Posted December 23rd, 2009 by hiwayhowie
Straw or Beaver:* As I said a short while ago, they keep the temperature high in the Congressional buildings near 72 (22C). This morning while I was preparing four snake oil kits (info I give each staffer), I tried to decide whether to wear the summer straw hat for more comfort or the winter beaver hat which looks better and is more appropriate. Since there was two inches of the snow on the ground and the temp below freezing, I put the beaver hat on my head.
After finishing my yearly meeting (an excellent 20 minute chat) with the Senate Majority Leader’s chief counsel in the Capitol itself, those in the elevator said there was room for one more. I spied a Senator and boldly stepped. The Senator read outloud my name plate, “ C O P. What’s that? You a cop?” “Retired detective,” I replied & added “Citizens Opposing Prohibition. I am the police voice on the Hill in opposition –said slightly louder and then a short pause –to our failed war on drugs.”
He stuck out his hand and said, “ Bob Corker.” From Tennessee I replied. At that instant the gentleman in the back I did not recognize stuck out his hand saying, “John Thune.” South Dakota I replied and ‘it is an honor.’ No time for even a 10 second pitch. The elevator door opened and we all went our separate ways. So glad I wore the winter hat.
Tipping Point Coming?: Also this week a tourist in the elevator asked about my name plate. I gave my 15 second elevator speech. He left saying, ‘Good luck with your struggle.’ When people ask about the meaning of COP, 4 in 5 will express support for our position. Senator Corker and Thune did not give me the cold shoulder*, rather they introduced themselves shaking my hand. Change is in the air?
Health care commands attention: Only 13 presentations this week. Everyone is pitching in to help Senators with the health care debate. I am grateful for the time they do give me.
*beaver = Biber
*cold shoulder = unhöflich jemand zu sein – unbeachtet lassen
Consider being a member of COP at $30.00 per year. Keep a police presence on the Hill in opposition to prohibition policy. Add your voice to those who agree that Modern Prohibition/War on Drugs is the most destructive, dysfunctional and immoral policy since slavery & Jim Crow.
Howard
Posted December 23rd, 2009 by hiwayhowie
Frustrations: As you can imagine, I have heard 1001 times the past three years that a staffer’s boss (the Member) may agree with repealing at least marijuana prohibition but such a vote remains “too risky.” I burn a lot of mental energy when I do NOT scream, “tell the Senator to do what is right and best for his state & country.” AKA* find some courage.
As one Senate staffer said today, ‘your issue is gaining ground, especially marijuana.’ This beats where we were just a year or two ago.
Hi, I am the Senator’s Chief Legal Counsel: The past 3 years with this very senior Dem office who has a place on the Senate’s Crime and Drugs subcommittee, I had met with a legislative aide. Today I graduated to a direct 30 minute conversation with his chief counsel & two of his aides. I had never met with three staffers at once before. Small steps.
Webb bill update: Yesterday I attended the ‘mark up’ for the bill. This is when the Senators vote to move a bill out of the original sub-committee. For the fourth time they ran out of time before it came up. Stay tuned. On a positive note in my meeting above, the chief counsel said his side was very united against the Grassley Amendment (which would prohibit a discussion on drug prohibition). He stated with great certainty that Grassley would fail. Cross your fingers/hold your thumbs.
*AKA = also known as
Posted December 5th, 2009 by hiwayhowie
Howard on the Hill
Stories from the week of November 27, 2009
Access to Power without Money 101: Which is better? When a lobbyist pays 1000 + dollars to go to a fundraiser which gives him about 2 minutes with a Senator? Or when a trusted staffer takes your message to the boss for free (well, nearly free)? This from a staffer I spoke to last week. “Mr. Wooldridge, thank you for offering your additional assistance. Please be assured I will relay your ideas and information to Senator XXXXX. Feel free to contact me at any time.
Thank you,
Daniel XXXXXX”
The cool thing about meeting these very sharp young staffers is they process the information as it tumbles* out of my mouth. They grasp the concepts, even though very few have heard the COP line of thinking (public safety is the task of law enforcement, not personal safety is one example). They are ‘flipped’* on the spot.
People are hungry for information: This incident happened several weeks ago. I was going to all 100 offices of the Senate to verify the legislative aide who handles judiciary. Since they keep the buildings at 72 degrees (22C), I begin to sweat when I walk. That fact plus I love to wear my t-shirt — I wore it all day in the Senate going office to office.
After finishing one office I stopped to collect my notes and see where I had to go next. After 30 seconds a young staffer approached me and asked if I were handing out information to answer the question (COPS SAY LEGALIZE DRUGS – Ask Me Why).. I replied no but I had a 30 second version. Sure, he responded. We ended up chatting for two minutes, leaving with the COP business card and a request he read our Vision Statement.
Personal Note: these newsletters serve several purposes. First they help me understand what I did this week. They help me see the issue evolve in the corridors of power and then adjust my tactics to reflect a new reality. Secondly they provide you a glimpse into the most important ‘sandbox’ in the world and thus help you understand what is needed to change policy. Third, this is my personal diary. As you know, I write the Good, Bad and Ugly of what goes on. If I seem to be bragging about my ability, my accomplishments, I am not. I need to know & appreciate those events where I made a personal difference. My work is all in the trenches. This is like riding a horse 23 miles per day (39/km), moving across North America. Reaching the opposite ocean seems impossible at this speed. So, to keep my spirits up, I write what put a big smile on my face that week.
