Transactions
Dear Transactors:
DC has gone halfway toward making its routine transactions with
citizens less painful. It has systems in place so that — if you have
computer access and credit cards — the most annoying encounters that
citizens have with the city government, such as renewing driver’s
licenses and car registrations and filing income taxes, can be done
conveniently and easily online. However, DC hasn’t worked out what to
do when things go wrong. Computer transactions don’t always go
smoothly. When they go bad, and when government employees rely
completely on their computers, dealing with the city government can be
more difficult and worse than ever. The Office of the Chief Technology
Officer doesn’t take responsibility for resolving these problems; line
workers in agency offices are instructed to believe their computer
screens and distrust citizens; and so there’s no easy way to get any
mistake corrected. Nataki Goodall writes about her experience below, and
Jack McKay has been writing about his adventures in recent issues of
themail, and again below. Private companies are slowly learning that
reducing the number of mistakes they make isn’t enough to improve
their customer service reputations; unless they improve the way they
make it right when they’ve made a mistake, they’ll still be thought
of as companies to avoid. Until each office, department, and agency has
its own ombudsman dedicated to making it right when citizens are
wronged, does anyone have any suggestions for how to make the system
work better?
Big city mayors learn from each other. Here’s a “separated at
birth” story that shows the similarity between Mayor Fenty and Chicago’s
Mayor Richard Daley: “State of Corruption: Chicago City Hall, Mayor
Richard Daley’s administration routinely deny requests for public
documents: Daley administration routinely denies requests for documents
that could shed light on how the mayor really runs the city,” http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-secret-government-daleymay04,0,5215778.story.
The article’s first line, with just a name change, would be right at
home in the Post, the Times, the Examiner, or right
here in themail: “Mayor Richard Daley portrays himself as the most
transparent big-city mayor in the country, yet he presides over an
administration that routinely denies requests for records that show how
Daley really runs Chicago.”
If you haven’t been to Ray’s Hell Burgers yet, don’t even try
going now. At least Clinton, when he wanted a hamburger, went to the
McDonald’s nearest the White House. That was thoughtful of him;
McDonald’s can handle the crowds, and there are plenty of other
McDonald’s outlets for Washingtonians to go to. But Ray’s is one
small place with an even smaller parking lot. Before Tuesday, even
though it’s now open for lunch as well as dinner, it already had long
lines and long waits. Obama and Biden visited Ray’s yesterday, making
not just local but national news. That visit will make it a destination
for tourists worldwide, and will make it impossible for Washingtonians
(and incidentally northern Virginians) to get in the door. Obviously,
Obama has been reading themail and is taking my advice (themail, July
20, 2008), but I wish he had just ordered takeout anonymously. Dorothy
and I last went to Ray’s just last week, but we don’t expect to be
able to get in again for months.
According to an E-mail from Cherita Whiting, School Chancellor
Michelle Rhee met with Washington Teachers Union Vice President Nathan
Saunders this afternoon and ordered his to return to his union duties.
This ends, at least for the time being, the charade that WTU President
George Parker and DCPS Vice Chancellor Kaya Henderson went through to
weaken Saunders’ role in the union local (themail, April 29).
Gary Imhoff
themail@dcwatch.com
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Expired and Withdrawn
Dorothy Brizill, dorothy@dcwatch.com
On February 5, Mayor Fenty nominated Omar Nour, one of his jogging
buddies, to a seat on the three-member Board of Elections and Ethics. As
I wrote in themail on February 18, “Nour, who first registered to vote
in DC in 2005, has no knowledge, interest, or experience regarding
elections or campaign finance issues in the District. Nour would not
bring any skills or requisite qualifications to the Board, and he would
be joining a Board that already faces widespread criticism from citizens
and the city council for its management of what has become a troubled
agency.”
On Wednesday, May 13, Councilmember Mary Cheh’s Government
Operations Committee is scheduled to hold a confirmation hearing on Nour’s
nomination. However, unbeknownst to anyone at the committee or at the
BOEE, Mayor Fenty quietly withdrew Nour’s nomination on April 30.
