minute chat on why legalize heroin. This illustrates how absolutely open and inquisitive the American public has become to the concept of legalize/regulate all drugs.
17 months ago, my “bold and semi-crazy” idea to put ‘legalize heroin’ on my shirts and jacket turned out to be a puppy, as 95% of the hundreds of contacts have been pleasant and useful. The only hard part, the punch in the gut has been to listen to the many, many stories of addiction and death from the person asking “why”? And that is why COPs pays me the big bucks.
This week’s stats:
3305 Presentations to Congressional staffers… 07 this week
390 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, etc. 03 this week (Rs running for Congress)
01 Meetings – Grover Norquist
Audentes Fortuna Iuvat / Fortuna Eruditis Favet
Lead, Follow, or Get out of the way
COP stats since inception: August 2009
317 personal chats with a Member of Congress… 0 this week
166 interviews and reports in minor media = 0 this week
85 Radio Interviews.. 0 this week
102 Appearances/Interviews on major TV/Radio/Print media. 0 This week
Blaze TV {new, popular right-wing}, (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision, BBC, CNN, NPR, German, Swiss, French, Spanish TV and radio) Detroit News, Detroit Free Press, Grand Rapids Press + 9 other MI papers. Chicago Tribute, Honolulu Star Advertiser {foto and caption}, Reason Magazine, Reuters
31 major conferences attended – (UN drug conference, CPAC, LULAC, NRA, CBC, ASA, DPA, Dem & Repub. Presidential conventions., National Review, Republican Annual Retreat etc.) 0 this week
Weekly attendance at Grover Norquist’s Wednesday brunch attended by 150 conservative leaders. Named the “Grand Central Station of the Conservative Movement.”
* 2 editorials in daily papers mentioning Howard’s efforts & in support of COP position
84 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $83,000) 0 this week
43 published interviews/foto in major (daily) newspapers or magazine… 0 this week
* Consider being a member of COP at $40.00 or more per year. All contributions are tax-deductible. 40 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 drug prohibition. COP provides that voice. www.citizensopposingprohibition.org
Posted December 9th, 2019 by hiwayhowie
COP on the Hill
No Shirt, no chat: entering the office of an extreme, Republican Member the legislative aide demanded, ‘Hey, where’s your t-shirt?! How do I know it’s really you without it?!’ We had a pretty good laugh and then a good chat. BTW, with the impeachment process, many of us are looking for anything to lighten the mood.
Basic Info on Drug War casualties: Question – of the 2.2. million in our jails and prisons – how many are there due to our lovely Drug War / Modern Prohibition…I attended the quarterly meeting of the Justice Roundtable (100 orgs dedicated to social justice..I’ve been attending since 2005). A major figure in the social movement was a featured speaker and told us that, since only 20% of those in prison are for drugs, the problem of mass incarceration lies elsewhere.
I was able to forcefully rebut the speaker during Q & A. Please know that for pure drug crimes (sale/possession), yes, it is 20% And please know that when you add in the associated crimes like robbing a bank to obtain drug money, or break into a house for drug money, or shoot another dealer the figure rises to about 70-75% I say ‘about’ because no organization has ever done nor published any info on the aspect of policy. Even the CATO institute held two panels recently on mass incarceration and the speakers used the same 20% number…disappointing to say the least,. NOTE: I use the 70-75% after chats with about 20 detectives from all over USA. My personal experience was 70% in a Lansing, MI suburb.
This week’s stats:
317 personal chats with a Member of Congress… 01 this week (CMan Ron Wright R-TX)
3298 Presentations to Congressional staffers… 13 this week
01 Meetings – Justice Roundtable
166 interviews and reports in minor media = 01 this week
COP stats since inception: August 2009
387 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, etc. 0 this week
85 Radio Interviews.. 0 this week
102 Appearances/Interviews on major TV/Radio/Print media. 0 This week
Blaze TV {new, popular right-wing}, (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision, BBC, CNN, NPR, German, Swiss, French, Spanish TV and radio) Detroit News, Detroit Free Press, Grand Rapids Press + 9 other MI papers. Chicago Tribute, Honolulu Star Advertiser {foto and caption}, Reason Magazine, Reuters
31 major conferences attended – (UN drug conference, CPAC, LULAC, NRA, CBC, ASA, DPA, Dem & Repub. Presidential conventions., National Review, Republican Annual Retreat etc.) 0 this week
Weekly attendance at Grover Norquist’s Wednesday brunch attended by 150 conservative leaders. Named the “Grand Central Station of the Conservative Movement.”
* 2 editorials in daily papers mentioning Howard’s efforts & in support of COP position
84 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $83,000) 0 this week
43 published interviews/foto in major (daily) newspapers or magazine… 0 this week
* Consider being a member of COP at $40.00 or more per year. All contributions are tax-deductible. 40 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 drug prohibition. COP provides that voice. www.citizensopposingprohibition.org
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Posted November 25th, 2019 by hiwayhowie
Homework: After meeting with a staffer, I received this email/request for help:
First, thanks for your time, passion, and expertise.
In summary, three takeaways:
1. Summary of rationale/purpose for a judiciary hearing and a breakdown of the what, why, etc.
2. Draft provision ideas for fixes on prohibition you would like to see in federal law
3. HR 1587 – take a look and suggest additions for this bill with regard to data we need to make the argument
All the best,
PK
Historic Vote: I attended the House Judiciary Comm hearing/markup on Wednesday. I very much enjoyed the back and forth, as Republicans said marijuana needed to be studied before any vote and the Democrats responding that, when the Rs were in control, they failed to study the issue AND the plant has been used now for 6,000 years so much is already known. 24-10 and the bill to deschedule MJ now moves to the full House.
Note: The bill contains poison pills put in by Ds that guarantee the Senate will kill it…so, don’t put the champagne on ice. Sadly.
It was a very good, gratifying week.
This week’s stats:
317 personal chats with a Member of Congress… 02 this week (CMan Carter, R-GA and CMan Spanno R-FL)
3285 Presentations to Congressional staffers… 09 this week
01 Meetings – House hearing/markup
165 interviews and reports in minor media = 01 this week
COP stats since inception: August 2009
387 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, VIPs, etc. 0 this week
85 Radio Interviews.. 0 this week
102 Appearances/Interviews on major TV/Radio/Print media. 0 This week
Blaze TV {new, popular right-wing}, (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision, BBC, CNN, NPR, German, Swiss, French, Spanish TV and radio) Detroit News, Detroit Free Press, Grand Rapids Press + 9 other MI papers. Chicago Tribute, Honolulu Star Advertiser {foto and caption}, Reason Magazine, Reuters
31 major conferences attended – (UN drug conference, CPAC, LULAC, NRA, CBC, ASA, DPA, Dem & Repub. Presidential conventions., National Review, Republican Annual Retreat etc.) 0 this week
Weekly attendance at Grover Norquist’s Wednesday brunch attended by 150 conservative leaders. Named the “Grand Central Station of the Conservative Movement.”
* 2 editorials in daily papers mentioning Howard’s efforts & in support of COP position
84 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $83,000) 0 this week
43 published interviews/foto in major (daily) newspapers or magazine… 0 this week
* Consider being a member of COP at $40.00 or more per year. All contributions are tax-deductible. 40 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 drug prohibition. COP provides that voice. www.citizensopposingprohibition.org
