I know what would make me happy.

If they could find a location for Ziegfeld's/Secrets since the crappiest baseball team in America took over Half & O.

I'm assuming there's no way the Obama kids will go to DCPS. The only DCPS school remotely "good enough" for them would be Oyster. Even still. I can't imagine them passing up sending their kids to a private school, like the Clintons did with Chelsea. After all, prominent Dem politicians are always super supportive of public schools and the teachers union, just not supportive enough to send their kids to public schools in DC.

AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, AFFORDABLE HOUSING!!!

And maybe DC voting rights...

Remember also how Bill Clinton put the "Taxation Without Representation" DC license plates on his limos? It was a stunning moment of support for DC. Too bad he did it on his last day in office. Doooosh!

Here's my hypocrisy alert question: If the Obamas talk about the need for middle and upper class folks to keep their kids in public schools and that's why vouchers are a bad thing (b/c it takes away the best and brightest from the public schools), then why isn't it hypocrisy for them to then put their own kids in private, $30,000/year schools? Sure it's in the best interest of their kids and I wouldn't blame them one bit. But at the same time, they shouldn't then be preaching to others about the need to support public schools when they're not willing to do the same thing with their own children.

It's great to say you're a big supporter of public schools teachers and their deep-pocketed union. It's another thing to actually entrust them to teach your children.

I have this pothole outside my house. It's been there for weeks. If Obama cannot get it filled by February 1, I will consider his presidency a failure.

But seriously, I've heard that Key and Janney (and maybe Murch) are better than Oyster, (particularly if you're not that interested in a bilingual education). It's just that Oyster gets all the attention.

I'd love to see that "crappy one bedroom apartment". That sounded snobbish.

>Let me clue you in: bring affordable housing to nice areas and they won't stay nice for long.

You're right, I forgot that nice housing is only for the rich. Workforce housing on the fringe.

Since things are still eerily following the story arch of the last season of West Wing, the kids probably will end at at DCPS.

In terms of issues I'd like see addressed:

1. More S1 service in the morning. It does run down 16th Street, after all.

2. I second NCinDC's comment on Ziegfelds.

3. Sign an executive order banning LNS.

Oh, and puppies for all.

It'll be interesting to see how Obama and congressional Dems handle DC school reform when things come to head. I expect a "crisis" will in the next few months as Rhee and Fenty really put the screws to the teacher's union. The Dems may have to choose between kowtowing to the teacher's unions and support for the Mayor and home rule. After all these years of Republicans dissing home rule, wouldn't it be a delicious (and sad) irony if the Dems throw Rhee, Fenty and Home Rule under the bus in order to placate the teacher union bosses.

welles, did you get up on the wrong side of the bed or something?

What's the deal with calling kids brats?

And please explain your comment about affordable housing in nice areas.

"I'd love to see that 'crappy one bedroom apartment'."

He used to live in the apartments at Fourth and Mass (moved in when they were brand new). Last time I checked, they were quite nice. Maybe Mrs. Obama should check out my old efficiency at the Miramar if she'd like to see "crappy".

In the end Obama's daughters will go to school wherever the Secret Service is in the best position to protect them regardless of whether it is public or private. Unfortunately, even though personally I believe that Obama is one of the best things to happen to this country in a long time, I think the Secret Service will be gearing up for a very large endeavor for this president.

I'm totally on board with the concept of the Obamas putting their kids in DCPS in a show of support of public schools, but isn't security and protecting them from the press a consideration too?

Also, I read recently that the fancy-schmancy private schools are fairly ethnically diverse. I think GDS is 39% students of color, but who knows if there is any diversity of economic status.

Since I haven't produced any spawns, can I tell someone where they should send their kids to school? Should I even be paying taxes to send their kids to school?

"I'd love to see that "crappy one bedroom apartment"."

It's at 6th and C Street NE - just across from Stanton Park. It is pretty crappy-looking on the outside- looks like the owner doesn't take amazing care of the property. We live around the corner, and the secret service people were always lurking around the building...

I think one down side to the Public School issue is that when you enter public school you are opening up to whatever crazy legal challenges that could target the school or the Obama's. For instance, what if some kid wore an “Obama is a Commie shirt”? Would it be allowed? Are they protected? Or are they not allowed because they are targeting a particular student? This would be a major distraction to the school and to the Obama’s.

However, at private a school you will have that under control and show bias without risk of legal interference.

The issue is really can a Public School offer the bias attention to the Obama’s kids (which they deserve because of who they are) without legal interference.

Paying taxes even if you don't send your child to a public school is not only to be expected but it's the right thing to do. Parents who send their children to private school do so knowing this is the case and frankly have no right to complain about it.

Public education (in an ideal world) pays it forward, so we can ensure that all children have access to education and opportunities. Obviously, this works better in some areas than others. But if you stopped charging people who didn't send their children to school, it would be a sh-t show. Can you imagine how expensive - prohibitively so - taxes would be for families then? You'd see a lot more children out of school as soon as it's legally possible, age-wise.

Arguments on the other side of this issue are like saying, 'well I don't drive on this particular road, so I'm not paying taxes toward its maintenance.' Sorry. The bridge improves your community and so does public education.

Again, in an ideal world. Let's not pretend there aren't major, major problems with DCPS.

WizzyLiz, I love your a' la cart taxes plan, if only! Oh what a wonderful country this would be.