While we can speculate on the reasons for the withdrawal, it is clear
that Nour did not want to subject himself to the level of scrutiny that
his brother, Diaa Nour, received when the council considered and
disapproved of his nomination to the Public Employees Relations Board on
April 21.
As a footnote, Nour isn’t the first Fenty nomination to the BOEE
that has faltered. On September 28, 2007, Fenty nominated another close
friend, Hiram K. Brewton, to a seat on the BOEE. Although Brewton had a
confirmation hearing before Carol Schwartz’s Workforce Development and
Government Operations Committee, his nomination was deemed disapproved
on January 10, 2008, when the council failed to affirm it within the
statutory ninety-day time limit.
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A Snake and a Bushwacker
Ed T. Barron, edtb1@mac.com
That’s how I characterized council Chairman Gray before his
election. And now he has demonstrated that set of skills in trying to
undermine the power of the Mayor and Chancellor Rhee as they undertake a
difficult reformation of the District’s public schools. The council
should stick to the original plan and let the mayor and chancellor
continue their efforts to make DC schools functional and effective.
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Better Thinking from Daniel Pink
Phil Shapiro, pshapiro@his.com
DC author Daniel Pink is quoted in this New York Times article
about the stresses of modern kindergarten (http://tinyurl.com/cn22y7).
As usual, Pink explains how our priorities can easily get mixed up.
While it’s true we need to keep our eyes on the prize, the route to
that prize matters even more than the prize itself. (Perhaps the route
is the prize?)
If you haven’t read Pink’s book, A Whole New Mind, you’re
in for a treat. DC Public Libraries owns a couple copies of the book (http://dclibrary.org).
Three hundred seventy-one fans of his book have gathered in a fan club
on Facebook, too. (Search Facebook for A Whole New Mind.)
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I read Jack McKay’s story about his experience with the DC Office
of Tax and Revenue [themail, May 3], and was simultaneously relieved and
disappointed that it’s “not just me,” as they say. In April 2008,
I filed my 2007 personal income tax return electronically, and was
surprised to find in my mailbox, less than two weeks later, an $800
refund check. I called OTR to notify them of the error, and, after being
on hold for the better part of an hour, was subjected to all manner of
accusation, including literally being called a thief and told that OTR
would track me down and I would be in “big trouble” if I didn’t
mail the check to some anonymous Post Office box. Given that this whole
incident happened within weeks of the multimillion dollar embezzlement
scandal at OTR, the clerk’s words and tone were both insulting and
laughable. In any event, I mailed the check back and thought nothing
more of it — until February 2009, when my federal income tax refund
was garnished to pay for the money I had already returned, plus interest
and penalties. Unfortunately, my job does not allow me the painful
luxury of spending hours on end at OTR, so I have tried to resolve the
matter via numerous letters and phone calls, to no avail. Ironically,
though this matter remains unresolved, in March I received another
refund — for my 2008 DC taxes.
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Property Taxes: Punishing Honesty (Continued)
Jack McKay, jack.mckay@verizon.net
Looks like somebody downtown gets themail. "I received an E-mail
this morning concerning your first half real property tax bill,"
E-mails Richie McKeithen, Director of Real Property Tax Administration.
Somewhat confusingly, he writes that the Tax Office has removed the
Senior Citizen Tax Relief Benefit from my account, "along with any
penalties and interest that may have accrued." Trouble is, the
penalty and interest came about because they had removed the Senior
Citizen benefit. Well, I hope they get it right, this time around. Also,
"We have removed your property from delinquent status and it will
not be included on any tax sale listing." Oh good.
That's encouraging, to be sure, though as of Wednesday evening, the
on-line records still show a balance owed of $1693. That's the $1388
they lifted out of my 2008 payments, plus $139 penalty, plus $166
interest. "We will send you a revised real property tax bill,"
Mr. McKeithen promises. Yes, and I'm holding off on any celebrations
until I see an official piece of paper declaring that I am not, in fact,
in "delinquency,” and after I've checked the numbers to make sure
they haven't blundered again. Yes, Mr. McKeithen apologized "for
any inconvenience this may have caused you."
