With a cabal in the White House that will do anything for politics, such as making war unilaterally, is it a surprise that giving a vote to the U.S. citizens of the District of Columbia will be opposed?
The District is overwhelmingly Democratic. It is also a community of those public servants that keep our national government afloat, and as old as or older than most of the country. Originally, a portion of the Constitution was given over to outlining the powers of Congress to govern the District without its consent.
A bill before the Congress would give District residents the vote. It is a right that all of those who live in the other states, even those not contiguous ones like Hawaii and Alaska, think they have a right to as U.S. citizens. Do you begin to feel the anomoly that those closest to our national government can't exercise a basic right of citizenship?
The White House thinks that's fine.
"The Constitution specifies that 'only people of the several states' elect representatives to the House," said White House spokesman Alex Conant. "And D.C. is not a state."
Remember, this is the same quaint document that doesn't provide protection from torture, or violation of international agreements such as the Geneva conventions. The war criminals using our basic rule of law, that they consider a nuisance when it comes to unitary executive powers, is beyond cynical. It is irrational even to such disrespectors of the rule of law as corporate champion Ken Starr (presently deeply involved in overturn of Sarbanes/Oxley protections for investors) and patriot act architect Viet D. Dinh.
As noted, the quibble the war criminals would use to exclude a large voting block of Democrats is a word game. Constitutional questions were certainly raised in the bill our cretin in chief signed outlawing 'partial birth abortion' which isn't even an actual medical practice. That same C-i-C has no problem with allowing D.C. residents to serve in the armed forces and die for the country that doesn't give them the vote.
As usual, political game playing dominates what passes for policies of this maladministration. I wonder if the district residents now providing power, sewer and water line access and, say, street sweeping services to the White House, might consider that they are feeling a little queasy this morning and can let the invaders take care of their own necessities ... wouldn't that be sweet?
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DC Voting Rights
For once the White House got something right. DC is not a state! The District of Columbia was formed as the Capitol seat of these United States only. Back in early days of this Nation, owing to the length of travel, those who served our government resided in the District. Today there is absolutely no reason for the district to be as large as it is, what land is not required for federal buildings should be given back to Maryland, or Virginia. And with it, those who live on that land would have full voting rights as residents of the respective state. The matter is not a partisan political issue at all, but a common sense constitutional issue.
there is also something in our founding documents about
"taxation without representation." living in the district, you pay some pretty hefty taxes. as xan points out, DC residents can fight and die in the war, and feel the effects of federal gov't decisions in a hundred other ways as well.
it's loooooooong past time to find a solution to the problem of being without representation in DC. ruth, one thing you didn't add to this post: race. DC has a large black population, a mostly black local government, and plenty of other nonwhite folks living, working, and running the government (even if you only see their white bosses on TV).
that is the reason that DC doesn't have representation. b/c who really cares if black folk are allowed to vote? not just in DC, very few white people.
I think if you look at the maps of DC
from its original formation until the present day, Jim, you will note that the Virginia portion of what was originally a square district, was long since given back to the state from whence it came. (The original boundary stones from the 1792 survey of the district are in many cases still in place and people make a hobby of finding and visiting all of them. Let us contemplate the reaction today of telling residents of northern Virginia, including Arlington, Georgetown and areas as far out as Falls Church, that, oopsie! You can no longer vote and have no representatives in the Senate or House. Yeah, right. This should be amusing.)
Personally I see no reason whatever not to give voting rights for those who live in the remaining portion back to Maryland. DC can keep its current boundaries for municipal functions just like any other city, and the agencies of the Federal government retain overlapping jurisdiction (like the umpty-leven police agencies, Secret Service, etc., which fight over turf on an ongoing basis) as they do today. States Rights fans should particularly approve and fight vociferously for this change as it is mostly Maryland getting fucked by the present arrangement. Along with the citizens of DC of course.
And the original post here was by Ruth, not me. This is not to be considered a spanking, CD, although if you would like to discuss such a concept...um, er, did I say that out loud? :)
sorry, xan, ruth, woman creature, whomever you are
unfortunately, i am unable to fully concentrate on exciting topics like voting rights and spanking, because there are small furry and fuzzy creatures constantly flitting into my workspace demanding that i "look at the pirate car!"
you are all woman, and that's what counts.
Not forgotten, ChiDyke
..just not thrown into this equation. If you look at NW DC, Capitol Hill, Georgetown, Foggy Bottom and downtown residential areas, you will find an incredibly affluent and educated population that is far from predominantly black. You will be even more unhappy if you look at the income figures, as balance is wildly off there - the poorer the area, the darker the complexion. Anacostia is, while somewhat mixed as to race, a very depressed area.
I think it is more the voting patterns than race that keep the District from being given the right to representation.
Xan, very nice sketch, and wasn't what is now Arlington Cemetery part of Virginia's gift to D.C., back when Robert E. Lee's wife's family owned it?
If you start carving up the District, I fear for the tax base to support roads, schools, sewer etc. Ruth
Ruth