DC might FINALLY get a vote in Congress ... what do you think about this?

[Stinky The Clown]

I heard on WTOP news radio (DC's all news station) something about the Dems bringing a bill to the floor (where it will likely be passed) to give DC a vote in the House. Elenor Holmes Norton is DC's Rep, but she only has 'observer' status right now. She can't vote.

Do you favor allowing DC to have a vote in the House?

As a follow-up .... if they give DC a vote in the House, why not in the Senate, too? I don't know that I have ever heard anyone talk about DC getting a vote in the Senate, but it seems to me that if they get it in the House, they should also get it in the Senate. Maybe just give them one senator, not two.

Anyway, what does anyone else think about this?

(Personally, I am inclined to favor full statehood for DC, but that's another story and, honestly, is not high on my list of priorities, given all the other issues we're facing.)

[TechBear_Seattle]

1. I believe this would require amending the Constitution

The Constitution clearly says that only states are represented in Congress.

[Norquist Nemesis]

17. That's the rub and it's messy

It's a complicated and messy situation. It took me a while in my younger days to grasp that Washington D.C. was not part of the United States of America. That it's specifically NOT a part of it.

I agree they shouldn't be taxed without Representation; that seems patently Unconstitutional. But, they are representated, if nothing else, by simply their location. :shrug:

Out of curiosity, do the Virgin Islands get taxed (and others like them)?

[TechBear_Seattle]

21. US territories and protectorates have their own government

So the US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Guam, etc. are taxed by their own governments and not, technically, by the United States.

[Tom Joad]

2. The people of Washington DC should no longer be denied their full rights

Why not two senators?

[xxqqqzme]

3. either they get a vote or they are exempt from paying taxes.

It is an outrage that the citizens of DC have no voice in their government.

[Stinky The Clown]

9. That's kinda where this started and it is a viable option

Taxation without Representation is **exactly** the case that exists in DC and it is just flat wrong.

[SaveElmer]

4. I believe they should get the vote in the House..

I am inclined not to support statehood however. Though the population exceeds a couple of the smaller states, DC does not have a viable economy of its own...it is a city...

My preference would be for it to return to Maryland for voting purposes...with a guarantee that DC would always be its own Congressional District.

There have been proposals to redraw the boundaries of Washington DC the Cpaital to only include the grounds of federal buildings, making the rest part of Maryland. This may avoid any requirements of a change in the Constitution

[Stinky The Clown]

12. I've heard that option discussed and it has merit

As far as I know, when Sheaffer was governor, he actually made this an issue and tried to move it along. I should think Maryland would be happy to have DC (it was, in fact, origially a part of Maryland).

As to carving out the land that is currently occupied by federal buildings, that's not unreasonable, either. Kinda like Vatican City (I know .... not a perfect analogy).

Personally, I'd like there to be NO 'DC" anymore. Just tracts of land held in perpetuity by the Feds, but for which they pay rent genrally in line with commercial rates so as to support/replace the lost tax reveune such land represents. The cost would be more or less a wash for the current subsidy paid by the Feds to the DC government, but without the political bullshit strings attached to the subsidy.

[LTR]

5. Unfortunately, DC statehood will never happen

Unless they start voting Republican.

No way they'll allow two more guaranteed Dem Senate seats.

DC should be allowed to vote in the House. I thought their representative already could.

[SaveElmer]

8. No...

Democrats when in charge gave the DC representative a vote in the Committe of the Whole...which meant they could vote on certain procedural items and recommend passage of amendments...but could not vote on final passage of legislation!

[Ken Burch]

16. Weirdly enough the "Two more Democrat senators" arguement was used against Alaska statehood as well.

(Of course, starting in the Nixon years, there was a massive effort to both increase the militarist presence in our state and induce right-wing evangelicals to move up as well(North Pole and the "Railbelt", or the Anchorage suburbs, are teeming with them).

[LynneSin]

23. Exactly - two senators means two more democrats in the senate

I could feasibly see them allowing a member in the house since there are 400+ represenatives in DC and one wouldn't make too much of a mess in the balance. But if DC received statehood, you're talking about a region that votes like 80%+ democratic every election. Republicans would never allow that to happen

[bluescribbler]

6. Hell, yes!!!

No taxation without representation.:mad:

[stellanoir]

7. Like you it's not a huge priority but I always thought

it was rather absurdly pathetic that residents of the national capital had no representation in the legislative branch of government.

[Vidar]

10. Way overdue.

[Eugene]

11. Congress used to allow D.C. Reps in waiting to vote before the Repubs took over.

The GOP was howling mad about it.

I'd like to see D.C. statehood too, but I don't have a problem
with D.C. getting a vote in the meantime.

[beaconess]

13. It's an excellent step.

Right now, there isn't a push for a vote in the Senate because it won't happen and, rather letting the perfect be the enemy of the good, the DC residents and their supporters are fighting to get the House seat, which is within reach.

Once that's accomplished, the move will shift to getting Senate representation and eventually full statehood. But getting the House seat would be a tremendous victory.

By the way, this would not require a constitutional amendment.

For more info, check out www.dcvote.org - this site has lots of helpful information that should tell you everything you need.

[NEOhiodemocrat]

14. Goodness, they definitely should have a vote

Just think, they have to live in close proximity to these idiots! Bush, Cheney, Frisk, DeLay, Foley and on and on. Just the other day I was saying I think a lot of national officials get elected just so their state can get rid of them.

[LisaM]

15. Wouldn't just giving them one Congressional vote be a compromise?

You'd think the Republicans could live with it. What's the population of DC? Why shouldn't those people have a voice?

For years and years, I've thought that any child who grew up in DC should be afforded in-state tuition at any state institution in the country.

[journalist3072]

18. As a DC resident myself...

I am extremely pleased that we may finally get representation in the House.

We pay federal taxes jus like everyone else. Yet, we have no representation.

However, I am troubled that in this bill that would give us House representation, they are trying to give an extra Representative to Utah. Giving an extra seat to Utah should not be a part of this bill for DC.

Also, we need representation in the Senate as well.

[Ediacara]

19. I think DC should be reabsorbed into Maryland

at the time of the next census so that new legislative districts can be drawn WRT the city of Washington....

But then, that won't ever happen because that makes the most sense and doesn't require any absurd wrangling concerning vote swapping with Utah, odd numbers of Senators, and all sorts of other silliness....

[MrCoffee]

20. would they have to change the license plates?

[Stinky The Clown]

22. Heh! Do you remember when Clinton had those on his limo and Il Dunce had them removed?

One of his very first acts when he accomplished the coup. "Fuck You, DC" is how I read it.

[WildEyedLiberal]

24. Best plates in the country, hands down

[NMDemDist2]

25. I think it's about freaking time, too bad we have to give UTAH another

seat for "balance"

[David Zephyr]

26. Crossing my fingers. Hoping for this greatly.

I hope it is pushed by our Party.

[MasonJar]

27. I have never understood how we could deprive the people of D.C.

from having the right to vote.