It would be a fair trade - shop DC, drink DC = vote DC

So I understand that the White House would like to have a Farmer's Market conveniently nearby. Perhaps Michele Obama wants to slip over to Vermont Avenue to squeeze the squashes, grip the grapes or even pinch the peaches. Well and good. Let's help her do that. But I think there should be some corresponding effort on their part, and I know just the thing...

How about some White House support for DC voting rights in exchange for the ANC's approval of the Farmer's Market? Not an unreasonable trade off, I think. If Michele wants to be The First Housewife, let her show that she's also our First Voter. This is DC's opportunity, folks – maybe our only one. So let's make the most of it!!

To get a Farmer's Market going on Vermont Avenue, so close to the White House that she could get there without having to cross any major streets, the local ANC has to give approval. Elected folks from DC at last have their votes mean something! WOW!! It may never happen again, so we better use this opportunity UP! We got 'em over the barrel for the first and probably only time in the whole century. Let's think fast, now.

Do we have veggies so lovely and so tasty we could trade them for voting rights to make us like the rest of the country, no longer just, dare I say it, ...a COLONY! There's some fine fennel oand beautiful basil at the Dupont Circle Farmers' Market, both the color of "GO 'on DC traffic lights (the ones that turn green for her whenever she comes through). How about some deeply flavored late tomatoes, precisely the same color as the red in the DC flag? That sounds pretty good to me.

Next comes the tricky part. Once we know what she REALLY wants to have for dinner AND what's fresh at her neighborhood Farmers' Market, we'll have to deny it to her until and unless she promises to give real, serious support for genuine home rule in DC! We finally have some juice, folks, and I can see voting rights coming straight our way.

Now let's take this issue to the next level, friends. If the ANC can get the White House chefs to speak up at the ANC Meeting in support of voting rights for DC, surely Congress is next! Isn't there a fine Farmer's Market right by the Natatorium just a few short blocks from the US Capitol?? For that matter, aren' t there a whole lot of watering holes right on Capitol Hill, places whose liquor licenses come up regularly before the Capitol Hill ANC? It's finally trading time, folks – veggies for votes! Beverages for ballots! Spirits for suffrage! Maybe we might start being full citizens AT LAST! We just never knew till now that we actually had tools we could use as leverage for full equality. Thank you, thank you, White house chefs! May your State Dinners ever be triumphs for DC voting rights!