Is he or isn't he going to use Taxation W/O Representation license plates????

[Captain Hilts]

If he's in favor of DC having a vote, why not use the plates? With the vote on this coming up, changing the plates would make a good statement.

WASHINGTON - When President Obama motorcades through the District, his limo won't have a "Taxation Without Representation" D.C. license plate. A White House spokesperson tells CBS News White House Correspondent Mark Knoller that Obama is "still using the plates used by the previous president." When former President George W. Bush took office, he changed the license plate on the presidential limo.

Former President Bill Clinton had the "Taxation" tag on his limo as a sign of support for D.C. voting rights. Bush, who opposes voting rights for District residents, had the tag removed.

President Obama, who supports a bill before Congress that would give District residents a vote in the House, has decided to keep the tag used by Bush -despite a letter from the entire D.C. Council asking him to restore the "Taxation" tag to the presidential limo.
The White House spokesperson says the president hasn't decided against using the plates.

It's "just something that the president hasn't gotten to yet," the spokesperson tells Knoller.

http://wtop.com/?nid=596&sid=1604772

[liberalsince1968]

1. Why am I not surprised.

[MadBadger]

2. Explain

[namahage]

3. Because Obama is Bush redux. Duh.

Never mind that he might have just a few other more slightly pressing issues than what license plate to put on the limo.

Hell, Obama hasn't even ruled out using them. It just hasn't ranked as high on the "to-do" list.

Some, though, want to draw similarities with Bush anywhere.

News flash: Obama also uses Air Force One, and doesn't fly coach like the rest of us--JUST LIKE BUSH. I guess that's also "not change you can believe in."

ETA: :sarcasm:

[Name removed]

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[Name removed]

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[Captain Hilts]

7. Let's see...I've praised his foreclosure plan, his speech about it and praised

Holder's speech on race and his plans to go to Gitmo, and said they NYP cartoonist should be fired and you still think I'm Obama-hating troll.

I don't give anyone a blank check. Sorry.

I'm not a groupie.

[Captain Hilts]

5. I think he'll do it. He should do it before the bill comes up for a vote. nt

[jberryhill]

8. Oh good golly, does the car have a flag pin? /nt

[Captain Hilts]

10. You have a vote in Congress. DC's was taken away by Newt Gingrich. It's a Big Deal here. nt

[tritsofme]

16. DC has never had a full member with real voting rights.

Where does Newt come into play?

[jberryhill]

19. Newt Gingrich passed the 23rd Amendment in 1961, apparently /nt

[Captain Hilts]

20. Dem Congress permitted Eleanor Holmes Nortonto vote in committee.

When the Rs got into the majority, Newt took it away.

[tritsofme]

23. I can't imagine a delegate to Congress could cast a deciding vote on any matter.

Making their votes basically toothless.

[jberryhill]

18. And the presence or an absence of a license plate on a car will give DC a voting rep?

Newt Gingrich wrote the 23rd Amendment?

1. The District constituting the seat of Government of the United States shall appoint in such manner as the Congress may direct: A number of electors of President and Vice President equal to the whole number of Senators and Representatives in Congress to which the District would be entitled if it were a State...

I'm all for DC having voting representation in Congress, but I can see how the Constitution seems to imply otherwise.

But beyond all that - what does a license plate do?

[firedupdem]

9. Most importantly-

President Obama, who supports a bill before Congress that would give District residents a vote in the House

The plate is shit. Let's get the bill passed.

[Captain Hilts]

11. The plate is a high-profile issue. Clinton put them on, and Bush took them off. nt

[firedupdem]

12. I'm sure he's really concerned with his plate. Probably hasn't

thought about it. Probably more concerned with not getting his head blown off in route to that vehicle. The bill getting passed is a bigger issue is my point.

[Captain Hilts]

14. I understand. But it's easy to say that from Nebraska. The symbolism of the removal of the plate..

by Bush was important here. The symbolism of putting it back on would be very powerful.

Just as Prop 8 in Calif. took rights away from people, DC's voting right was taken away by Newt Gingrich and the Republican Congress in the '90s. That really stung. Bush's removing the plate from the presidential vehicle got a LOT of play here locally.

The White House has said that Michelle will be kind of the Ombudsman for DC for the WH. A great idea. Let's do the plate.

This is a president that understands - and values - symbolism. Let's do it!

[firedupdem]

26. Well I hope he gets the plate put on all the vehicles. They seem

to be very involved with the community there so I'm sure someone will let them know how important it is, if they aren't aware.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

13. Obama supports BOTH voting rights and statehood for D.C. n/t

[Captain Hilts]

15. Yes, he does. nt

[tritsofme]

17. That bill is unlikely to pass constitutional muster.

The right way to do this is through a constitutional amendment.

[jberryhill]

21. Wait till Rove is in jail, and make HIM make the new license plate

Larf.

[Enrique]

22. Plategate!

this doesn't matter to me it just puzzles me. Why not just change the plates?

And the explanation about "other things on his plate" puzzles me. What, he's going to have hearings on the issue? Can't find a screwdriver? Wtf?

[jberryhill]

24. Are you kidding?

Obama will probably have to take the whole day off just to stand in line at the DMV.

You have obviously never gotten a new license plate.

[Enrique]

25. send Biden

:shrug:

[jberryhill]

27. Good idea

If he falls down while standing in line, we know for sure he'll get back up!

Good one. You're killin' me here.