Posted August 27th, 2011 by hiwayhowie
COP on the Hill
Your Voice in the United States Congress
Day at the office– bovines, steers, milk cows??: Entering an office on Monday, 3 staffers were having a lively chat about cattle. ”Can you tell us the difference between a milk cow and a steer?” one asked. “Yeahhh” I replied. I explained the difference between a milk cow, steer, bull and the word bovine. They thanked me for the help and then I had my chat with their colleague on the issue of drug policy.
Must have been the hat that tipped them off* that I knew something about cattle. As I have written before, I must be ready to know something about nearly everything.
Busy week: I made 26 presentations this week, as I take advantage of the August recess. Sundays are spent catching up on the data entry into the spread sheets, the contact list and thank you letters. Karen is a saint to not fuss* at me.
Fruits of Longevity: The Legislative Director of a Washington office politely refused a meeting this year. “I remember quite well your arguments and concerns from our meetings the last two years. Besides, you have also met with two others now on my staff.”
Checking my records the LD and I had had a 45 chat and a 20 minute follow-up chat. I could not ask for more exposure to our issue. Three in one office may be a first.
Transitions: Jennifer Stiddard was the first ever staffer I spoke to in the US Congress in the fall of 2005. She was with Eddie Bernice Johnson’s office (D-Dallas, Texas). We had a nice chat every year for five years. She recently moved on to another job. I will miss her.
*tipped them off = bekannt machen
*fuss = Umstände machen
COPs 2nd year stats to date:
257 presentations to Congressional staffers: 26 this week
TV appearances: 14 … this week (ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, etc)
Newspaper stories: 7 dailies, 3 weeklies
Radio appearances: 13 – this week
Published LTE: 20 (this week) –see below
Other media (bloggers, cable TV, minor publications, etc): 12 (this week)
12 (Member of Congress) contacts: this week
6 other VIP (state Senators & Reps):
Consider being a member of COP at $30.00 or more per year. All contributions are tax-deductible. Your support keeps the COP 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:
COP
POB 772
Buckeystown, MD 21717
Posted August 20th, 2011 by hiwayhowie
COP on the Hill
Your Voice in the United States Congress
Busy week: Vacation was definitely over this week, as I made 25 presentations in four days (10 per week is about average). Recess also allowed the staffers more time for each chat, thus improving our relationship. 25-30 minutes per meeting was the rule, even for follow-up visits.
Bull Rider?: Meeting a house staffer –Jim -who used to work for at a Senate office, he told me a story. A few weeks ago a colleague had asked, if he had heard about a retired cop with a huge belt buckle inscribed with BULL RIDER. He was a retired cop who wanted to legalize drugs. Jim replied that he had seen the guy in the Dirksen (Senate) café and believed he had an appointment with him this week.
I spent the first minute talking about my ‘Paul Revere Ride’ & how Misty carried my little butt across America, thus earning the buckle of LONG RIDER. Then we got down to business and had a good chat. LOL
Love/Hate to see staffers leave: HATE-Every year about 25% of staffers leave the Member’s office. Short term – this is lousy because our relationship is over and I have to ‘break-in’ a new person. This makes it less certain the aide will ‘carry water’ i.e. the bill or the COP message to the Member with a positive recommendation.
LOVE: -As Peter Christ of LEAP pointed out many years ago, once a person has heard an anti-prohibition presentation by a police officer or other law enforcement professional, they will always filter any discussion about drug policy thru the COP/LEAP filter. Staffers often move back home, where they continue in politics, becoming young members of state legislatures or upper level staff of state politicians. The time & information I give them are not lost by any means. This prohibition will take many more years to be stamped out at the federal and state levels.
New record: I spoke to 5 legislative directors (second most important position in a member office) this week, all of whom gave me 30 minutes. Most I had met before, so such a long chat was much appreciated. They all had great questions about 2306 – the repeal MJ bill. One gentleman from Tennessee completed several of my statements =great feeling.
The very last presentation on Friday was a 37 minute chat with John Boehner’s judicial aide. I floated down the hallway. It was double Crown Royal and Swiss chocolate night! (now you know that the real reason I went to Europe this year = I was out of Swiss chocolate!!)
