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Back in February we noticed that President Barack Obama's official limousine -- commonly known as "the tank" -- was still missing the District's "Taxation Without Representation" license plates. Well, it's two months later and we now have photographic evidence that there hasn't been any forward momentum on that front. Flickr photographer Bullneck managed to capture an image of the presidential limo yesterday bearing the totally lame non-protest D.C. tags.
Sure, in the grand scheme of things this doesn't register high on the list of presidential priorities, but for a man who has very strongly advocated for D.C. voting rights we'd love to see a little symbolic support for the cause. (Especially, it should be added, when what little voting rights momentum we have had this year has all but stalled.)
President Bill Clinton's limo used the 'Taxation' tags, which were promptly removed by President George W. Bush. The tags were introduced by then Mayor Anthony Williams in 2000; since then over 1 million have been distributed to District motorists.
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I've always wondered how I could have this removed from my plates ... I also wondered how I could obtain one of those cherry blossom plates I've been seeing around town lately. Anyone know?
You should be able to find info on ordering specialty plates on the DMV website.
I went to their site and I couldn't find how I could get a cherry blossom, but I did learn that members of a Black SCUBA diver association have their very own plates. Does anyone have a picture of one these? I want to see what they look like.
You've "always wondered"?
Are you internet impaired?
90 seconds or less on the dc.gov website gets you to this:
http://dmv.dc.gov/serv/plates/tax.shtm
And a quick google search yields this, which explains the cherry blossom plates:
http://dcplates.com/
And if all else fails, you can just go here.
You managed to not answer the questions and be dick about it. Let me guess: you work in IT.
Bullshit. Both questions were answered.
My ass they were.
The dc.gov site says nothing about swapping a TWR plate for a non-TWR plate, which is what the question was. It talks about switching a non-TWR plate for a TWR plate, and declining a TWR plate when registering, but it doesn't address the question.
The dcplates page that was linked to says nothing about the cherry blossom plates. I'll concede that if you spend some time digging through the site, there's useful information there, but it's not at all obvious from the page to which tcl022077 linked.
Seriously, are we still talking about this? Didn't they come up w/some lame excuse a la "we're not going to waste taxpayer money to get specialty plates, we'll just use what was on W's limo"? How about this is the last post on this non-story until something changes? Remember, yes he is the president, but he is not a resident. He has no skin in the game.
Isn't this a different car, and different plates, than W used?
If so, the default tags issued by the DMV are the Taxation w/o Representation plates. And there's a $10 fee to switch to the alternate plates. So if there's taxpayer money being wasted, it's the (granted, negligible) ten bucks to get the non-standard plates.
It's a different car. But that doesn't guarantee that it's different plates (I don't know if you can transfer plates to another vehicle in DC or if they make you get new ones).
I'm flabbergasted that people still give a rat's ass about this. In any case, I'm surprised that this vehicle even has tags at all. Is it registered with the DMV? Does it get inspected every 2 years, like all of our cars? Does it have a Zone 1 parking permit? I may be missing something here, but having plates on the presidential limo is the most pointless thing at the end of the day. BTW, don't mistake my tone for apathy or the like; I'm all for DC statehood and voting rights, but I just don't see what role this limo plays in getting us there.
BREAKING! DC residents still don't have a vote in Congress! Rush Limbaugh is still an a$$hole! And it looks like a turn for the worse in Generalissimo Francisco Franco's desperate 38-year battle to remain dead.
I don't see how any of these merit coverage until their respective situations actually change.
Is it registered with the DMV?
Of course it is!
Does it get inspected every 2 years, like all of our cars?
Every day. By a special team of SS inspectors.
Does it have a Zone 1 parking permit?
It has a Zone X parking permit. Besides, you'd need a semi tow truck to remove it.
What I want to know is if they have to pay the increased taxes for being over the weight limit like a hummer. You know it must be...
"Does it get inspected every 2 years, like all of our cars?"
The driver just leaves a $20 bill in the glove compartment; breezes through inspection.
NICE!!!!
SLOW. NEWS. DAY.
I won't lie -- it is a slow news day. With Congress and the D.C. Council taking a break, there's a lot of holes in news these days.
I need some intrepid reporting, Martin. Grab that camera and hit the streets. Even if all you can find are squirrels humping, that will at least keep your commenters amused while we await real news.
I heard the mayor changed his underwear, but it's only a rumor.
Even if all you can find are squirrels humping, that will at least keep your commenters amused while we await real news.
Pfft. thats considered news in my book. Its one of those elusive events that you always want to catch but always just miss like when Buffy and Hildegarde get out of drag and are shown to the audience to actually be Bosom Buddies! Oh that Peter Scolari gets me everytime.
The limo is "missing" the plates? Come on. I can't really blame the President for declining to emblazon his limo with a political slogan.
What do the Metro Bus plates say:
Babies on Board
Idiot Parade
2 poor 2 Drive
DUI Graduates
You forgot:
IH8MCGRFF
We're going to be paying taxes no matter what. The taxes are out of our hands. Ask Harritte Walters. They're going to build more Monuments and Statues. The POTHOLE MONSTER
will go on consuming asphalt and tar. We will discover another scam in DC that has drained MILLIONS from the budget. We should apply the Death Penalty when it comes to people ripping off the system when it grosses them over a million. We should make these people sweep the streets.
Man, this is the reason I hate voting democrat. You guys will piss and moan about the most insignificant things.
I was under the impression this post couldn't become an even more ridiculous waste of time but life is full of many surprises.
Yeah, we all know wax statues are what's important.
You know what I like to piss and moan about? Lazy commenters that don't have a freaking avatar. Get hopping.
It's NOT called "the tank." It's called "the beast."
Martin Austermuhle, one-trick pony. And it's a pretty boring trick, beating a dead horse.
Just hang a teabag off of the plate. Not only will the significance be understood by NTWR crowd (or historically literate), it would absolutely confuse the hell out the rightwing tea-baggers (historically illiterate/manchildren).
I've just patented teabag truck nuts. Thanks RJ!
I tried to get the vanity license plate number "T BAG" but those free-speech stifling BASTARDS wouldn't let me! Something about it being "politically controversial." What's so controversial about stuffing your scrotum in someone's mouth? It's a perfectly legitimate comment about how the Patriot Act Gag Ruling is choking our First Amendment rights. Then, they had the nerve to say I had to remove my "One Nation Under a Teabag" bumpersticker. This whole fiasco left a bad taste in my mouth, along with some small curly hairs.
I'm gonna cum
Monkey says, "Relax. Don't do it."
I have several well developed opinions about this. And it really is an issue that affects us all.
I guess Martin and I just appreciate current events on a deeper level than the rest of you.
This is a dumb issue. Yes, "we" (e.g. Mark Plotkin) are making too big a deal of it. But on the other hand, why the heck don't they just get the stupid plates?
If Obama had gotten new plates already instead of dealing with more important things like the economy and Afghanistan and Somalian pirates, THAT would be something to complain about.
The President is going to have to deal with more than one thing at a time.
I tried saying something really important pertaining to this topic but I kept getting the DCist cyber runaround.
You know, George W. Bush could have forever ended this controversy by simply putting US Govt plates on the limo. It is a US Govt vehicle after all. But no. In fact, of the many things Bush did to us all during his 8 years, leaving us this controversy to talk/blog/comment about may be one of his worst.
So please, Barack Obama, make real change come now! Put US Govt plates on all White House vehicles. Stop the madness.
Oh, and while you at it, bring back the old style Diplomatic plates. Now when some moron in a suped-up Nissan cuts me off by American University I can't instantly tell which country employs his father.