Posted February 12th, 2013 by hiwayhowie
COP on the Hill
Stories from the week January 25, 2013
The Good:
I had a 30 second ‘elevator’ chat with an R Congressman from the Southeast. I told him I represented police officers who did not want to waste time chasing a green plant and guys like Willie Nelson. His response? “And it is a horrible waste of tax dollars.”
I met with the chief legal counsel to Congressman Polis who will introduce the bill to repeal the federal prohibition of marijuana. The bill will be clean and simple, much like in the last session.
Two R offices this week who sat on the fence last session said they will now co-sponsor the repeal bill, citing the robust wins in Colorado and Washington.
One day this week I had an average day of six presentations. The good was in four of the five R offices the staffer said he agreed completely with the COP mission and ‘what can I do to help?’ Such comments are coming more and more frequently this session. Wow and what a change from 2005, when I rode into town.
The Bad:
The new chairman of the House Judiciary Committee (Goodlatte from Virginia) has almost the same mentality as Lamar Smith the former chairman. Do not expect a hearing/vote on the new bill.
Short of a miracle, I agree with Keith Stroup of NORML. A vote by the Congress on total repeal will not take place for at least 6 years. However, if present trends continue, the vote to repeal will pass.
The Ugly: Besides urging the Members to support the repeal bill, I am asking them to starve the beast. “Stop giving law enforcement any money.” This is direct off the sheet I give each aide:
China & others will loan us 6 billion of the 15 billion spent on prohibition by Congress in FY 2014. 3B just for marijuana war. Return on that investment after a trillion dollars? Drugs are cheaper, stronger, and readily available to anyone in the USA per federal reports.
On the night of the Texas Inaugural Ball I ran into the Chief of Staff of a name you would recognize = extra big cheese. In a ten minute chat I asked him why the Republicans don’t just cut say a 100 billion from our 1 trillion dollar budget deficit…. just to show the world they are serious about cuts. He sighed and gave me a brief lesson on how the world of Congress works. = Members have obligated themselves (to special interests) to spend 3.8 trillion next year. The lobbyists/special interests would hurt (politically) the Members, if they did not spend all that money. Thus, though the Republicans talk about cutting spending and have the power to send those cuts to the Senate, they don’t and they won’t. Drug Prohibition spending will not be cut.
I was seriously impacted by this chat. I kind of knew the ‘way of the world’ before he explained. Now, ain’t no doubt. As a USA citizen, it was a painful 10 minutes.
Personal Note: Many of you have asked about Karen. Please know she is 100% in body and spirit. Lucky boy I am.
COP stats since inception: August 2009
- 1038 Presentations to Congressional staffers..13 this week
- 30 Appearances on major TV networks (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision)
- 21 published interviews in major (daily)newspapers
- 43 interviews and reports in minor media = blogs, cable TV, etc
- 71 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $70,000) = 1 this week
- 2 editorials in daily papers mentioning my efforts & in support of COP position
- 22 Radio Interviews
- 34 brief chats with Members of Congress
- 30 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, etc.
- 11 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 and want to be a part of the solution… Go to:
This LTE was published by the Dallas Morning News on January 6, 2013
Pot laws a danger to kids
Re: “Which way on marijuana? — Legalization movement is gambling with our children’s futures, says Richard Roper,” Wednesday Viewpoints.
I’m writing as a retired street cop. I saw the prohibition of marijuana reduce the safety of our children. Nearly 1 million teens are selling drugs like marijuana today, since prohibition creates a job option. Every week, kids are shot because of their prohibition employment. Moreover, while detectives are in helicopters looking for a green plant, pedophiles are more able to contact and rape our children.
Roper fears an increase in teen use when marijuana is legal. Maybe. Or they might use less, as the attraction of a forbidden fruit is gone. I am not an expert. Is Roper?
Last, bear in mind that law enforcement may want to keep prohibition because they fear a loss of jobs and easy overtime. They have a conflict of interest.
Howard Wooldridge, Dallas
Posted February 11th, 2013 by hiwayhowie
COP on the Hill
Stories from the week January 18, 2013
I had a modest week on the hill with 12 presentations to staffers. Lots of changes of personnel in the offices which = more work at home to record who is the right staffer in 535 offices.
Ron Paul Legacy: On Tuesday evening I was invited to address the local chapter of a group called C4L = http://www.campaignforliberty.org the umbrella organization for the Ron Paul efforts. About 40 were attending and we had a robust 30 minutes. I was surprised by how many Republicans attended.
KING for a day: When I presented last week at Grover Norquist’s brunch, I was quite surprised to see my name on the back of a chair at the main table where the VIPs sit. The info at the bottom of last week’s newsletter was the sheet I gave to the 150 in the room. Sorry for not stating that. Money can buy anyone access. Good ideas/presentations count at Grovers.
My published LTE in a Florida paper is at the bottom.
