Inauguration Island
Dear Islanders:
Every day, the plans to shut down the city on inauguration day are
getting more and more repressive. Yesterday, WMATA announced that even
more downtown Metro stations would be closed. Today it announced that
riders won’t be allowed to transfer between lines at the Metro Center,
Gallery Place, and L’Enfant Plaza stops, even though the subway will
be the only way that most people will be able to get to inauguration
events or to work anywhere downtown. Mayor Fenty announced that for the
first time in history people will have to choose between going to the
swearing-in ceremony and going to the parade because, even though there
will be an hour or two between the two events, the checkpoints through
which people will be allowed into the parade route will be closed off
before attendees at the swearing-in ceremony will have time to get to
them.
As Dorothy wrote in the last issue of themail, “This inauguration
day is shaping up as a government-created disaster that should have been
completely avoidable.” Marc Fisher sends the same message to public
officials who will not hear him in his column today, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/12/AR2009011202974.html?sub=AR:
“Inauguration madness has hit a new and disturbing peak with the
Secret Service’s effort to turn Washington into Inauguration Island,
cutting the District off from as much of the outside world as possible
on January 20. . . . Only a government obsessed with security and blind
to the realities of city life could issue a plan like this.”
Yahoo reporter Alex Ogle asks in an article today, “Can Obama Make
Washington the Capital of Cool?” http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090114/lf_afp/uspoliticsinaugurationlifestyle_20090114053419.
Doesn’t he get it backwards? Isn’t the proper question whether some
of Washingtonian’s cool will rub off on Obama?
Correction: In response to my introduction to the last issue of
themail, Jonetta Rose Barras writes to remind me that her column appears
in The Washington Examiner, not in The Washington Times,
for which she wrote umpyty-ump years ago. She also adds: “Deputy
Inspector General Austin Andersen reports that residents can submit a
Freedom of Information Act request to receive reports of investigations
that were closed administratively. But how do you know to submit a FOIA
if you don’t know that an investigation occurred? Well, you have to
wait until the end of the fiscal year.”
Gary Imhoff
themail@dcwatch.com
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On Tuesday, Mayor Fenty held a press conference at the Wilson
Building with Governors Kaine of Virginia and O’Malley of Maryland to
discuss plans for the inauguration. The presentations were largely just
a recitation of the street, bridge, and road closures that would occur
on January 18, 19, and 20. The three elected officials stressed the need
for individuals to have a detailed plan for inauguration day. For
example, people need to choose whether they will be going to the
swearing-in ceremony or to the parade. They need to figure out how to
get downtown. Since the security checkpoints along Pennsylvania Avenue
for viewing the parade will open at 7:00 a.m. and close when standing
capacity is reached, probably around 9:00 a.m., how do people plan to
stay warm until the parade begins around 2:30 p.m.? When Governor O’Malley
was asked what his plan was for getting in and around DC on January 20,
his response was immediate, glib, and dismissive: “police escort.”
After the press conference, I asked Mayor Fenty about Representative
Jim Moran’s comment that the plans for January 20 appeared to be “security
on steroid.” I asked whether the Secret Service had made any request
— for road, street, bridge, business, or building closures — that he
or his administration denied or even objected to. His response was
immediate and brief: “No.” Fenty’s willingness to allow the Secret
Service to take over the District and close down large tracts of the
city can be attributed, in part, to the fact that he is an honorary
co-chair of Barack Obama’s Presidential Inauguration Committee. As one
of fourteen co-chairs, Fenty is on the A-list for inauguration tickets,
balls, and attendant events. It seems that Fenty’s position on the
committee has superseded his duties and obligations to the residents of
the District and to the city’s interests.
Obama’s inauguration is being billed as the “people’s
inauguration.” However, it has become apparent that the term “people”
doesn’t include seniors, the handicapped, people with mobility issues,
and people with small children, all of whom are being told that it may
be better if they stayed at home and watched the events on television.
After all, Metro will be the only way to get to inaugural events, and it
has announced its intention not only to shut down all the stations close
to these events, but to turn off the escalators and elevators in all its
stations. “People” doesn’t include the poor, who can’t afford to
rent the limousines that would allow them to drive on otherwise closed
streets and bridges. Virginia residents aren’t part of the “people,”
since it will be a lot harder for them to get access to the District
than it is for illegal immigrants to get into the United States.
