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Coup in Honduras? Check. Michael Jackson? Check. Health care reform? Check. The D.C. license plate? Wait; this again?
That must have been what White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs was thinking during yesterday's briefing with the press. As he dealt with the issues of the day, Gibbs was once again forced to field questions, this time from ABC News reporter Yunji de Nies, about why President Obama has so far opted not to place "Taxation Without Representation" tags on the presidential limousine. Gibbs got a little testy when asked about the issue:
"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," said Gibbs. "I guess I would ask you to ask people in Washington whether they'd like to have that status changed, or that symbolism screwed onto the back of a limousine?"A little later in the briefing, the question came up again, with a reporter inquiring as to what "changing the status of the District" meant. "Giving it voting rights, giving it statehood," responded Gibbs. "I think the legislation is making its way through Congress, with the support of the President."
Hmmmm. Two points here, Gibbsy. Did you just commit President Obama to supporting D.C. statehood? That's a gutsy move, especially since Obama was more or less silent on the bill that would have merely granted the District a voting seat in the House. But we'll take it. Second, unless a super-secret piece of legislation granting us statehood is stealthily working its way through Congress, you must be referring to the measure that only two weeks ago was shelved for the foreseeable future because the Democratic leadership couldn't find a way to remove an amendment that would have done away with the city's gun laws. So it's not exactly still making its way through Congress, regardless of presidential support.
As we've mentioned before, the D.C. license plate doesn't rank real high on our collective lists when it comes to District voting rights hopes. But for an administration that is as big on symbolism as this one -- a speech on national security and civil liberties at the National Archives? An organic vegetable garden at the White House? Being the first sitting president to host a Seder? -- we're still perplexed at this insistent refusal to do what would take five minutes and probably not attract much attention, much less opposition. We do take Gibbs' point, of course. We'd be much happier with action over symbolism. The problem is that we haven't seen either come from the White House yet.
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Gibbs is an idiot
He's not really an idiot. He's a flack.
Great turn of phrase.
Especially considering we're used to being treated as symbols and screwed in much worse places.
You mean like this: Ah...aaaah....aaaah....AAAAH! OH! OH! OOOOOooooooohhhh....YES!!!!!
Show me your Oh face.
I fail to see what barebacking and reacharounds in limousines have to do with DC voting rights.
If anything, it's more like a sweet tempting glory hole with a garbage disposal on the other side.
I kind of like symbolism screwed in the back of a limousine. Gibbs would have been really gutsy to say that.
That license plate has expired. Ticket please.
I honestly don't understand what the big deal is about the plates. Just put them on.
As for the other stuff, I think Gibbs' answer shows the actual lack of interest on the part of Obama on the topic. Probably because 1) for him, it is probably the equivalent of fixing potholes, 2) it is such a partisan issue (yes, we know it shouldn't be, but the reality is that it is), and 3)any proactive move on his part would force him to take a stand on guns, which is a verboten topic around the White House these days.
Martin, I've found your recent posts rather balanced and insightful. What's going on dude?
"Giving it voting rights, giving it statehood," responded Gibbs. "I think the legislation is making its way through Congress, with the support of the President."
I think what Mr. Gibbs meant to say is...
"Voting rights, statehood, free hand jobs, whatever, who gives a sh*t! The President supports the legislation, I think, or something. But not enough to shield it from every backbench GOP Senator that bats the thing around like a tetherball. Really, we don't care. What, is the District going to vote Palin in 2012? Next question"
That was the most spot-on analysis of the issue I've seen. +1
maybe if holmes hadn't scoffed at the handgun amendment to the voting rights bill, dc residents would have that right by now and the plate would be moot. but noooooo....
Actually you are probably on to something. DC's "leadership" on the issue (whoever that is), has shown themselves to be intractable, tantrum prone 5 year olds on the issue. You get shouted down and accused of being a traitor to the cause if you even suggest that compromise be debated (re: Fenty).
That is totally not how Obama rolls. Why would he want to link up with these clowns?
Oooh... I think I smell a vacancy in the White House!
[Dusting off resume...]
It's easy to make promises that aren't in one's power to keep. I believe that's called politics. See: I will repeal DOMA and DADT.
I don't really see how much that symbolism would do for the movement. These license plates have been out for how many years and yet little outrage has really ever resulted from them? People who aren't from this area, and even many who are, look at those plates and don't even see the phrase... when they do notice it, nobody really understands what it means. I think it's time for a new strategy to create support, simply alerting people to our plight as DC residents is obviously not doing the trick. Perhaps a city-wide protest in the form of tax evation would be a better solution; we have plenty of political big-whigs that can write books on how to stick it to the man by not paying up! (Enter Marrion Barry) Let's all just refuse to pay our federal taxes, haha...
No but really, the plates are worthless, people are completely desensitized to the message on them--time for something new!
I beg to differ. I have the "Taxation" plates, and often when I'm traveling by car, I'll get questions about their meaning. I think the plates have an importance in making others aware of the issue, even if it's one in a thousand people who actually stop to read them.
Yeah, like maybe we could start using "Garden State" on our license plates because Lord knows that's what made all the tourists flock to New Jersey!!
I agree. I'm a native Ohioan, and for those around the country not familiar with the circumstances in D.C., the license plates are considered some kind of "middle finger" to the federal government. I've been asked numerous times by visitors to D.C. about the significance of the slogan, and if the plates help educate people across the country about our plight, I'm all for it.
F*cking DC leadership. Elanor Holmes Norton has the easiest job on the planet, and she sucks at it. I place this blame squarely on the fact that we don't have an elected official with some (gender neutral) balls repping us on the hill. She should have told John Ensign to go F*uck himself and then had MPD ticket and tow his car every day for a month.
The District has no real friends on the Hill or at 1600. It's time for DC to join Greenland. Wake up and smell the whale meat!
"the president is committed instead to changing the status of the District of Columbia"
Well, he's not welcome at any of my seders until he follows through. Git 'er done, Barry!
When I first moved to DC my neighbors vandalized my car for 2 months before I managed to register it and get my DC plates. They didn't like it parked on "their" street and left me mean notes to "park in my own state." I Obama, but he's been here more than 30 days and really should visit the DMV. He can go straight to Mr. Johnson at the Georgetown branch, who is especially nice and complimentary. I've kept the notes from my neighbors, which outlined in painful detail the steps for registering a car in DC--if anyone is gutsy enough to hope the fence and put it on StreetForceOne, I can pass them along!
And if Obama won't screw in the plate, maybe he would consider removing the federal tax line item from my paycheck? Just saying...
Obama is not going to waste his precious capital on silly partisan symbolism. Now lemme see dem nuts.
Obama also supports unicorns and unlimited free ice cream. There is some legislation working its way through Congress. Or something.