Maybe I'm too hard on them. After all, somebody thought he was doing
the right thing, crediting me with the Senior Citizen benefit
retroactively to 2008. What really irritates me is the Tax Office clerk
who, when I said that I had never applied for this credit, snapped
"yes, you did!" Pardon me, young lady, but I didn't, because I
have yet to qualify, and the Tax Office really does, sometimes, make
mistakes. One has to worry about residents who don't have the skill with
numbers, and the records of prior years, to be able to catch and correct
their mistakes.
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Referenda and Initiatives Revisited
Eric Woods, ewbushdoctor@gmail.com
I appreciated the healthy discussion about referenda in the last
issue of themail. Indeed, I had forgotten about the term limits
referendum, probably because I was incensed by the fact that the council
and mayor could overturn the law in their own self interests. Readers
pointed out the both the rules and the some issues that impede the
successful use of referenda and initiatives. An initiative would appear
to be a more realistic tool that citizens could access to have their
voices heard by both the press and legislators. However, not in its
present form. So I now ask how possible is it to amend the rules by: 1)
adding a sunset provision (say, for about six months) that closes the
window on the ability to overturn a publicly supported initiative; and
2) creating the opportunity for the citizens to overrule the council and
mayor (in the event that they overturn an initiative) with a two-thirds
vote (that is, two thirds of all votes cast)? Comments from Lars Hydle,
Robert Evans, and Michael Bindner, along with having attended the school
choice rally this afternoon on Freedom Plaza, have left me thinking that
DC residents are primed to fight undemocratic treatment by government
— local and federal. Perhaps, on the matter of valuing initiatives, a
starting point may be to insist that the Fenty administration purge the
voting rolls. Simultaneously, we would build momentum for making changes
such as those cited above that could result in real and lasting
initiatives. Can you picture a time when the council, mayor, Congress,
and even the President would have to acknowledge that the citizens of
the District have spoken?
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DPR Turmoil and High Grass
Bill Crews, billcrews@aol.com
In amongst the great replies supporting civil marriage equality
against heterosexism in today’s themail (May 3), I find it curious
that Department of Parks and Recreation can continue to post events in
themail classifieds, but hasn’t been able to cut the grass in the
pocket park between Massachusetts and Constitution Avenues at 7th
Street, NE, even once this spring. Most grass in DC is a cool weather
variety and springtime is a fast growing time. Perhaps Fenty and
Tangerlini should have thought a bit more about their constituents’
neighborhoods rather than their bruised egos and fragile power mongering
before gutting DPR. Mr. Mayor, please cut the grass!
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Response to Suderow Post
Nancy Davenport, Interim Director for Library Services,
DC Public Library, nancy.davenport@dc.gov
Bryce Suderow’s assertions that the Friends of Chevy Chase Library
and the Friends of Cleveland Park Library are buying old books on Amazon
to supplement the Library’s collection are completely false.
Maintaining viable and relevant books and other materials by refreshing
its collection is what’s done by successful libraries across the
country. Doing this keeps the materials current as well as ensuring that
books in poor condition are replaced. This is common practice for public
libraries. The DC Public Library’s process is to regularly examine its
collections and refresh them with new and updated materials. For
example, the Library may have the 2009 edition of a reference book. It
will be discarded when the 2010 edition is acquired. Or the Library may
have more copies of a particular book than it needs after its popularity
begins to wane — think Harry Potter for example.
It is just as important to the Friends that the library has a viable
and active collection of books. In fact, the circulation at Chevy Chase
has increased by 31 percent so far this year compared to the same period
last year. At Southeast, circulation has increased by 31 percent as
well. In addition, circulation at Cleveland Park has increased by 22
percent. These patterns are in line with the overall 32 percent increase
in circulation District-wide. It is clear from these numbers that the
Library’s approach to maintaining its collection, with support from
the Friends of the Library, has made it more attractive to the
community.