COP stats since inception: August 2009
- 1025 Presentations to Congressional staffers..12 this week
- 30 Appearances on major TV networks (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision)
- 21 published interviews in major (daily)newspapers
- 43 interviews and reports in minor media = blogs, cable TV, etc
- 71 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $70,000) = 1 this week
- 2 editorials in daily papers mentioning my efforts & in support of COP position
- 22 Radio Interviews
- 34 brief chats with Members of Congress
- 30 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, etc.
- 11 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 and want to be a part of the solution… Go to:
DRUG PROBLEM NO EASY FIX
As a retired detective, I heartily agree with Kingsley Guy’s Jan. 13 column, “Time to re-think our War on Drugs.” We need to end this drug prohibition.
Our children have a job option to sell drugs and nearly 1million are employed in sales, some of whom are shot every day. Pedophiles are not caught, as my colleagues are flying around in a helicopter looking for a green plant.
After 41years, and a trillion dollars spent, the DEA’s own brochure states: “Drugs are readily available to America’s youth…” The police and courts cannot fix stupid. Have a drug problem? See a doctor.
Howard Wooldridge, Buckeystown, Mass.
PUBLISHED in the Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale, FL) January 18, 2013
Posted January 27th, 2013 by hiwayhowie
COP on the Hill
Stories from the week January 11, 2013
The Perfect Speed? –Being There—: On Tuesday morning I attended a panel discussion held at the Brookings Institute. The topic was who would/should control marijuana policy; the federal government or the States? I was able to have a small chat with the ambassador from Holland and a longer chat with a board member (Francisco Thoumi) of the International Narcotics Control Board based in Vienna, Austria.
That afternoon I met with the aide to Congressman Polis (D-CO) who will be the prime sponsor of this session’s bill to repeal federal prohibition of marijuana.
Spending all day Friday on the Hill, I ended up with 12 presentations this week.
It IS who you know: later in the week I received this from Mr. Thoumi (in response to my standard meet & greet letter)
…..In ten days I will go to Vienna to attend an International Drug Control Board session. That is going to be very interesting because the Board will have to face the recent developments in Colorado, Washington State, Guatemala and Uruguay and the global support to Bolivia’s rejoining the conventions with reserves.
Please keep me abreast of developments in your organization.
Best..
Such letters keep me going.
COP stats since inception: August 2009
- 1013 Presentations to Congressional staffers..12 this week
- 30 Appearances on major TV networks (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision)
- 21 published interviews in major (daily)newspapers
- 43 interviews and reports in minor media = blogs, cable TV, etc
- 69 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $68,000)
- 2 editorials in daily papers mentioning my efforts & in support of COP position
- 22 Radio Interviews
- 34 brief chats with Members of Congress
- 30 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, etc.
- 11 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 and want to be a part of the solution… Go to:
- Marijuana Prohibition by the Numbers – January 2013
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- Legalizing Marijuana in Washington and Colorado – A Shot Heard ‘Round the World’
- The United Nations will NOT invade nor attack Colorado & Washington. This per a 2007 declaration by then United Nations Drug Czar Antonio Costa.
- George Mason University School of Law professor Greve stated that state sales would not put USA in violation of the 1961 Single Convention Treaty which established world-wide prohibition of marijuana.
- Washington: Republican candidate for US Senate Michael Baumgartner of Washington on October 4, 2012 endorsed legalization. He became first Senatorial candidate from a major party in modern times to call for legalization. Legalization polled nearly half million more votes than Romney.
- Colorado: legalization polled 68,000 more than Romney, helped by former Congressman Tom Tancredo who worked the conservative crowd to vote yes on legalization.
- On November 6, Washington & Colorado, via ballot initiative made one ounce legal to possess and use for adults 21 and over. Both essentially will handle marijuana (including sales) like alcohol, selling it from single product stores (like an ABC store) regulated by the state. Colorado allows adults to possess 6 plants for grow your own, while WA does not allow personal grows. WA implemented a DUIM law with a blood level maximum of five (5) nanograms. Colorado continues to rely on officer’s professional judgment on impaired driving + subsequent blood test to show presence of marijuana. WA passed by 56% v 44% and CO passed by 55% v 45%
- Revenue Projections:
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- Colorado: State sales tax on med pot was 5 million in 2011. Projection for general use is $42M in taxes + a savings of 12 million in law enforcement costs.
- Washington: Bureaucrats in Olympia estimate taxes on sales will amount to about 500 million per year. This author’s opinion is less than half that.
- 20 states have decriminalized MJ in some form; WSJ oped 1-5-13 (decrim = no possible jail time)
- 18 states have legal, medicinal use = one American in three has state-level, legal access to God’s medicine. In November, Massachusetts voted for medical use by 63 v 37.
- White House Reaction: has been a ‘thundering silence’ to date.
- Reaction S/O the Border:
-
- Mexico – new President Peña Nieto has called for review of entire drug policy because of WA, CO legalization. Questions why MX should continue arresting its citizens for growing for export.
- Guatemala – new President Perez Molina has called for legalization of all drugs to stop violence there.
- Colombia – new President Santos has publically questioned why marijuana should be illegal there.