District residents must not be the “people,” since they won’t be
able to use their own roads and won’t even be able to use the subways
or most busses, which are expected to reach their capacity near the
beginnings of their lines in the suburbs. So whose inauguration is it,
and do any of our local elected officials care?
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For all the very legitimate gripping about the numerous restrictions
being placed on the upcoming “most accessible” inaugural, the one
that seems to be getting the least attention is the one that I
personally find the most egregious: the designating of all limousines as
“authorized vehicles” (well, supposedly just “licensed”
limousines, but do you really think each one is going to be checked to
see if they are?). So peasants, lighten up — if you really want to get
around most of town with few problems, cross over bridges closed to
everyone else on four wheels, or even park or double-park where others
cannot even think about it, just get yourself a limo. After all, it is
the people’s inaugural with equal access to all, and nothing says
equality like a limo (even a rented one). No wander there have been no
complaints from The Powers That Be (and that can make a difference)
about the degree of restrictions, they’ll all be in limos (and some
will even have police escorts) and be immune from all the restrictions,
so why should they care?
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Everything I read about this DC administration reminds me of the camp
counselors who used to say that camp would be so nice if only the
campers weren’t there. They had a point, of course. But the contempt
shown for the grown-up consumers of the product supposedly produced by
our “public servants” makes me feel that parents, teachers, and
normal residents just trying to pursue their normal lives are not high
on the list of folks to be consulted before policies are changed. Am I
alone?
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DC Vote’s Open Letter to President-Elect
Obama
Ilir Zherka, izherka@dcvote.org
For more than half a million Americans living in Washington, DC, the
road to democracy has been a centuries-long struggle. With your critical
support, 2009 can be the year when DC residents are finally given a seat
at the table of American democracy. We are writing to urge you to
continue to be a leader in the fight for DC voting rights. Unlike the
dire and complex issues facing our economy, there is an easy solution to
DC residents’ denial of democracy. The DC Voting Rights Act, which you
cosponsored last year, has been introduced in the 111th Congress. The
single most important step you can take is to sign this legislation into
law as soon as it reaches your desk.
In the coming year, Congress will be making key decisions on issues
affecting every aspect of American life —from the economy to the
global war on terror. DC residents demand and deserve a vote on these
critical issues. As the DC Voting Rights Act moves through Congress, you
can help highlight this issue in two important ways. 1) Change the
license plates on the presidential motorcade. President Bill Clinton
added the DC license plates, which bear the revolutionary slogan “Taxation
Without Representation,” to the presidential limousine and motorcade
before he left office. President George W. Bush promptly removed the
plates, signaling his opposition to democracy for DC. We ask that you
demonstrate your support by restoring the “Taxation Without
Representation” DC license plates to your motorcade before you travel
down the Pennsylvania Avenue parade-route after your inauguration. This
simple act will signal to millions of Americans across the nation that
you are committed to democracy for all Americans. Already, the issue has
garnered hundreds of media stories and has mobilized the people of the
District in calling for a change of plates on the motorcade. 2) Mention
DC voting rights in your inaugural address. As you take the stage, just
one day after the anniversary of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s, birthday,
you will have the opportunity to highlight the modern civil rights
struggle by calling on Congress to extend voting rights and full
democracy to Americans living in the nation’s capital. Your message
will reach tens of millions across the nation and around world.
Nearly 600,000 Americans living in your new hometown, Washington, DC,
are looking forward to celebrating victory in 2009. Passing the DC
Voting Rights Act is a monumental step towards full democracy for DC
residents who have waited too long to have their voice heard in
Congress.
P.S.: For more information regarding the history and impact of DC’s
license plates, click here: http://www.dcvote.org/media/media.cfm?mediaID=1202&cid=1778&uid=125132.
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Historic Preservation and Vinyl Windows
Richard Layman, rlaymandc@yahoo.com
The real issue is whether the seemingly cheap solution, installing
vinyl replacement windows, makes sense from both a cost and energy
standpoint. From the life cycle standpoint of a house, vinyl replacement
windows usually don’t make sense, as they have to be replaced
eventually (although not likely by the current owner), whereas historic
windows last indefinitely, albeit with regular repair and maintenance.
Although seemingly vinyl window replacements are cheaper if you consider
only the initial cost.