The Library has made significant improvements during the last few
years. They would not have been possible without the strong support of
the Friends of the Library and DC residents. Join the Friends Group near
you. We’ll be delighted to welcome you and you’ll get to better know
your Library.
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Cleveland Park Friends Response to Suderow
Jill Bogard, Friends of the Cleveland Park Library, jill_bogard@ace.nche.edu
Bryce Suderow is 100 percent wrong when he asserts that the Cleveland
Park Branch of the DC Public Library “has rebelled against Ginnie
Cooper,” and that it “has been buying back its lost books on Amazon.”
His assumption that “this is being paid for by the Branch’s Friends
of the Library” is ludicrous. The Friends of the Cleveland Park
Library (FCPL) have consistently worked with Ginnie Cooper and her staff
to strengthen the Library’s programs and services. Before posting,
Suderow should check with reliable sources like the Cleveland Park
Branch Manager and the president of FCPL (me).
###############
CLASSIFIEDS — EVENTS
Department of Parks and Recreation Events, May
8-11
John Stokes, john.astokes@dc.gov
May 8, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., Rumsey Aquatic Facility, 635 North
Carolina Avenue, SE. CPR Class, ages fifteen and up. To learn the role
of Professional Rescuer in providing Emergency care to the patrons in
the Aquatic Facilities, to perform specialized skills and techniques in
the proper and safe use of the Automatic External Defibrillator (AED).
May 8, 10:00 a.m.-10:45 a.m., Center for Therapeutic Recreation, 3030
G Street, SE. Special cane and crutch defense for seniors aged fifty and
up. Seniors will learn how to use their cane and or crutches for self
defense against personal attacks. For more information, call Victoria
Cole-Rolon, CTRS, Manager, or Cheryl Thompson-Walker, Pool Manager, at
645-6516 or 645-8705.
May 8, 11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m., King Greenleaf Recreation Center, 201 N
Street, SW. Mother’s Day luncheon at Great American Buffet in
Alexandria, VA for ages 55 and up. Senior participants will have a
Mother’s Day Luncheon in their honor to celebrate them as parents.
Each participant will receive a gift as appreciation. For more
information, call Kim Campbell, Recreation Specialist, at 645-7454.
May 8, 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m., King Greenleaf Recreation Center, 201 N
Street, SW. Grandparents take this opportunity to share stories and
experiences with their peers. For more information, call Kim Campbell,
Recreation Specialist, at 645-7454.
May 8, 1:00 p.m.-3:00 p.m., Chevy Chase Community Center, 5601
Connecticut Avenue, NW. Senior appreciation day. Guest Speakers will
inform seniors on health care and nutritional information, a safe
fitness workout presentation and so much more. Light Refreshments will
be served. For more information call Ralph Wright at 282-2204.
May 8, 3:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m., Rosedale Recreation Center, 1700 Gales
Street, NE. Pre-Mother’s Day Cook Out. Staff will cook on the grill
for children and parents. Children will make arts and crafts for their
mothers. Children will also participate in outdoor games and activities.
For more information, call Brian Williams, Site Manager, at 724-5405.
May 8, 6:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m., Ridge Road Recreation Center, 800 Ridge
Road, SE. Salute to mothers. The Ridge Road youth will host a dinner to
celebrate their mothers. Certificate will be given and dinner will be
served. For more information, call Sonny Hicks at 645-3959.
May 8, 6:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m., Fort Stanton Recreation Center, 1812 Erie
Street, SE. Happy Mother’s Day for ages six to nineteen. Boys to Men
and the Young Ladies on the Rise salute to their mothers/guardians and
fallen soldiers (Memorial Day tribute) by way of pictures, poems, while
enjoying light refreshments. For more information, call Valerie Arnold
at 645-3970.
May 8, 7:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m., Turkey Thicket Community Center, 1100
Michigan Avenue, NE. Citywide Double Dutch Madness. This is an expansion
upon the normal Friday night, Turkey Thicket Double Dutch program. The
regular Friday gathering is an intergenerational program facilitated by
longtime Turkey Thicket patron Joy Jones. This special event is intended
to revive the practice, and it is open to all city residents. Beginners
and experienced jumpers are welcomed. There will also be a performance
by Ms. Jones’ performing troupe. For more information, call Mark
Williams, Site Manager, at 576-9237.
