What are your opinions on DC statehood? (1 Viewer)

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    Saintman2884

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    It has been an issue that has sort of been on the periphery of mainstream national political discussion for a couple of decades now, although possible Puerto Rican statehood has received more attention and garnered more traction past decade considering its still semi-limbo legal status between Commonwealth, state, or allowing them full independence?

    DC statehood question has become a main issue and I'm writing this thread to gauge or determine the feelings of MAP/SR members on here that live or work near D.C., Saint Terps, DaveXa are two notable examples. I believe a few other MAP/SR posters on here I'm not aware of at the moment are D.C. natives or work or live in the surrounding areas.

    Me, although right-leaning, have absolutely no problem with granting D.C. statehood as it would probably make the large, cumbersome complex bureaucracy of running the city, its infrastructure, various police forces, agencies a lot less difficult and I'm a big believer in smart, practical/pragmatic styled government that gets things done but doesn't interject itself too much into the equation if it doesn't have to unless under emergency situations or national disasters (terrorist attacks, God forbid another domestic Jan. 6 insurrectionist event/attempt, foreign biological/chemical/nuclear attack).

    Plus, I'd like to see how the new 51-star American flag would look considering if Washington D.C. becomes a state, it would be the first one admitted to the Union in over 60 years.
     
    Good article on this
    ===================

    ............While conservatives argue that the statehood effort is a "power grab" by national Democrats to muscle President Joe Biden's agenda through the Senate, the issue is bigger than the current political moment - the push for statehood has been going on for decades and once included Republican support.

    In 1961, the 23rd Amendment extended voting rights to District residents to vote in presidential electors and granted the District electors in the Electoral College.

    The late Sen. Barry Goldwater of Arizona, the 1964 GOP presidential nominee, and former president Richard Nixon supported DC statehood.

    "It should offend the democratic sense of this nation that the 850,000 citizens of its Capitol, comprising a population larger than 11 of its states, have no voice in the Congress," Nixon said to Congress in April 1969.

    It's a far cry from the mantra of most modern Republicans, who have criticized everything from the District's school system to its lack of an airport and even falsely claimed that the city lacks car dealerships as a rationale to deny statehood.

    Democratic Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, a prominent statehood supporter who has represented the District in Congress since 1991, can vote in committees and introduce legislation, but as a delegate she cannot vote on the final passage of House legislation.

    In a recent interview with Medium's GEN, Norton addresses the longtime sentiment that many Washingtonians have felt over generations of being relegated to second-class citizenship.

    "The District pays the highest federal taxes in the United States but doesn't have the same citizenship rights as people who pay far less in taxes," she said. "Nobody can deny that the residents of the District of Columbia were among the first citizens - the District of Columbia was formed before most of the states."..................

    DC statehood is not a 'power grab.' It's about full representation and respect. (msn.com)
     
    I'm in Maryland about 30 minutes outside DC

    Taxation without Representation is a longtime unofficial DC motto - it was even on the license plates

    Seems like the solution is to either stop taxing DC or give DC representation

    I am also....and I agree....
     
    I’m a DC resident. Here are my thoughts:
    1. Retrocession - Screw that; I’m not a Marylander. If we are merging states then ND/SD merge, WY gets carved between 4 states, and MS/AL merge because they are 49/50 in everything and no one will know the difference. NoVa was retroceded in 1847. Just doing the same for the rest of DC doesn’t fix the injustice.

    2. It’s so small - Size doesn’t matter. People vote not land. I don’t see anyone complaining about RI.

    3. It’s lacks population - DC has 705k people which is more than VT and WY. By 2040, DC will be more populated than VT, WY AK, RI, ND, and SD. By 2060, DC will likely be more populated than 10 states.

    4. Taxes - PR has no voting Rep/Sen and it’s residents doesn’t pay federal income taxes. DC residents have to pay this tax. If you want to treat DC residents like territorial citizens, then end federal income taxes for DC residents. This is a bridge solution until something better.

    Pretty much this. I still live in the metro area (Virginia side for those keeping count :hihi:) and used to live in DC proper. No taxation without representation is right. That needs to be fixed. Either make it state, or stop federal taxation of DC residents.
     
    DC should be a state, full stop. Denying that many people representation is criminal, and the only reason for the denial is political shenanigans.
     
    Well, it seems reasonable to me ? I mean... all those people don't currently have representation ? That seems.. unfair ?

