E-bulletin - Issue III - March 16, 2005
Dear DC Vote Supporters:
In February 2005, DC Vote's staff worked harder than ever to plan, communicate and organize our supporters. Great events, like our Betty Rules benefit performance and our 'No Taxation Without Representation Day' are coming soon!
Use the links below to read about other DC Vote news that's important to you:
DC Natives 'Betty' to Hold Benefit Show for DC Vote
Ticket Price Now Only $25!
Join DC Vote this Thursday, March 17, at 7:00 pm for a fun-filled evening of music, humor, and celebration, as Betty (a band of three talented women with their roots in Washington, DC) give a benefit performance for DC Vote of their off-Broadway hit, Betty Rules.
Betty - Elizabeth Ziff, Alyson Palmer, and Amy Ziff
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE!
There's no place quite like DC, and no band quite like Betty!
Having dazzled the crowds in New York and Chicago with their voices, songs and comedy, this group of DC natives is coming home to the nation's capital. Betty, the trio, portray themselves in this tell-all tale of their rock-and-rollercoaster ride from a basement in suburban Washington, DC, to cult diva status.
Creating awareness of the movement to bring American democracy to America's capital, DC Vote is thrilled to have Betty among its supporters and is excited to share this evening with the DC community.
Join us this Thursday, March 17, 2005
Theatre J - 1529 16th Street, NW (at Q Street, NW)
Doors open at 7:00 pm
Performance starts at 7:30 pm
Dessert reception follows the performance
Tickets for this DC Vote benefit performance are now only $25.
PURCHASE TICKETS TODAY!
If you can't attend but want to support us, make a donation to DC Vote.
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National League of Cities Gives Focus to DC Voting Rights at Conference
The National League of Cities (NLC), a DC Vote coalition member, highlighted DC Vote and DC voting rights issues at their Congressional City Conference in Washington, DC, held March 11 through March 15, 2005.
Highlighting the movement, DC Mayor and NLC Chair Anthony Williams spoke at length about the issue and invited DC Vote to pass out educational and informational materials. In December 2004, the NLC passed a resolution supporting voting rights for DC in Congress.
"Here in Washington, DC, our soldiers can fight and die in wars, but they do not have a single vote in Congress to represent their views," Williams said. "Our residents pay some of the highest taxes in the nation, but they do not have a single vote in Congress."
"I urge all of you to consider this policy and adopt a resolution in your own cities and towns in support of this fundamental right," Williams said encouraging conference delegates for join the effort. Read Williams' remarks from the Opening General Session, March 13, 2005 (PDF 49 kb.)
The effort by Williams and DC Vote marks the first time the issue of DC voting rights was highlighted at a National League of Cities conference.
"People visit DC and have no idea that we don't have voting rights," said Kim Bassett, program director. "The conference was a great opportunity to educate city leaders from around the country about our issue and our efforts."
Read "Williams Argues for D.C. Vote In House", by Lori Montgomery, The Washington Post, March 15, 2005.
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DC Vote Meets with House and Senate Staffers
On February 25 and on March 11, DC Vote furthered its mission to educate Congress by hosting two luncheon meetings with congressional staff. Speaking about the history and the current status of the DC voting rights movement, Ilir Zherka explained the role Congress must play to bring democracy to the nation's capital.
"These luncheons gave DC Vote a great opportunity to carry our message to the Congress," Zherka said. "Creating relationships with decision-makers and their staff is the best way to take the movement for DC voting rights to the next level."
Building off of new momentum in Congress and in the media, DC Vote plans to launch its "Adopt-a-Member-of-Congress" program this spring. With this program, DC Vote will give volunteers and supporters opportunities to get more involved in the movement to bring democracy to America's capital. Dedicated DC Vote advocates will create working relationships with targeted members of Congress to move our issue to the forefront. Look for more information on this program soon.
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ANC 6B Invites DC Vote to Speak about Voting Representation
ANC 6B, representing the Capitol Hill, Eastern Market, and Barney Circle neighborhoods, invited Kim Bassett, program director, and Kevin Kiger, communications director, to speak about DC Vote and the DC voting rights movement. The meeting was held on Tuesday, March 8.
"Meeting with DC's Advisory Neighborhood Commissions is an important way of letting the people of DC know how they can get more involved with DC Vote," said Bassett. "As we help educate the DC community about voting representation, we see more and more people becoming engaged in our work."
If your ANC would like to invite DC Vote to speak, contact Kim Bassett at 202.462.6000 x13.
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'Taxation Without Representation Day'
DC Vote is declaring April 15, 2005, as 'Taxation Without Representation Day', and DC Vote staff and supporters will take to the streets to raise awareness about DC's status. Voting rights supporters will distribute thousands of stickers with the message "I'm Taxed Without Representation" to people at U.S. Post Offices and Metro stations.
"Democracy is an American birthright," said Kevin Kiger, communications director. "Each year, on April 15th, DC residents fulfill their responsibilities as Americans to the federal government. It's time for Congress to bring democracy to America's capital."
DC residents pay the second highest amount of federal taxes per capita in the nation. Also, according to the Social Security Administration, in 2001, DC residents paid a total of $1.44 billion in Social Security taxes.
For more information about getting involved on 'Taxation Without Representation Day', contact Zainab Akbar, program assistant at 202.462.6000 x16, or by email at zakbar@dcvote.org.
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New DC Vote Merchandise Now Available
DC Vote has brand new merchandise available for sale through our cafepress.com store! If you're looking for DC Vote shirts, hats, mugs, aprons, mugs, buttons, cards, or even boxer shorts, our online store has it all.
Here are some samples:
        
While there is debate about which new item is the best, many of us are excited about the 'Dog T-Shirt.'
Check out the DC Vote Online Store at http://www.cafepress.com/dc_vote. As always, the store is also accessible from the DC Vote main page by clicking on the 'Buy Our Merchandise' link.
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DC Vote Website Attracts Worldwide Audience
While the DC voting rights movement has notably picked up steam in the U.S., it has also expanded interest around the world. In 2004, DC Vote's website was viewed by people in 141 countries!
While the majority of visits came from the United States of America, people from countries like China, the Netherlands, Canada and the United Kingdom each viewed the site hundreds of times. The nations of South Korea, Germany, Poland, France and Australia rounded out the top ten.
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My DC Vote
Logon to My DC Vote from the left navigation bar on DC Vote's website and you will be able to manage your contact information, email subscriptions, and learn what's new since your last visit. DC Vote has also updated its membership and contribution page. Using My DC Vote makes it easier and more secure than ever to donate to DC Vote online. (All online transactions are handled by our secure server).
Signing up on our website is now easier than ever, and one of the keys to our success will be the ability to reach supporters across the country to ask them to help us end taxation without representation. We need all of our members and supporters to log in to My DC Vote to tell us where you are currently registered to vote; if you are a DC resident, you can tell us what Ward you are in; and, if applicable, you can tell us the state where you were registered to vote before moving to DC. DC Vote has a secure server and does not share its e-mail list or any information about voting registration with anyone.
It takes a great deal of resources to work on all these projects and stay engaged in all these activities. Please help DC Vote by making a donation today.
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