The star of NBC’s Heroes Hayden Panettiere and U.S. “Shadow” Senator encourage DC taxpayers to “think inside the box” and support the DC Statehood Delegation Fund via their District of Columbia tax filings this year.You can see the video here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8dR7rqrEGA

Apparently she starting lobbying Strauss about the need to save the whales, and he was supportive but reminded her that he couldn’t vote. So she agreed to do this. She’s my hero!

If you don’t live in DC, but still want to help you can donate to the Free and Equal DC Fund here: https://secure.actblue.com/contribute/entity/18798

In case you haven’t heard yet, the U.S. Mint rejected the designs submitted by Mayor Fenty for the DC Quarter.

It’s frustrating that the U.S. Mint would outright reject the designs submitted by Mayor Fenty. If New Hampshire can have the slogan “Live Free or Die” on their quarter, I don’t see why the District can’t have “Taxation Without Representation”. Both slogans and ideals were fundamental in the founding of this nation — even if the promise of the latter is still being fought for in the District.

I’m glad we submitted those designs - the more opportunities to talk about this issue on a national scale, the better. Mayor submits designs, U.S. Mint rejects them, Mayor gets to tell everybody why, more people understand our situation in DC. Lather, rinse, repeat…the more times we can run through that cycle, the better!

What do you think?

This year’s winner of the DC Vote “Champion of Democracy” award, former Councilmember Hilda Mason has passed away at the age of 91. She was a true champion for securing full voting rights for the people of the District of Columbia and will be missed. Funeral services will be conducted by Cook & Minnis Funeral Home at Shiloh Baptist Church in Lynch Station, VA.

Hilda Howland M. Mason was born in Campbell County, Virginia, on June 14, 1916. She moved to the District of Columbia in 1945. Ms. Mason has been a teacher, counselor, supervising instructor, and an assistant principal in the District of Columbia Public Schools. She has authored research and professional studies and has served as an educational consultant and lecturer.

Ms. Mason served on the District of Columbia Board of Education representing Ward Four (an elected position) from January 1972 to April 1977, and she founded the Ward Four Council on Education. Ms. Mason was appointed to the Council of the District of Columbia on April 2, 1977, to fill the vacancy left by the death of Julius W. Hobson. She was elected in 1977 to completed the term and re-elected in 1978 for a full term.

Mrs. Mason has been re-elected to the Council in 1982, 1986, 1990, and most recently, in November 1994.

DC residents have always answered the call to join the Armed Forces to defend American democracy. The District of Columbia has lost daughters and sons in every American conflict, yet Washingtonians are denied representation in the Congress that sends our sons and daughters to war.

Veterans must play an important role in supporting congressional voting rights for all Americans, including the residents of the District of Columbia.

To learn more about how you can support DC voting rights, please contact Eugene D. Kinlow by phone at 202.462.6000 x13 or by e-mail at ekinlow@dcvote.org.

Click here to download an event flyer (PDF 62 kb).

Who:          Veterans from the District of Columbia, and their friends, family and colleagues who support democracy for all Americans

What:         Veterans Rally for DC Voting Rights

When:         Wednesday, November 7th from 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM

Where:         Dirksen Senate Office Building
Corner of Constitution Avenue, NE, and 1st Street, NE (map)
Metro: Union Station on the Red Line

A set back today as the DC Voting Rights Act only got 57 vote - 3 short of the 60 it needed in the cloture vote.

Here’s the Post Article.
D.C. Vote Bill Dies in Senate

I’m very upset that Democrat Max Baucus voted against it. I’m happy we got 8 Republicans to vote with us (Hatch, Bennett, Voinovich, Coleman, Snowe, Collins, Lugar, and Specter).

But you know who I’m going to work like hell to remove from the Senate? Mitch McConnell. He put the strong arm on a number of Senators who were going to vote with us, but changed their minds before the vote. We thought we had Smith. We thought we had Cochran. I hope everyone in this city will work with me to make sure we Ditch Mitch! I’ll have more information on this later. (link updated)

I have to thank DC Vote for all the work they’ve done. In my advocacy work on a number of issues, I’ve learned there talkers and there are do’ers. The group at DC Vote is a bunch of doers…and we’ll all be back an get it done.