Roberts Gibbs Gets Glib

In a White House press briefing yesterday, Robert Gibbs basically dismissed the idea that the President would concern himself with a symbolic gesture of changing his limo's license plates to the "Taxation Without Representation" design. Read an excerpt from the June 29 transcript:

Q Can I ask you one more question, just quickly, on sort of a D.C. issue? And that is, why hasn't the President changed his license plates on the presidential limousine? Is he planning to change them to the "Taxation Without Representation" plates or --

MR. GIBBS: I think rather than change the logo around the license plate, the President is committed instead to changing the status of the District of Columbia.

Q But it's a symbol, though, that a lot of people look at as --

MR. GIBBS: Well, I guess I would ask you to ask people in Washington whether they'd like to have that status changed or that symbolism screwed on to the back of a limousine.

The answer, Mr. Gibbs, is both. We want both. That little bit of symbolism goes a long way towards educating Americans about the issue and sends a signal to DC residents that the President is serious about his commitment to equal representation for DC. Even better, use your power and voice to urge Congress to pass a clean DC Voting Rights Act. More than half a million DC residents are counting on you!

Seriously? Seriously. Don't these guys have their own constituents?

Surprise, surprise. Representatives Jim Jordan and Jason Chaffetz introduced a bill to "save" the institution of marriage in DC. Chaffetz said the Constitution made him do it. Attention members of Congress, why don't you really help DC residents and pass the DC Voting Rights Act already?

Congress is All Up in DC's Bidness Again

Because certain members of Congress have no respect for home rule...next on the agenda for Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) is the defeat of the DC's law recognizing same-sex marriages performed in other states. A perfect (and I use that adjective ironically) example of Congress trying to interfere with local issues here in DC!

Read all about how he's going to fix DC's problems. Funny? Doesn't he have constituents of his own who need assistance? Hmmm.

Guns and Roses and DC Voting Rights - An Interesting Proposal

With all this talk of guns, sometimes you need to stop and smell the roses. Or, at least that's one proposal from DC Councilmember Kwame Brown. He proposes a "Rose Amendment" to the DC Voting Rights Act. The premise? If DC is going to take a hit to its gun laws, then the state of Nevada should take a hit to its legalize prostitution. The proposed amendment fights back against Sen. Ensign's amendment that repealed all of DC's gun laws by making legalized prostitution - a BIG business in Nevada - all but illegal.

"Guns" for "roses". Get it? Read the letter:

Representative Steny H. Hoyer
House Democratic Majority Leader
H-107, The Capitol
Washington, DC 20515

Representative Eleanor Holmes Norton
2136 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Majority Leader Hoyer and Congresswoman Norton:

The residents of the District of Columbia are wholeheartedly dedicated to achieving full statehood with representation in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. The DC Voting Rights Act is an important step towards achieving that goal. As you know, there are still representatives who would withhold even a single vote in the House from over a half a million United States citizens. They have used a legislative maneuver in an attempt to override the will of District residents and their local government.

I propose we challenge the irony of Senator John Ensign’s (R-Nev) introduction of the gun amendment by introducing an amendment of our own. I recommend you co-introduce the “Roses Amendment.” The “Roses Amendment” would revise the Mann Act by prohibiting US citizens from crossing state borders to solicit sex in states where prostitution is legal. The amendment would further prohibit these states from using the Internet as a portal to advertise or solicit prostitution. Furthermore, the amendment would make it illegal to complete financial transactions where electronic data or information is shared with any entity located outside of the state for which prostitution is legalized. The federal government would be within its constitutional authority to regulate this type of interstate commerce.

As have other states, District residents have fought to rid our community of prostitution in an effort to revitalize our neighborhoods. If elected officials from states, namely Nevada, can introduce legislation that alters the local laws of the District, I believe the District should offer an amendment that imposes our moral values on such states where prostitution is legal.

As a local elected official, in addition to having full federal representation, I believe that citizens have the right to determine the best means by which to secure the safety of themselves and their families. If we must compromise our local governing authority in order to satisfy the moral arguments of a few representatives, I believe it is reasonable to ask them to consider our moral values in return. Therefore, I believe we should fight guns with roses and continue moving the DC Voting Rights Act forward. Please consider discussing this strategy further with your colleagues, District officials and representatives of local voting rights organizations.

Sincerely,

Kwame R. Brown

CC:
Mayor Adrian M. Fenty
Chairman Vincent C. Gray
At-Large Councilmember Michael A. Brown
Members of the Council Committee on Statehood
Ilir Zherka, Executive Director, DC Vote

Waiting for the vote? Write to Congress!

Okay, so, watching the Senate floor "action" can sometimes be about as fascinating as watching paint dry - even when the issue is as important as the DC Voting Rights Act. May I make a recommendation? Use this time to write your members of Congress and urge them to vote for the this bill.

Click here to write Congress NOW!

Want the latest information but can't watch C-Span? Check out DCist's live blogging for all the action.

Sign DC Vote's Postcard to the President

Help us send a message to President Obama to act swiftly on DC Voting Rights! Click here to sign our virtual postcard, TODAY. Victory in 2009 looks promising, but we need your help to make it happen.

To date, thousands have already joined DC Vote in calling upon President Obama to sign the DC Voting Rights Act into law as soon as it reaches his desk. Sign your postcard today!