    What are the arguments for NOT giving it statehood ? (or merging it with the surrounding states ? ).
     
    Well, it seems reasonable to me ? I mean... all those people don't currently have representation ? That seems.. unfair ?

    What are the arguments for NOT giving it statehood ? (or merging it with the surrounding states ? ).
    Democrats would get more votes and 50 is a nicer number than 51 or 52.
     
    Umm.. if the people in DC can't vote (did I get that right ? ), then we don't REALLY know HOW they will vote ??

    51 is a nice number. There was an area named after it :)
    Sure. Tell that to the Republicans.
     
    Which is 100% why they aren't a state. If it was majority white, they would be a state before the 2024 election.

    As stated by Tom Cotton last year...


    The new reason du jour... D.C. has no car dealerships (fact check: it does).

     
    Umm.. if the people in DC can't vote (did I get that right ? ), then we don't REALLY know HOW they will vote ??

    51 is a nice number. There was an area named after it :)
    DC residents can vote in the presidential election and have 3 electoral votes. We voted 93% for Biden and 5% Trump. DC does not have voting representation in the House or Senate. It has a single non-voting Rep who is currently chair of the Transportation Committee.

    DC is not a state because of several historical factors:
    • Section 8 of the Constitution established it as an enclave under control of the Congress - no government gives up control easily.
    • The 23rd Amendment (1961) established presidential electors for the District but not representation. Some believe it will take a Constitutional amendment to provide statehood due to Sec 8 and 23rd Amend.
    • DC has historically been majority black and is still majority non-white.
    • DC is a Dem stronghold.
    • Republicans leaders generally don’t care about voting rights or equal representation. It’s about power and an attitude of “I got mine so screw you” for them.
    DC’s demographics are rapidly changing. Today, the lack of representation is more about politics than race, IMO. Even if DC was majority white, it would still vote like most large urban areas. Republicans have zero political incentive to provide DC with voting Rep/Sen.
     
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    As alluded to by many above, a D.C. state would result in two additional Democrat Senators in perpetuity. There is no other reason why the GOP opposes it. However, there are a few decent constitutional arguments as to why D.C., specifically, can not be made a state. I think I mentioned them here before but can't recall the specific provisions off of the top of my head. As such, even if passed -- which it won't because now the filibuster is the hurdle for nearly every marginally partisan vote (never mind the fact the Founders never conceived of the filibuster) -- there is a good chance the Supreme Court strikes it down.

    An amusing take I found from the Washington Post:

     
    As alluded to by many above, a D.C. state would result in two additional Democrat Senators in perpetuity. There is no other reason why the GOP opposes it. However, there are a few decent constitutional arguments as to why D.C., specifically, can not be made a state. I think I mentioned them here before but can't recall the specific provisions off of the top of my head. As such, even if passed -- which it won't because now the filibuster is the hurdle for nearly every marginally partisan vote (never mind the fact the Founders never conceived of the filibuster) -- there is a good chance the Supreme Court strikes it down.

    An amusing take I found from the Washington Post:

    I think the issue to making DC a state is the filibuster and moderate Dems. Congress can redefine the outline of the District to 2sqmi. The remaining territory would become the 51st state. It won’t take a constitutional amendment. It would however give DC and 51st a new total of 6 electoral votes because of the 23rd amendment. The problem is the filibuster which Ds lack the Dem votes to end. Also Manchin, Sinema, King, and one more have said they won’t support statehood.

    There are 4 options: statehood, retrocession, ending federal income taxes, or continued taxation with representation.

    The easiest improvement is ending federal income taxes. I can’t see how Norquist and Rs don’t just swell at the thought.

    The median individual income in DC is $49,500 which results in $4255 in taxes. At 80k, that would be $10,662 in taxes. You have a large population of black, brown, and immigrants who own property in DC that would see instant wealth from rising property values and long term benefits from the lower taxes.

    DC pays 20B in federal taxes while receiving 3B. There are 8 states (MS, LA, SD, NM, AL, WV, MT, VT) all have a as much or a higher federal funds to state/local revenue ratio than DC.
     
    Republicans will never let either happen.
    Too many black people in DC and too many brown people in PR.
    DING DING...

    We have a winner.

    Anyone buying the "constitutionality" argument spewed by Republicans is blind. They're pushing for an apartheid state. No way they're gonna willingly let more non-white folks get a seat at the table.

    Demographics are changing 400 years of white, protestant rule - and they aint happy.
     

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