COPs 2nd year stats to date:
231 presentations to Congressional staffers: 25 this week
TV appearances: 14 … this week (ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, etc)
Newspaper stories: 7 dailies, 3 weeklies
Radio appearances: 13 – this week
Published LTE: 20 (this week) –see below
Other media (bloggers, cable TV, minor publications, etc): 12 (this week)
12 (Member of Congress) contacts: this week
6 other VIP (state Senators & Reps):
Consider being a member of COP at $30.00 or more per year. All contributions are tax-deductible. Your support keeps the COP 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:
COP
POB 772
Buckeystown, MD 21717
Posted August 15th, 2011 by hiwayhowie
COP on the Hill
Your Voice in the United States Congress
With the big boys: On Monday I did my first in camera interview in the rotunda of the Cannon building. This is where nearly all House Members interviews you see on TV are done. It was a reporter for Danish television. It was a hoot. It felt good.
Not a tenther:* Leaving the interview, I matched up with a Member walking down the hall. He asked how it was going. I told him about the TV interview which was about the violence and death our teens encounter because they sell drugs and are shot. I continued that the Ron Paul-Barney Frank bill would employ the 10th amendment to allow the states to choose their own path. “What do you think?” “Not a good idea, “he replied. „Not a big fan of the 10th amendment? “ I asked. „I am but not with drugs,” he responded and we parted company. Too many Members like him = no principles.
Need your help on 2306: Please send an email to your Congressman, asking for their support for the Frank-Paul Repeal Federal Prohibition Act of 2011 (HR 2306). They will answer. Then send their reply to me. We have an 8 person working group which is dedicated to passing 2306. We need to learn where each of the 435 Members stand on this and why they oppose. For you over-achievers, ask your friends outside your District to do the same. This is how regular citizens can help pass legislation. Thanks in advance.
*Tenther = eine Person, die über unser 10te Zusatz ein Fan ist; 10te = die Staate sollen mehr Vorrechte haben, ihre eigene Politik einzuführen
One published letters to the editor below.
COPs 2nd year stats to date:
206 presentations to Congressional staffers: 9 this week
TV appearances: 14 … this week (ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, etc)
Newspaper stories: 7 dailies, 3 weeklies
Radio appearances: 13 – this week
Published LTE: 20 (1 this week) –see below
Other media (bloggers, cable TV, minor publications, etc): 12 (this week)
12 (Member of Congress) contacts: this week
6 other VIP ( state Senators & Reps):
Published in the Baltimore Sun: Aug 3
TIME TO END FAILED WAR ON DRUGS
Speaking as a retired police detective and member of LEAP (Law Enforcement Against Prohibition), I heartily concur with the NAACP that it is past time to terminate our failed war on drugs also known as the war on people — mostly of color (“The NAACP is calling for an end to the drug war; what about you?” July 31). My profession, which is shrinking all over America, must return to its true mission of public safety.
If you have a drug problem, see an addiction clinic.
Howard Wooldridge,
Consider being a member of COP at $30.00 or more per year. All contributions are tax-deductible. Your support keeps the COP 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:
COP
POB 772
Buckeystown, MD 21717
Posted August 4th, 2011 by hiwayhowie
COP on the Hill
Your Voice in the United States Congress
Timing Matters: Busy week with 18 presentations. In two offices the Member returned from their duties as I was there. With a Florida Member I had a serious, 90 second chat. He indicated he would support the repeal bill. With the other from Indiana he asked how is it going? I replied I was about to sell his aide Christy some snake oil. Perhaps intrigued, he asked what that was. I outlined the repeal bill and he said he would take a look.
Both Members received a hand-written note on my personal/COP stationary. One is designed for Democrats and one is for Republicans, naturally.
Vacation minus one day: I spent the week with Karen’s family in a lake area in western Maryland. Karen was mostly successful in getting me to relax and NOT work…except for Tuesday. I spent the day preparing for a nationwide, Spanish television talk show. My thanks to Paul Armentano of NORML & Daniel Robelo of DPA who helped me prepare. The broadcast went well (link below). During the debate I was unable to find the correct word for “someone” when asking for someone to call in and tell us any benefit, any advantage to marijuana prohibition. I ended up saying some person, any person.. Grrr.
http://youtu.be/rNkHFWgUCPA debate marihuana segunda parte
Two published letters to the editor below.