Lordy, I can think of a few things I'd like to opt out of, like the ethanol subsidy, brought to you by what a friend so eloquently calls the "Corn-Crap Caucus." In the whole panoply of government activities, public education is one of the least objectionable--in theory, if not always in execution.

He used to live in the apartments at Fourth and Mass (moved in when they were brand new).

Sixth and Mass, actually. Northeast. Just next to Stanton Park.

"Nobody is going to kidnap and/or assault the President's kids, so there's really no cost at all except for the additional pain in the ass for the Secret Service to cover a slightly less tactically sound school property."

How do you know that?

I noticed the other day that Barack Hussein Obama ain't a white man. And his kids are, well, black.

Being the kids of the first black President makes all the difference.

I've been on DCPS campuses. Every loser and nutcase in the world can pretty much wander them at will.

Sure, Secret Service would cut down on a lot of that, but they'd still be interacting with DCPS and the associated variety of losers on a daily basis. Sooner or later there'd be major security breaches.

A lot of people 'in the business' are saying semi-credible death threats against Obama have been pouring in in the past few weeks. Do you really think his kids would magically be off-limits to some of these nutcases?

"I'd love to see that "crappy one bedroom apartment". That sounded snobbish."

The quick photo they flashed looked like a Barrett Linde house. If so, the apartment probably wasn't exactly luxurious. They are small, bare-bones, and sortof 'builder-grade'.

Almost all of these (built as infill during the 60s and 70s) have a small 1 BR apartment on the first floor. Most have the bedroom in the front, which, if true, must have driven the Secret Service nuts.

I know a lady that says she's seen the apartment in question. Says it's pretty crappy, unrenovated.

I think NCinDC said it best; "if your pa can afford private schoolin, then f#ck everyone else!" We have been to the third world, we have seen the uneducated, unwashed masses, and we love it! I sure am glad I am not the only right-wing Montana compound living tax hatin' real American that reads this crap. Can I get a shout out for McCain/Palin 08! Whoop, whoop. I want my refund!

I think Stmove said it best; "since i'm a sarcastic piece of dog sh!t, then f#ck everyone who thinks pa (the preacher of a small church who barely made enough to make ends meet; R.I.P.) gave up alot of things so his kids wouldn't have to attend the circus known as public schools!" I sure am glad I am not the only left-wing Venezuela lovin abortion performin Marxist that reads this crap. Can I get a shout out for Messiah/Botox 08! Whoop, whoop. I want a foot up my ass!

p.s. The likelihood of me voting Republican is zero percent. Just because someone doesn't like high taxes, teacher's unions, and Noam Chowsky doesn't mean they're in the GOP. It means they're not a brainwashed DC Democrat that acts like a snobby b*tch. It probably means they're a Libertarian.

I have a couple of kids. One is old enough to attend a DCPS. It is a lovely gem of a school outside of our neighborhood. It is not Oyster and has much better testing results than Oyster. There is a principal who seems to be well supported by Rhee if she exerts herself which she does over again to help the kids in the school. The school encourages a culture of learning. The parents are well invested in the school regardless of their background and the fact that many do not live in the neighborhood. I thank you for paying your taxes to help support my child's education because $30k is too rich for my blood and with number 2 entering school in a few years $60K plus/year is mind blowing. I also would like to thank you on behalf of those who cannot afford to sit at a computer and post on blogs whose kids are getting educated.

When you have kids things are different and your world view does change. I will not hold the Obama family to a higher standard than I would hold my family to. Let the Obamas send their kids where they are most comfortable with and can afford. they will have enough stress in their family over the next 4-8 years. This is a personal decision not a political one. I wish that people would stop demanding that they send their kids to a DCPS when it is clear that this is not their preference. Amy Carter going to Stevens and Hardy did very little for either school or the DCPS.

For those whining about paying taxes towards education but not utilizing the services get a grip on reality. Perhaps those taxes will get through to enough at least one or two kids so that they will have a future that does not involve incarceration. It is a lot cheaper to send kids to school than to house them in prisons as teens or adults. I say this as someone who did 12 years hard time in all Catholic schools. I only stepped inside of a public school to vote with my mom when a child. My parents paid their taxes as they were due without protest because even their socially conservative brains understood that they were making a choice and could afford to make that choice.

There is affordable housing in DC. It's in SE, NE and places most of us don't want to live.

@ qbert,

Maybe tomorrow I'll try to work in something about adverse selection, or better yet...laffer curves!

Everybody loves laffer curves.

mass court is too new. Shit aint even on google maps

that's not directed at you flipperman ... I'm just a little annoyed with the idea that one person is going to make everything alright.

no kidding

Wish they had talked more about the issues.

If they want to fix DC maybe they can figure out how to call in the National Guard to bring some peace to the Petworth and Brightwood communities where shootings are becoming an almost-daily occurrence. Jaynuze is right; I am from DC and not one single president has ever given a rat's ass about what happens here in the District. They just take our money, make our city their home, and talk about how great things are back whence they came. They all end up being just squatters. And to that notion, I beg Obama to REALLY take a keen interest in what's happening here in the nation's capitol. We are the CAPITOL CITY OF THE FREE WORLD and yet residents aren't representated in Congress and are subjected to some incredibly high crime (outside of the National Mall). Really come into these neighborhoods and see the drug dealers on the corner, the spent baggies laying around, and the shell casings and bullet holes and MAYBE you're understand what a tragedy DC is.