DCist: Does Obama Support Statehood More than Most D.C. Voting Rights Activists?

citizenW

Sun, 14 Dec 2008 13:48:02 -0500

The "gold standard" for residents of the fifty states is that they get to grant (or withhold) their consent to how they are governed by voting for five national officeholders: President, Vice- President, an House Representative, and two Senators. That same right for DC denizens to vote for those five national offices, plus a substantial degree of DC autonomy (such as limiting the legislative authority of Congress over the District "in all cases whatsoever" to matters of compelling national interest, such as those that could garner super-majorities in both houses) would go a long way to meeting the bedrock principle that "just [ie, legitimate] power derives from the consent of the governed." Full statehood would not be essential if the above reforms were made (IMHO).

run_for_the_hills

Fri, 12 Dec 2008 11:21:01 -0500

A District by any other name would smell as sweet. it's an unpopular idea nationally, and Republicans would do everything in their power to stop it suck it, congressional minority

mlswanso3470

Thu, 11 Dec 2008 20:42:54 -0500

I'm probably the only DC resident who feels this way but I think that making DC 'just another one of the states' will take something away from the identity of the District. What will we be? The State of the District of Columbia? The State of Columbia? We sure can't be The State of Washington, that's already taken! I whole-heartedly feel we should have all proper and equal representation in government just like the states, but I think we should remain a neutral district as it was intended to be upon its founding. Becoming a state will reduce our standing as America's Capital and make us nothing more than the smallest state (in land size) and the jerks that made everyone buy a new US flag with 51 stars on it, just because we felt selfish. Give us voting representation, or let us out of Federal taxation, I'm all for that! I'm all for Congress keeping their big nose out of our business... but I'm NOT for completely uprooting the principle idea behind the DISTRICT of Columbia! We're not a state, we're better then a state, so let's act like it!