COPs 2nd year stats to date:
197 presentations to Congressional staffers: 18 this week
TV appearances: 13 … 1 this week (ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX, cable)
Newspaper stories: 7 dailies, 3 weeklies
Radio appearances: 13 – this week
Published LTE: 19 (2 this week) –both below
Other media (bloggers, cable TV, minor publications, etc): 12 (this week)
11 (Member of Congress) contacts: 2 this week
5 other VIP (MD state Senator & Rep):
*******************************************************************************
Porterville, CA Recorder
POT HARVEST
Editor,
Speaking as a retired street cop, the amount of time and money going after the marijuana crop is a horrific waste of taxpayer money. Pot has been readily available to kids for over 30 years, despite the pinpricks in supply reduction.
As the “Thin Blue Lines” get thinner, I hope my colleagues will focus their attention on pedophiles, drunk drivers and other public safety threats.
Got a problem with marijuana? See an addiction doctor.
Howard Wooldridge
******
Free-Lance Star, VA
YES, DONNIE, WE SHOULD END THE WAR ON DRUGS
Speaking as a retired detective, I heartily agree with the thoughts of Donnie Johnston [“Is it time for a truce in the war on drugs?” July 22].
My profession has spent just over a trillion tax dollars on the war on drugs. The results? Drugs are cheaper, stronger, and more readily available to our teens.
Prohibition is the prime driver of felony crime in the U.S. Millions of good citizens have been made victims because a crackhead needs $200 a day.
Seriously, if Charlie and his friends die from cocaine, who cares? My sympathy is with the homeowners whose homes are broken into.
About 98 percent of us do not need a law to keep us from using hard drugs. Will we ever be as wise as our grandparents and repeal prohibition? Or will we waste another trillion dollars just to see what happens?
Howard Wooldridge
Buckeystown, Md.
Posted July 22nd, 2011 by hiwayhowie
Your Voice in the United States Congress
Stories from the week of July 15, 2011
Careful on the send button: I sent the staffer the standard request for a first time meeting. His response to his boss was:
Heather,
This guy continues to bug me. Shall I meet with him or tell him to go …. away? Andre
**my response back to him – Andre..
LOL…afraid you sent the note to me instead of Heather. No offense taken. I am a professional and never take it personally.
I can only add that I won’t ask for money & my interest is reducing crime, death, disease, drug use and saving tax dollars (we have wasted about a trillion so far).
**his respose to me: OK Howard,
You got me! Thanks for being the professional that you obviously are. So, when do you want to meet?
Rest of the Story – we met the next week and had an excellent chat.
Cold pizza and why I love my job: For lunch I sit at a table across from where Members and staff have their own checkout line, so they always see the hat. I get nods or a wave from staffers I know on a regular basis, sometimes a brief chat.
On Wednesday I squeezed in with 8 recent high school graduates in DC for an enrichment program. One asked what C O P on my name plate meant. 20 minutes of great discussion later, they left for a seminar. It was such a joy to chat with young people who were concerned about issues and their country. The conversation will be remembered long after the cold pizza.
Seeing it come together: What has five years of effort meant? These past few weeks have seen responses from staffers, as they received the information on the repeal bill. Like baking a cake, all one can do is put in all the ingredients and hope it tastes good. Here is a sampling of responses I received, keeping in mind I know some staffers deleted without reading. NOTE: The debt limit issue is sucking all the oxygen out of this town. We don’t expect Members to look at other issues, until this is resoloved. The comedians have scored big points that the House spent time on light bulbs this week.
A.Thanks Howard – this is helpful
B.Thanks Howard,
I will get this to my boss! …(who is a FL Republican)
C.Thank you very much, Howard. I will take this to my boss for his consideration.
D. Thank you Sir, we shall be in touch!
COPs 2nd year stats to date:
179 presentations to Congressional staffers: 12 this week
TV appearances: 12 … this week (ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX, cable)
Newspaper stories: 7 dailes, 3 weeklies
Radio appearances: 13 – this week
Published LTE: 15 ( this week)
Other media (bloggers, cable TV, minor publications, etc): 12 ( this week)
9 (Member of Congress) contacts:
5 other VIP (MD state Senator & Rep):
Consider being a member of COP at $30.00 or more per year. All contributions are tax-deductible. Your support keeps the COP 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:
COP
POB 772
Buckeystown, MD 21717