May 8, 7:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m., Douglass Community Center, 2100 Stanton
Terrace, SE. Video Game Challenge (Wii and Playstation) for ages
thirteen to seventeen. Participants will enjoy one on one competition
playing some of the most popular video games for Wii and Playstation.
This video game challenge is designed for friendly and fun competition;
light refreshments will be served. For more information, call Barbara
Jones at 645-3980.
May 8, 6:00 p.m.; May 9, 4:00 p.m., SE Tennis and Learning Center,
701 Mississippi Avenue, SE. In-House “Spring Bling” Tennis
Tournament for existing SETLC tennis participants. It will allow the
youth to see where their skill level is on their particular court. For
more information contact Yvonne Ruffin, Tournament Coordinator, and
Keely S. Alexander, 645-6242.
May 9, 11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m., Bald Eagle Recreation Center, 100 Joliet
Street, SW. This Mother’s Day luncheon will include special poems by
the youth of Bald Eagle Recreation Center. Small gift giveaways and
lunch will be served. For more information, call Margie Robinson at
645-3960.
May 9, 12:00 p.m.-2:00 p.m., Trinidad Recreation Center, 1310
Childress Street, NE. Mother’s appreciation luncheon for ages six and
up. Participants from the Young Ladies on the Rise Program will host a
luncheon and fashion show, recite Mother’s Day poems, and present
their mothers and other invited seniors a special Mother’s Day gift.
For more information, call Anthony Higginbotham, Site Manager, at
727-1292.
May 9, 1:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m., Columbia Heights Recreation Center, 1480
Girard Street, NW. Gospel fest for all ages. Come to Columbia Heights
Gymnasium and enjoy a Gospel Music Concert. For more information, call
Dallas Tucker at 671-0373.
May 11, 10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Fort Davis Community Center, 1400 41st
Street, SE, Fort Davis Mother’s Day Lunch and Movies for ages 55 and
up. Celebrate Mother’s Day with lunch and a movie trip to the Macaroni
Grill and the Majestic 20 Movie theater in Silver Spring, Maryland.
Participants must pay their own expenses, reservations required; call
Tonya Cousins at 645-9212.
May 11, 6:30 p.m.-8:00 p.m., Stead Recreation Center, 1625 P Street,
NW. Mother and daughter/son social for ages eight and up. The youth of
Stead Recreation Center will honor the prestigious women in their lives.
For more information, call Vincent E. Hill, Site Manager, at 673-4465.
May 11–14, 5:00 p.m.-6:30 p.m., Stoddert Terrace Recreation Center,
4001 Calvert Street, NW. April Showers Bring May Flowers. Youth ages
6-12. Youth from the community will plant flowers in small pots and
watch them grow. All materials are provided for free. For more
information, call Cleveland Dent at 282-2193.
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Environmental Health Group (EHG) Events, May
11-12
Allen Hengst, ahengst@rcn.com
World War I munitions, bottles filled with chemical warfare agents,
and contaminated soil have been found in and around the Spring Valley
neighborhood of northwest DC. The Environmental Health Group (EHG) seeks
to raise awareness of the issues and encourage a thorough investigation
and cleanup. Every Sunday at 1:30 p.m., please join the Environmental
Health Group for an informal discussion about Spring Valley issues. At
Glover Park Whole Foods Market, 2323 Wisconsin Avenue, NW (one block
south of Calvert Street). For more information, visit the EHG on
Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Washington-DC/Environmental-Health-Group/67807900019.