- The vote this fall has been heard “around the world.” The voters of Colorado and Washington cracked a big hole in the world-wide ‘Berlin Wall’ of marijuana prohibition. Even Holland, with their system of coffeehouses, does not measure up to full legalization in these two states.
- And there is no going back. Even if federal agents crack down hard in CO & WA, try finding a jury to convict..of anything. While in Colorado I had a meeting with Boulder County district attorney Stan Garnett. He reiterated what he said on ’60 Minutes, ’that seating a jury of 12 on a marijuana case would be impossible. Jury nullification will be a fact in these two states.
- Michigan also had five city-wide important votes that demonstrate the will of the voters. The City of Detroit voted 3 to 1 to legalize marijuana. Even extremely conservative Grand Rapids (more churches per square mile than any city in the USA) made simple possession a civil infraction, like a parking ticket. All five votes ended in victory for the anti-prohibition side. Politicians have been put on notice of the will of the people. They ignore these votes at their peril.
- LOSERS:
- Oregon’s initiative to legalize for personal use was defeated 48 v 52 (over reach by OR activists)
- Arkansas medical marijuana initiative was defeated 47 v 53 (first try in southern state)
Posted January 10th, 2013 by hiwayhowie
COP on the Hill
Back in the saddle again: The ‘fiscal cliff’ crisis being in the rearview mirror, I returned to the House buildings to make presentations and update my records. I managed 5 presentations in a day and a half. Felt great.
Friday I had a case of the ‘feel me no goods’ and took a sick day….my first in 6 years (not counting the 3 weeks I was out with my stroke).
I made this 8 minute tape a year ago. My camera guy Jeff Newman did some editing and put this up on YouTube. Quelle Surprise….over 13,000 views. Next time I will try to rent a tela-prompter. I also did this in Spanish which will be ready later this year.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tykf4437YTg
Howard, would you mind? Grover Norquist came over to me just before the start of his brunch and asked me to give the group a 3 minute report (speakers are limited to 3 minutes) on the marijuana votes across America in 2012. After the meeting he asked me to prepare a written handout for the assembled for next week. I was thrilled.
New Friends: Late last year I met the man who wrote this Christmas note. He is the chief TV reporter for a major Mexican network. Short translation was warm greetings to me and his best wishes for success with our issue in 2013. This is an example of why I spend 7-8 hours per week keeping my Spanish fluent. Mexican people are 70/30 against legalize/regulate. I will do my part to improve that picture.
Howard:
Perdon por no responder, pero estaba de viaje y sin ver mensajes electronicos … Me parece estupenda la eleccion de Hispanos al Congreso y le envio un fuerte abrazo con mis mejores deseos de que 2013 sea un Ano Nuevo lleno de triunfos para su causa …
Saludos,
1001 Presentations to Congressional staffers..5 this week
- 30 Appearances on major TV networks (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision)
- 21 published interviews in major (daily)newspapers
- 43 interviews and reports in minor media = blogs, cable TV, etc
- 69 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $68,000)
- 2 editorials in daily papers mentioning my efforts & in support of COP position
- 22 Radio Interviews
- 34 brief chats with Members of Congress
- 30 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, etc.
- 11 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 and want to be a part of the solution… Go to:
Posted December 28th, 2012 by hiwayhowie
COP on the Hill
Stories from the weeks of December 21 & December 28, 2012
Busted!: Today I scratched my itch for Mexican food at Chipotles. As usual I parked at the nearby McDonald’s, positioning my car so the drive-thru crowd would read the signs on the rear of my car (COPS SAY LEGALIZE POT). Upon my return the assistant manager called me over to the window. Expecting to be told not park there again, instead, reading my shirt – she asked why cops want to legalize pot. She and the cashier had a few more questions before they thanked me for my time. Whew!~! As you know, I am a 24/7 kind of guy and my car too.
End of the year cleaning & catch up: My desk is nearly clean, expense reports done and all Christmas cards and emails sent (400). Though the Senate offices are mostly intact, all the oxygen in this town is being consumed by the ‘Fiscal Cliff.’ I will hit the ground running next Wednesday.
I want to thank all of you who are Members and support my work. Below are the stats, since COP was incorporated on August 1, 2009. I hope and trust you believe my time and your money are well spent. What else can I do? Your suggestions are welcomed.
- 996 Presentations to Congressional staffers
- 30 Appearances on major TV networks (Fox, ABC, CBS, NBC, Univision)
- 21 published interviews in major (daily)newspapers
- 43 interviews and reports in minor media = blogs, cable TV, etc
- 69 published letters to the editor (value per MAPINC in free publicity: $68,000)
- 2 editorials in daily papers mentioning my efforts & in support of COP position
- 22 Radio Interviews
- 34 brief chats with Members of Congress
- 30 chats with other elected officials, state reps, senators, etc.
- 11 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 and want to be a part of the solution… Go to:
“Many people, especially ignorant people, want to punish you for speaking the truth, for being correct, for being you. Never apologize for being correct, or for being years ahead of your time. If you’re right and you know it, speak your mind. Even if you are a minority of one, the truth is still the truth.”
~ Gandhi
