Coin Tossed
By Tom Shoop | Thursday, February 28, 2008 | 10:20 AM
By Tom Shoop | Thursday, February 28, 2008 | 10:20 AM
Well, it was worth a shot. When District of Columbia officials filed their application with the U.S. Mint for a design for a commemorative quarter, they made a couple of suggestions for inscriptions on the coin: "No Taxation Without Representation" and "Taxation Without Representation." Those refer, of course, to the District's lack of full representation in Congress.
Setting aside the fact that the two suggestions are diametrically opposite statements, Mint officials quickly rejected the suggestions for another reason, the Washington Post reports: They violated the agency's policy against controversial slogans on commemorative coins.
"Changing how the District of Columbia . . . is represented in Congress is a contemporary political issue on which there presently is no national consensus and over which reasonable minds differ," Mint officials said.
So what's the District suggesting as an alternative? "Justicia omnibus" -- that is, "justice for all." Given that it's Washington, it does seem fitting to get the word "omnibus" in there.
Comments
Why don't they just put "Taxation without Representation " on one side and "No Taxation without Representation" on the other side of the same coin? then everyone would be happy. Probably some would say that "justicia omnibus" is also controversial...
Kay | Friday, February 29, 2008 | 05:07 PMWhy don't they just put "Taxation without Representation " on one side and "No Taxation without Representation" on the other side of the same coin? then everyone would be happy. Probably some would say that "justicia omnibus" is also controversial...
Kay | Friday, February 29, 2008 | 05:07 PMDoesn't anyone else see the irony here. The "controversial" slogan points out the lack of representation that is afforded states. The slogan was proposed for a STATE COIN, not a District Coin!
Ironical | Friday, February 29, 2008 | 11:56 AMEveryone choosing to live in D.C. knew the congressional representation situation when they made their decision. It was documented in the constitution 200+ years ago. Move to Maryland or Virginia if you want to vote for senators. Otherwise, quite whining.
How about a compromise?:
- The District gives up its seat in the House of Representatives
- The Mint gives them "Taxation without Representation"
otherwise, the slogan isn't really true.....
tlj | Friday, February 29, 2008 | 11:36 AMThe District should quit whining-if they are serious about "Representation" they should petition to be returned to Maryland-just like the portion of the District south of the Potomac was seded back to Virginia. The truth is the District wants the power of 2 Senators! They are the Capital of our Nation and should just get over it-the waste and corruption in DC is without equal-until they show responisibility and ability they do not deserve statehood and Maryland will not even want them back!!!
cam | Friday, February 29, 2008 | 08:48 AMTo borrow one from Mayor Barry: outside of all the activists constantly whining about it, DC congressional representation has one of the lowest controversy rates in the country.
Happy Fed | Friday, February 29, 2008 | 07:48 AMWhy is it the DC people I see trotting out the motto "No Taxation Without Representation" always want the representation? Wouldn't they be just as happy to do away with the taxation?
Maybe they should consider Guam's dispensation, where I think their government gets federally imposed taxes that would otherwise go to the US Treasury. Seeing how DC officials complain about money, I wonder why they don't aim for this rather than jockeying for representation with the likes of as Vermont and North Dakota.
Garrett Schmitt | Thursday, February 28, 2008 | 08:21 PM"Controversy" implies dispute--but no one is arguing that DC residents have equal representation in Congress. The FACT that we are taxed without representation cannot be disputed, and the phrase itself is not suggesting any change. Simply stating a fact is not controversial.
"Taxation without representation" is a historic, educational, and uncontroversial phrase. It's also much more reserved than "Live free or die," which was approved for New Hampshire’s design.
Rejecting DC's designs due to "controversy" is inappropriate and unfair. This decision should be disputed! Why bother to submit the designs if we're not willing to defend them? It's disappointing to see Mayor Fenty cave-in so easily.
One day DC will have equal representation, but it will require many determined efforts--including using the phrase in designs such as the commemorative quarter, and explaining and defending its use when it's questioned.
Until we get equal representation (and relief from Congressional and federal meddling in our local affairs that states don’t suffer), perhaps we should use another local phrase to explain how we Feel Like...
"BUSTIN' LOOSE" (as in the song by Chuck Brown)
how about "corruption without Equal"
dan ketter | Thursday, February 28, 2008 | 06:47 PMABOUT THIS BLOG
Government Executive Editor Tom Shoop takes a look at news and events affecting the federal bureaucracy, from the perspective of a longtime observer of government.
feedARCHIVES
- August 2008
- July 2008
- June 2008
- May 2008
- April 2008
- March 2008
- February 2008
- January 2008
- December 2007
- November 2007
- October 2007
- September 2007
- August 2007
- July 2007
- June 2007
- May 2007
- April 2007
- March 2007
- February 2007
- January 2007
- December 2006
- November 2006
- October 2006
- September 2006
- August 2006
- July 2006
- June 2006
- May 2006
- April 2006
- March 2006
- February 2006
- January 2006
- December 2005
- November 2005
- October 2005
- September 2005
- August 2005
- July 2005
- June 2005
- May 2005
- April 2005
- March 2005
- February 2005
- January 2005
- December 2004
- November 2004
- October 2004
CATEGORIES
- Budget
- Comings and Goings
- Congress
- Defense
- Factoid of the Day
- Fedblog
- General News
- Government Operations
- Headline of the Day
- Homeland Security
- Intelligence
- Management
- Oversight
- Pay and Benefits
- Photo of the Day
- Political Appointees
- Press Release of the Day
- Procurement
- Quote of the Day
- The White House
- The Workforce
- The Workplace