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Entry bubble Kids in the White House

By: Nancy | January 15, 2009 | Category: Home and Family

Just two streets from Gov Gab Headquarters, they're making a lot of preparations to welcome the new kids on the block.

By this time next week, Malia and Sasha Obama will have joined the exclusive list of kids who have called the White House "home." And while they won't be as little as John John and Caroline Kennedy, who danced at their daddy's feet in the Oval Office, or as mature as the college-bound Bush twins when they moved onto Pennsylvania Avenue, at seven and 10, the Obama girls are the perfect age for Kids.gov.

the Obama family

See, I'm figuring that among the bikes and stuffed animals that will be carted into the Executive Mansion over the next week, there will probably be a computer or two for the girls as well. And like every school kid, they'll have reports to write about art or astronauts, the 50 states or the environment and "going green." They'll definitely be curious about the news for kids that's coming right out of their new home. And they're going to want to take a break, kick back and play a few games.

Malia and Sasha may not be inheriting Amy Carter's tree house or Tad Lincoln's pet goats when they move into the Executive Mansion. But they will be the first "First Kids" who'll grow up online in the White House, learning about the country their dad leads, and the great stuff that the government has for them—and for every kid—online, from Kids.gov.

| Post a Comment | View Comments [0] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: change   kids.gov   nancy   obama   president  

 

Entry bubble Presidential Transition and Inauguration

By: Jake | November 10, 2008 | Category: General

Washington Swearing in

The U.S. Presidential Transition is under way as the federal government gets ready for President-Elect Barack Obama's move into the White House on January 20.

GSA handed over the presidential transition office near the Verizon Center to Obama's transition staff last week. Obama will start choosing his Cabinet, and his staff will start meeting with government leaders to learn about current programs. For progress on Obama's presidential transition like Cabinet appointments you can go to his Change.gov website. Obama has a blog there, as well as a place where you can apply for non-career jobs in his administration (see Nancy's post about career jobs).

While Obama gets ready to take office, the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies prepares for his inauguration. The inauguration will be Tuesday, January 20th, just by chance the day after Martin Luther King Jr. Day, but fitting nonetheless.

There's no hotter ticket in town than one for Obama's inauguration. To get a ticket you have to contact your Senator or Representative of the 111th Congress. Realize though the 110th Congress will be in session until early January, so if your current Representative or Senator is leaving office after this current term, you will have to contact your newly-elected member. Tickets will be handed out the week before inauguration and have to be picked up in person. Tickets are free, so beware, anyone who claims to have tickets for sale is probably trying to scam you.

If you can't get a ticket, you should still be able to "be there" by going to the National Mall on Inauguration Day. There will also be other events, like the parade, that you can attend. We here at Gov Gab have been kicking around the idea of live blogging on Inauguration Day. Please let us know in the comments what you would be interested in reading about on Inauguration Day.

| Post a Comment | View Comments [3] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: biden   inauguration   jake   obama   president   president_elect   presidential_transition  

 

Entry bubble Get Out and Vote!

By: Joanne | November 04, 2008 | Category: General

voteYou know that it’s Election Day, right? I assume you’ve been getting as many political mailings and phone calls as I have so I don’t know how you could miss it.

Did you vote yet? Are you planning to vote? I would have voted already if I lived in a state that provided for early voting, but I don’t. I’m going to vote during my lunch break today. I always look forward to voting, even if sometimes it doesn’t end up the way I want it to. At least I try and I don’t leave these important decisions up to everyone else.

I hope you’re going to vote today. I’m counting on all you highly intelligent readers of the GovGab blog to weigh in on the future of our country. If you’re not sure if your polling place is still open, check on its hours because they vary from state to state.

If you go out to vote and feel that you’ve been discriminated against or witness voter fraud, there’s something you can do about it. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 protects every American against racial discrimination in voting. The law also protects the voting rights of people with limited English skills.

If you have information about voter fraud, you should contact the nearest office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) or your local U.S. Attorney’s office or the Public Integrity Section of the Criminal Division of the U.S. Department of Justice.

If you know of activities that intimidate, coerce, threaten, or oppress voters based on race, color, religion, or national origin, report it to the Criminal Section of the U.S. Department of Justice.

Now get out and vote!

| View Comments [3] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: congress   democrat   election   house   joanne   place   polling   president   republican   senate   vote  

 

Entry bubble Latest Presidential $1 Coin Debuts

By: Stephanie | August 13, 2008 | Category: Money

Jackson presidential $1 coin

Have you seen any of the presidential $1 coins in your change? The U.S. Mint has issued more than one billion of these coins since February 2007. The coins are issued in the order the presidents served, beginning with George Washington, and four coins come out each year.

Tomorrow the seventh presidential $1 coin makes its debut: Andrew Jackson’s. As a boy, Jackson fought in the Revolutionary War, and later gained national prominence as a hero of the War of 1812, when his troops defeated the British at New Orleans. Jackson was nicknamed "Old Hickory" for his firm discipline as a commander, and he once killed a man in a duel over his honor. He served two terms in office as president from 1829 to 1837.

Tomorrow’s ceremony issuing the new presidential $1 coin will be held at Jackson’s home, The Hermitage, near Nashville, Tennessee. The public is invited for free, and can exchange dollar bills for Andrew Jackson presidential $1 coins.

Along with the Presidential $1 coins, the U.S. Mint also is issuing gold collectible coins of the first ladies. But since Jackson’s wife, Rachel, died just a few months before his inauguration, the First Spouse gold coin representing his presidency features Liberty as depicted on a U.S. coin during his time in office.

Contact your bank to find out if it has the presidential $1 coins. See the coin designs (including the upcoming eighth coin), and read a citizens committee's design recommendations to the Secretary of the Treasury. For more information on new currency, visit USA.gov’s Currency and Economy page and FAQ on new dollar designs. Finally, for a little fun, unwind with some online coin-doku.

Have you seen any of the presidential $1 coins in circulation? Are you collecting them?

| View Comments [7] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: andrew_jackson   bank   coin   collecting   currency   mint   money   numismatist   president   presidential_$1_coin   stephanie  

 

Entry bubble Play Ball!

By: Colleen | April 02, 2008 | Category: Fun

Monday kicked off my favorite time of the year as a sports fan. It was Opening Day at Citizens Bank Park. baseball

Although the Phils dropped the home opener, it does nothing to diminish my excitement that baseball season is here.

Baseball is my favorite sport to watch in person (followed closely by college basketball and NFL football. On TV my favs are: college basketball, NFL football, college football, and then baseball...the differences in these two lists call for a another post entirely.)

Few things in life beat sitting in the warm sunshine on a clear afternoon with your friends and a hot dog, watching your favorite player crush a home run and your team ultimately winning the game.

Baseball has long been known as our "national pastime" and plays an important role in American history.

  • Each year, the President throws out the first pitch of the World Series
  • Franklin Roosevelt urged MLB to continue play during World War II to boost the spirit of the American people and to show resiliency
  • April 15, 2004 marked the first Jackie Robinson Day. This annual tradition serves as a reminder of when Jackie broke the color barrier—not just sending a message in sports, but society as well.
  • In the spring of 2001, President Bush opened the South Lawn of the White House for kids to play t-ball, keeping in the tradition of the "people's house."

Warm up your vocals and get ready to sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame," baseball is back!

| View Comments [3] | envelope E-mail This Entry | Tags: baseball   colleen   national   pastime   president   series   sports   world  

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