Historic windows used in combination with storm windows have been
shown to have better insulating properties than double-pane windows, an
R value of 1.79 compared to 1.72 for new windows. Just basic maintenance
of the windows (caulking, etc.) makes a huge difference in terms of
energy loss. Plus, if you truly care about energy, shouldn’t you also
be concerned about the loss of energy embodied in the wooden windows?
A lot of the problem is that many home renovation businesses are not
conversant with historic preservation issues, but they do know about new
materials and products, and they make more money selling you something
new rather than repairing what you already have. Certainly, Home Depot
and Lowes aren’t in the business of suggesting that you repair and
maintain your windows instead of buying new replacement windows. My
eighty-year-old house has had three owners. Most of the windows are
original (at some point we will replace the inferior replacements made
to some of the windows by the previous owner). Thus far (this is the
first winter we’ve lived in our house), with the addition of some
plastic insulation on one set of windows, we’ve been quite
comfortable, and I am sure the windows installed in 1929 will outlive
our ownership of this home.
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CLASSIFIEDS — EVENTS
DC Public Library Events, January 17
George Williams, george.williams2@dc.gov
Saturday, January 17, 1:00 p.m., Martin Luther King, Jr., Memorial
Library, 901 G Street, NW, Adaptive Services Division, Second Floor,
West Lobby. Saturday Technology Training Sessions. Demonstrations of new
assistive technologies and group training. Children and adults who use
assistive technologies.
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DC Public Library Martin Luther King, Jr.,
Events, January 17
George Williams, george.williams2@dc.gov
Saturday, January 17, 11:00 a.m., Martin Luther King, Jr., Memorial
Library, 901 G Street, NW, Great Hall. Kings Speak. The brothers of
Omicron Lambda Alpha Chapter of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
lead a public discussion concerning Civil Rights in the past, present
and future. Contact 727-1285.
Saturday, January 17, 1:00 p.m., Martin Luther King, Jr., Memorial
Library, 901 G Street, NW, Auditorium A-5. 13th Annual MLK Poetry
Extravaganza. Collective Voices, a sisterhood of African American poets
that came together in 1996, addresses socially relevant issues and
challenges of today with messages of love and inspiration. They will
perform poetry and music in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. All
ages. Contact 727-1281.
Monday, January 17, 1:30 p.m., Mount Pleasant Neighborhood Library,
3160 16th Street, NW. MLK Day: Remembering Dr. King. Enjoy flannel
board, photographs, music, books, and movies. Ages 3-12. Contact
671-0159.
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Taxes: What Every Entrepreneur and Consultant
Needs To Know, January 17
Barbara Conn, bconn@cpcug.org
Is your business paying more in taxes than required by law? Whether
your business grosses millions of dollars each year or you are just
getting started as an independent consultant, you probably hire an
outside accountant to handle tax return submission. The ultimate
responsibility for paying appropriate taxes, however, is yours. Do you
have the basic accounting knowledge needed to supervise the work of your
accountant? Do you stay current on tax law changes? Because tax return
deadlines for corporations and individuals are approaching, the focus of
this presentation will be on income tax compliance and preparation
rather than on tax planning and consulting issues. This presentation
will alert you to mistakes and oversights that can cost you money, and
to tax law changes you need to know about.
Gather your colleagues (whether consultants, small business owners,
entrepreneurs, soon-to-be small business owners, freelancers, or free
agents), and your questions, and bring them to this Saturday, January
17, 1:00 p.m., gathering of the Capital PC User Group (CPCUG)
Entrepreneurs and Consultants Special Interest Group (E&C SIG).
There will be a handout. These monthly events are free and open to all.
This month's event is at the Cleveland Park Branch Library (first floor
large meeting room) at 3310 Connecticut Avenue, NW (between Macomb and
Newark Streets), Washington, DC — just over a block south of the
Cleveland Park Metrorail Station on the Red Line. For more information
about the seminar, the speaker, and CPCUG (a 501(c)(3) nonprofit
educational organization), visit http://entrepreneur.cpcug.org/109meet.html.
To RSVP, send E-mail to bconn@cpcug.org.