And this Modern Prohibition will one day be in the history books, just as one day Misty and I splashed down in the Pacific Ocean in Oregon. Count on it.
Consider being a member of COP at $30.00 per year. Add your voice to those who agree that Modern Prohibition/War on Drugs is the most destructive, dysfunctional and immoral policy since slavery & Jim Crow.
Howard
*tumbles out of the mouth = wenn man spricht
*flipped = überzeugt, zu etwas bekehren
Posted December 4th, 2009 by hiwayhowie
Howard on the Hill
Stories from the week of November 20, 2009
I have seen this film before: This week began my fourth trip to the Senate. It should take me about two months to meet with 100 offices. Returning from the DPA conference in New Mexico, I had already set up 21 meetings from Tuesday till Friday. The seven on Tuesday wore me out. I am just about getting too old to handle that many in one day.
Existential Crisis: At the end of a 25 minute meeting with two staffers from a top Dem office on the judiciary committee, she pro-offered that drug reform will come from the States, not originate at the federal level. The next day I asked four staffers with whom I have 2-3 year relationships, if they agreed. They all agreed. BOOM. My brain went into overdrive thinking of the concept that what I am doing was not worthy of my time.
“Hello Eric. Do you have sometime this afternoon? You do. Great. I will see you at 3PM.” I poured my heart out to Eric. I reminded him of his words to me shortly after my arrival in DC, “Howard, you have no idea how much good work you are doing.” Fill in the blanks for me Eric.
30 minutes later Eric Sterling had put the Howard train back on the tracks. Thank goodness for mentors. Major concept – since the staffers I present to meet hundreds of VIPs from the Congressional Districts & States, their exposure to the COP message does influence their conversations. I could not be more effective, if I went to every Rotary & Kiwnais Club in every state.
When the bell rings:* My last appointment the next day was with a woman I had met in 2007 & 2008. She said she enjoyed our little chats. Just before departing, she said, ‘when changes begin to happen at the federal level, you will be my “go to guy.”
Like a fireman, I need to be ready, to know my craft, to know the Member Offices, have long-term relationships – so when the time comes, we in reform can move the federal level quickly.
*when the bell rings = wenn ein Ereignis fängt an.
Consider being a member of COP at $30.00 per year. Add your voice to those who agree that Modern Prohibition/War on Drugs is the most destructive, dysfunctional and immoral policy since slavery & Jim Crow.
Howard
Posted November 29th, 2009 by hiwayhowie
Howard on the Hill
Stories from the week of November 13, 2009
The Empire Strikes Back: On Tuesday I attended a strategy meeting on the Webb Commission Bill (S-714). The rebels led by Princess Jennifer Stitt of FAMM (www.famm.org) informed us that the storm troopers of the Empire had forced the good King Webb to accept substantial changes to his bill or face ruin.
Typical of the storm troopers demands, this in the section on ‘changes in oversight, policies and laws designed to:’ (2) – reduce the overall incarceration rate through effective enforcement and prevention strategies.- In other words the more effective storm troopers are, the fewer citizens would go to jail. The Rebels will urge Webb to insert the word ‘punishment’ after the phrase ‘effective enforcement.’ And that boys and girls, is how sausage* is made.
Band of Brothers: On Wednesday Karen and I flew out early to the Drug Policy Alliance (www.drugpolicy.org) bi-ennial*, international conference in Albuquerque, NM. This was my fifth conference and Karen’s second. About 1000 committed reformers received excellent information in the many sessions, renewed old friendships and created a few new ones.
Why we fight: Enjoying an offsite Mexican lunch with our friends Bob & Rita Wiley of Colorado the raison d’être of our efforts & the pain of current policy revealed itself.
We were wearing our MOMS say, DADS say, COPS say legalize pot t-shirts. A mature woman approached and asked how we could legalize pot. Her story – she had a crippling, painful back condition for which she had discovered that marijuana was the perfect medicine. I responded she was in luck because New Mexico was a state that had legal medical MJ. She shook her head. ‘My husband has a top secret clearance. He is already outside because he does not want to be seen with you and the shirts. He feels his clearance would be revoked, if his wife took MJ, even legally.’
Our hearts screamed at the injustice and pain this woman suffered everyday. I told her I was working hard at the federal level to allow God’s medicine to be as normal as aspirin for all US citizens. She thanked us for our efforts and disappeared from our lives.
*sausage > hier = Gesetze *
biennial = jeder zwei Jahre
Consider being a member of COP at $30.00 per year. Add your voice to those who agree that Modern Prohibition/War on Drugs is the most destructive, dysfunctional and immoral policy since slavery & Jim Crow.
Thank you, Howard
Make checks payable to:
Citizens Opposing Prohibition Inc
PO Box 772 Buckeystown, MD 21717-0772
817-975-1110 Modern Prohibition/The War on Drugs is the most destructive, dysfunctional & immoral domestic policy since slavery & Jim Crow.
