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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=jsteele][quote=Anonymous][quote=jsteele][quote=Anonymous]Jeff, I would appreciate your opinion, because I really can’t find enough on this and know you are a committed and it seems an informed supporter: what are the likely scenarios of winning the statehood?

What gets taken away?
What gets gained?
Can our economy support the state?
Etc.[/quote]

There are a lot of unknowns involved here. I personally believe that the most likely scenario for DC statehood is a simple Congressional vote. I think the impetus will be a realization among Democrats that the Senate is increasingly undemocratic and unrepresentative. Adding two senators for DC will rectify that to some extent.

What gets taken away are services for which the Federal government is currently responsible, most notably our court system. DC would have to pay for that. Presumably, some DC program such as DC TAG might lose support, but who knows?

What we gain is more control over our affairs. We are less vulnerable to federal government shutdowns, don't have to worry about our laws being overturned by Congress, and our governor will have control of the DC National Guard. Most importantly, we get two Senators and a House member.

Yes, our economy can support being a state. States with smaller populations are able to do so.
[/quote]

I’m sorry I just looked up the numbers, and posted on it plus added a video that I think tells the story, and I don’t think the numbers add up at all.
Maybe if we negotiate some magical deal with the federal government. But to go 5x down in GDP (as you said there are other states) with all of our problems and then also pay for the judiciary and a bunch of other things (the federal grants are a quarter of the revenue and some things are paid for directly). There’s no world in which this could work? I’d love to be set straight. Love. Truly. Because I want to support it.

My analysis is a 2 minute wiki google, so must be wrong. But? Can’t find any analysis at all saying otherwise

Instead I support, based on the evidence to date, turning DC into a fully privileged federal district and a tax haven. Where we all become rich and the city is a gorgeous haven. Highly doable with a smarter set of folks at the helm. This too would require a study first. [/quote]

I am not sure how you determined that our GDP would be reduced 5x. That makes no sense. Why would GDP decrease? We wouldn't be producing less.

You want Singapore. Do you really believe that "the world's greatest democracy" should have a tax-haven that is only affordable to the richest of the rich as its capital? Exactly why do you believe the same politicians that oppose statehood for DC would support making it a tax haven?

What is your proposal for the poor of DC who can't afford to live in your Singaporized DC?

[/quote]

No I don’t. I imagine DC as the first social utopia in the US. Mixed zoning. Affordable housing. Universal basic income, means tested. Free quality healthcare or universal coverage. Great schools. It’s been done. [/quote]

Denmark meets Zug on the Potomac. Lift every single resident up.[/quote]

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