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The People’s Inaugural Balls, January 16-18
Mike Panetta, mike.panetta@gmail.com
Looking for a great and affordable way to celebrate the inauguration
of Barack Obama as the next President of the United States and help some
progressive causes as the same time? Join the DC Statehood Fund,
Democracy for America, DC for Obama, DC for Democracy, Young and
Powerful for Obama, Generation Obama, Young Lawyers for Obama, DC Young
Democrats, International Labor Communications Association, and
Prometheus Labor Communications for The People’s Inaugural (http://thepeoplesinaugural.com).
Tickets are still available, but are going fast and will sell out, so
don’t hesitate. Each night offers something different in celebration
of this historic event. All events are at the Washington Historic
Society on Mt. Vernon Square.
Friday, January 16, The People’s Inaugural Premier, Celebrating a
New Generation of Grassroots Activists. They said we wouldn’t show up
but we did, so now let’s celebrate the Inauguration of the Peoples’
President with the most amazing night of old-school featuring Doug E.
Fresh, Kurtis Blow, DJ Kool, and others. Tickets are only $75, but are
limited and going fast. Buy now: http://thepeoplesinaugural.com/premier.
Saturday, January 17, The People’s Inaugural Ball, Celebrating
Grassroots on the Ground Electing a President. Get out your formal wear
and join grassroots organizations from across the country as we gather
together to celebrate the dawning of a new day in America. We’re
celebrating with Lotus, WMD, The Obama Girls of Comedy, emcee’d by
Scott Blakeman. Don’t miss out get tickets today: http://thepeoplesinaugural.com/ball
Sunday, January 18, The People’s Inaugural LGBT GAYLA, Celebrating
Pride at Work. Join LGBT grassroots activists from around the country as
we toast the election of Barack Obama and Joe Biden. Entertainment
featuring DJ Gavin Holland of Nouveau Riche, Joe L. Da Vessel and
Melodic, Shi-Queeta-Lee, Tickets are limited, get one now: http://thepeoplesinaugural.com/gayla.
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DC Presidential Inaugural Gala, January 19
Hazel Thomas, thomashazelb@aol.com
The DC Presidential Inaugural Gala Committee has planned an exciting
evening of celebration in honor of Barack Obama as the 44th President of
the United States. The DC Presidential Gala will be held on Monday,
January 19, 8:00 p.m. to 12:00 midnight at the US Department of
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE. The unforgettable evening
will feature a variety of dining and beverage stations, and a potpourri
of live musical entertainment, including old school and contemporary
R&B, jazz, hip hop, mariachi, and big band sounds.
Guests will stroll down memory lane with the legendary O’Jays
as they croon old favorites such as Love Train, For the Love
of Money, and Use to Be My Girl. Chill with the delightful sounds of
jazz saxophonist Brain Lenair and dance the night away with local
artists Familiar Faces, Tommy Bryant, The Giants of Sound,
Nuera and others in the sprawling, new federal building near the
Washington Nationals Stadium.
Unlike other inaugural balls, the DC Presidential Inaugural Gala will
have a distinct hometown Washington flavor with support and attendance
by numerous current and former DC officials, including Congresswoman
Eleanor Holmes Norton, Mayor Adrian M. Fenty, Council Chairman Vincent
C. Gray, and former Mayors Sharon Pratt and Anthony Williams. The
hundreds of guests in attendance also will be able to visit small
intimate parties in special “neighborhood rooms” that will reflect
residential communities and give visitors a taste of DC. The District of
Columbia Presidential Gala Committee is a nonpartisan organization
developed expressly to design a commemorative event for the inauguration
of Barack Obama.
The donation for the event is only $144 to mark one DC for the 44th
President. Tickets can be purchased online, by mail and in person no
later than Saturday, January 17. Higher level tickets and donor packages
with premium benefits also are available. For tickets, visit http://www.dcpresidentialgala.com
or call 363-9164.
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Empower DC Fifth Annual Celebration, January
30
Parisa Nourizi, parisa@empowerdc.org
Empower DC will hold its fifth annual celebration on Friday, January
30, 6:30-8:30 p.m., at Charles Sumner School, 1201 17th Street, NW (17th
and M Streets). (In addition to street parking, there is affordable
garage parking located across from the YMCA.) $10 suggested donation —
no one turned away. Wheelchair accessible, kids welcome, and pot luck
refreshments served.
Featuring a live performance by singer Pam Parker, a keynote address
by noted activist Johnny Barnes, and a highlights of 2008 awards
ceremony. To RSVP or for more information from Empower DC, call
234-9119.
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