Monday, May 11, 1:00 p.m.: public roundtable to examine the
environmental health consequences of the sixteen-year cleanup of the
formerly used defense site in Spring Valley. The Army Corps of Engineers
has uncovered a number of chemical and conventional munitions and is
planning an on-site destruction of munitions in late May and early June
2009. District of Columbia Councilmember Mary M. Cheh, Chairperson of
the Committee on Government Operations and the Environment, invites
testimony of interested parties. In Room 123 , John A. Wilson Building,
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. http://www.marycheh.com/HearingNotices/SpringValley.pdf
Tuesday, May 12, 7:00 p.m.: monthly meeting of the Spring Valley
Restoration Advisory Board with the US Army Corps of Engineers. At Saint
David’s Church basement, 5150 Macomb Street, NW (one block north of
MacArthur Boulevard), http://www.nab.usace.army.mil/projects/WashingtonDC/springvalley.htm.
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Candlelight Vigil for Fallen Officers, May 13
Kevin P. Morison, National Law Enforcement Officers
Memorial Fund, kevin@nleomf.org
As part of the National Police Week observance in Washington, DC, the
twenty-first annual candlelight vigil for fallen officers will be held
on Wednesday, May 13, at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial
in Judiciary Square. The ceremony begins at 8:00 p.m., and US Attorney
General Eric Holder will be the featured speaker. During the vigil, the
newly engraved names of 387 law enforcement officers who have died in
the line of duty — 133 who died last year and 254 who died in “yesteryear”
— will be read aloud and formally dedicated on the Memorial. The
public is invited; no tickets are required. And if you can’t make it
to Judiciary Square but want to witness the Candlelight Vigil, there
will be a free live videocast of the event over the Internet. For more
information and to register, visit http://www.LawMemorial.org/NPW2009.
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DC Federation of Democratic Women Advocacy
Day, May 14
Hazel B. Thomas, thomashazelb@aol.com
The DC Federation of Democratic Women’s Club (DCFDW) will join with
the Women’s National Democratic Club to host the second annual “Women
in Blue” Advocacy Day and Legislative Briefing on Thursday, May 14
from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. in the conference room of Council Chairman
Vincent Gray at the Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. Light
refreshments will be served.
The District of Columbia Federation is the state organization of the
National Federation of Democratic Women which was founded in 1971, and
is the only Democratic women’s organization that has three seats on
the Democratic National Committee. The DC Federation also holds two
seats on the DC Democratic State Committee. The mission of the DC
Federation of Democratic Women is to: promote active participation of
women at every level of the political spectrum, to train women to run
for office, to advocate on behalf of issues that foster the well-being
of women and families; and to promote the goals of the Democratic Party.
This year’s Women in Blue Advocacy Day and Legislative Briefing
will target legislation that is currently before the District Council,
as well as, legislation DCFDW would like to be considered for
introduction to the Council. Legislative issues this year will center on
several broad areas: securing our economic future (housing and
foreclosure issues), working for equity and employment (workforce
training, preparation for ex-offenders’ return, grandparent
subsidies), ensuring women’s health (mandatory vaccinations for
preteens, HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment, domestic violence),
securing community well-being (rezoning the District, UDC expansion,
leadership for ANCs and community organizations).
For more information about the Women in Blue, contact Committee
Chairperson Linda Jefferson at 285-5502, or Janice H. Davis , NFDW
Legislative Chairperson, at Msjd@aol.com.
To learn more about the National Federation of Democratic Women, go to http://www.NFDW.COM.
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The Independence Day Tea Party will be held on July 4th at John
Marshall Park, just two blocks from the mall at the corner of 4th Street
and Constitution Avenue. The purpose of this event is to provide an
outlet for area citizens to exercise their right to protest wasteful
government spending, in the form of “Pork Projects” and the
inevitable high taxation that follows. The Tea Party movement is a
movement of the people, by the people, and is not affiliated with any
political party or candidate.
This grassroots movement has grown popularity after fifty tea parties
spontaneously erupted in late February, after Congress passed the
pork-filled stimulus package, followed by the earmark-filled omnibus
spending package, on April 15, over seven hundred fifty tax day tea
parties were attended by over 350,000 Americans.
Sign up for updates at http://teapartywdc.ning.com/. To find out more
information, contact Lisa Miller at TeapartyWDC@comcast.net
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