DC Statehood:Two Chances to Get Involved and Kick Some New Life Into This Movement

If you're a DC resident who would like the same voting rights as every other citizen of the 50 states, but you've been thinking that under the Obama administration, it's bound to happen sooner or later, then you should make very effort to attend either or both of the upcoming meetings on this issue. You will be updated on the state of the statehood movement, and you will find out why your help is needed more now more than ever, as the goal, once believed within reach with the help of a friendly administration, has instead encountered multiple bumps in the road.

Your first chance to find out what's going on is at the panel discussion set for this Thursday, September 22, from 1:30 to 3:30 pm, hosted by DC Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton. The discussion title is  "Statehood is My Goal: How Do We Get There?" The location is the Walter E. Washington Convention Center at 801 Mount Vernon Place, NW, Room 140A. The forum is free and open to the public.

Then on Saturday, September 24, there's a meeting co-sponsored by DC Statehood - Yes We Can! and DC for Democracy, which will take place in the downstairs auditorium of the Cleveland Park Library. This focus of this meeting will be lobbying efforts to get Congress to pass H.R. 265, the New Columbia Admission Act, which was introduced by Ms. Norton in January, 2011.

Are You My Rep? - Another Way to Tell Congress "No Taxation Without Representation"

Revolution Messaging, a social media firm in Washington, D.C., launched “Are you my Rep?” a Facebook page that encourages D.C. residents to call members of Congress and ask them to support voting rights for D.C. citizens.

The Facebook page, available at http://www.facebook.com/myrep, allows visitors to enter their phone number into a form field, generating a call-back.  The call connects participants to a random Congressional office, so they may ask if the Representative is willing to support D.C autonomy or voting rights.

Users of the page are encouraged to share feedback as well as share the page with their friends and co-workers. Over 600,000 Washington, D.C. residents find themselves without a voting representative in Federal government, making DC laws and budget issues vulnerable to Congressional oversight.

“It’s really ridiculous that Washington, D.C. residents have their own elected government, and yet Congress has the ability to overturn the laws agreed upon by DC citizens,” said Courtney Sieloff, Senior Strategist for Revolution Messaging.  “Like anyone living in the 50 states, I pay both local and Federal taxes, but because I choose to live in DC, there is no member of Congress that I can call when I’m upset about a particular issue.”

The Congressional budget battles once again makes residents of Washington, D.C. pawns in a giant chess game. This Facebook page provides an avenue to voice frustration with the outcome of the budget cuts. Revolution Messaging hopes this initiative sparks a conversation that will help DC residents to receive the representation that is standard for all other Americans.

Good Morning: DC Will Lose Its Vote in Congress Today

After dipping down into the 20's overnight, today's high will be in the lower 40's -- at best. While there will be ample sunshine, the 10 mile per hour wind from the northwest (gusting to 18 mph) will make it feel like the upper 30's. So bundle up. It's January.

Rumors of snow on Thursday are floating around. But if we get any snow it won't be much. I promise! DC never gets much snow, right? But if when there's a significant snowstorm again in DC, you'd better shovel in front of your home or business: A bill cosponsored by Councilmembers Mary Cheh and Tommy Wells, would make the fine for not shoveling $20 for homeowners and $250 for businesses, according to TBD.

Tomorrow when the 112th Congress convenes with a Republican majority, Delegate Elearnor Holmes Norton will lose her vote in the Committee of the Whole, DCist reports. What little representation we had in Congress will be gone. As citizens, District of Columbia residents pay taxes, fight in wars, are subject to Federal law, but we have no say in how the laws that govern us are made. DC Vote has organized an effort to help us retain this smidgen of representation.

What DC Residents Should Wear When Traveling

When you travel, leave your Nationals t-shirt aside and wear a "Taxation Without Representation" t-shirt instead, which you can get from DC Vote. They're especially great for airplanes, where you're exposed to a lot of people from a lot of other different places and where you may have a chance to chat up a captive audience about our lack of voting representation in Congress. (At present airlines are not charging a fee for wearing t-shirts with advertising slogans.) If you're a Brooks Brothers kind of person who never wears t-shirts, then consider a DC Vote tote bag or coat for your pet. You can read more about DC Vote on their website.