Crazy that DC has 100K more people than Wyoming and has no congressional representation

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The crazier and more polarized our political scene gets, the less I can get on board with statehood for D.C. The idea of a state being able to effectively shut down the federal government if they don't like what's happening isn't a comforting one to me at the moment.

Huh? Why would DC statehood give DC this power? It wouldn't.

Right now Congress has a lot of power to overrule the decisions of the D.C. local government. Without that ability to overrule the local government, a state could decide to, for instance, shut down all roadways and pedestrian routes around the Capitol to keep Congress from convening to vote on legislation that's expected to pass but with which the local government disagrees.

So make the federal district smaller, and give proper representation to everyone in DC who lives outside of it.

Or stop collecting federal taxes.

[Anonymous]

Just saw this ad for DC statehood on the news the other day!
https://vimeo.com/187217539

[Anonymous]

Wah. DC functions pretty much exactly as the founders intended. And the citizens get so much more govt cheese back than they pay in. They should be thankful the feds prop up the local economy, because without them the city would have little reason to exist.

[Anonymous]

Of all the things in DC that need attention, this one just falls so low on my personal priority list. I simply cannot imagine the clowns we elect to run our city government being the leaders of an actual state.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wah. DC functions pretty much exactly as the founders intended. And the citizens get so much more govt cheese back than they pay in. They should be thankful the feds prop up the local economy, because without them the city would have little reason to exist.

You couldn't be more wrong.

http://dcist.com/2016/04/infuriating_tax_figure_time.php

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I hear you. I hate it. And I hate when people say "You can move." Such a facile solution to a real injustice. I would LOVE to see DC statehood in my lifetime.

Ha! Then the stewards of our tax money on the DC council (after making themselves a 'state legislature) can create duplicate state and municipal functions. Think of all of the jobs, patronage and sweetheart contracting opportunities for folks in "the community"! And of course, the DC mayor, excuse me, governor, would love to have the power to pardon criminal violations.

[Anonymous]

Just send the District back to Maryland. Then we can get to vote for Congress, a governor and a real state legislature. There's nothing wrong with DC being a city in Maryland. Moreover, it wouldn't change the national political balance much because Maryland tends to elect Dems to the Senate and in most of its House seats.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a Puerto Rican DC native, I ann keenly aware that colonialism is alive and well *today.* I would love to see DC statehood in my lifetime.

I'd love to see independence for Puerto Rico in my lifetime!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At least DC gets 3 electoral thanks to the 23rd amendment. That is one electoral vote per 200,000 people. I moved to California and there is one electoral vote per 678,000 people.

When you consider all of the convicted DC felons, it's more like one electoral vote for 50,000 DC voters!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yeah, the arguments are pretty flimsy. Pretty sure it has to do with the demographics. Sigh.

Oh, please. Welcome to the 21st century. The Barry era is way over, and "Chocolate City" has been melting for quite some time.

[Anonymous]

Could we give residents the option to pick another state as their voting district and vote absentee ballot?

[Anonymous]

How bout DC fixes it's joke of a city government and Justice system before reaching for statehood?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How bout DC fixes it's joke of a city government and Justice system before reaching for statehood?

DC's justice system is handled by US Attorneys, so you should look to them instead of blaming DC.

[Anonymous]

There's that whole "taxation without representation" thing....

Puerto Rico and other territories don't have representation. But, they also don't pay federal taxes.

The same should apply for DC.

Either give representation or give federal tax amnesty to DC residents.

Can't have it both ways without being hypocrites and a slap in the face to the founding fathers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The reason the Founders did what they did is just as valid today as it was then. The wanted the nation's capital to be hostage to the whole country and not a band of localized politicians.

It's 68 square miles. If you can't live with it, move.

I am fine with that. I just don't think we should pay federal income tax. Done!