Senators call for DC as 51st state

[MDM4AU 332]

http://thehill.com/regulation/legislation/246170-bernie-sanders-joins-push-for-dc-statehood

Interesting. I know the constitution calls for a federal district but why is this? What was the thought behind doing that? Either I never learned this in school or I have just forgotten all the details. What are your thoughts on DC becoming a state?

[AUDub 11,147]

http://thehill.com/r...or-dc-statehood

Interesting. I know the constitution calls for a federal district but why is this? What was the thought behind doing that? Either I never learned this in school or I have just forgotten all the details. What are your thoughts on DC becoming a state?

It would mean two more Democrat Senators

Don't really approve. I'd say make Puerto Rico a state, though.

[Proud Tiger 4,261]

Dems have long licked their chops for having DC as a state. It would be a lock for them forever.

[aujeff11 6,243]

I heard before that the residents of DC often complain that they don't receive or are not eligible for the full array of benefits that the 50 states receive.

I'm not sure how accurate that statement is though.

[AURaptor 1,122]

Only the US Supreme Court can say If DC is a state or not.

[80Tiger 899]

Only the US Supreme Court can say If DC is a state or not.

Especially if there is some wording that specifically says that it cannot be a state. That means the Supreme Court interpret that however they want.

[channonc 466]

I heard before that the residents of DC often complain that they don't receive or are not eligible for the full array of benefits that the 50 states receive.

I'm not sure how accurate that statement is though.

I live in NoVA and work in DC. Here's the deal: DC was formed by land donated by both MD and VA to form a federal city. The city would be completely in control of the federal government and therefore giving them voting rights in the legislature would be akin to letting the government vote for itself. Shortly before the Civil War, Alexandria petitioned VA to take back the land it had given for DC in order to protect the slave trade vital to Alexandria at the time. VA did take back their land leaving DC only the land MD gave it.

As for today, there are a little more than 600K permanent residents of DC. While they can vote for President and in their local elections (DC city council, mayor, etc.) They have no representation in Congress. On top of that, much of their funding still comes from the federal government. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government and the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government incorporate the federal funding for DC into their respective appropriations bills every year. The President includes DC funding in the Administration's budget requests. The federal government still has a pretty heavy hand in how the city operates, and can basically override local laws by tying it directly to their funding. Many DC residents say that the federal government has such a heavy hand in how their city operates, but that the citizens have no votes in Congress to express their opinions.

The Sanders bill would keep heavy federal control with respect to the WH (the President would not be a resident of DC, for example) and the Capitol and other federal buildings and leave the rest to be a state. Honestly, I don't really have a hard opinion on this one, but the many friends of mine who live in DC have a very strong opinion that they are taxed without representation. I think its a fair argument to make.

[TexasTiger 12,835]

I heard before that the residents of DC often complain that they don't receive or are not eligible for the full array of benefits that the 50 states receive.

I'm not sure how accurate that statement is though.

I live in NoVA and work in DC. Here's the deal: DC was formed by land donated by both MD and VA to form a federal city. The city would be completely in control of the federal government and therefore giving them voting rights in the legislature would be akin to letting the government vote for itself. Shortly before the Civil War, Alexandria petitioned VA to take back the land it had given for DC in order to protect the slave trade vital to Alexandria at the time. VA did take back their land leaving DC only the land MD gave it.

As for today, there are a little more than 600K permanent residents of DC. While they can vote for President and in their local elections (DC city council, mayor, etc.) They have no representation in Congress. On top of that, much of their funding still comes from the federal government. Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government and the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government incorporate the federal funding for DC into their respective appropriations bills every year. The President includes DC funding in the Administration's budget requests. The federal government still has a pretty heavy hand in how the city operates, and can basically override local laws by tying it directly to their funding. Many DC residents say that the federal government has such a heavy hand in how their city operates, but that the citizens have no votes in Congress to express their opinions.

The Sanders bill would keep heavy federal control with respect to the WH (the President would not be a resident of DC, for example) and the Capitol and other federal buildings and leave the rest to be a state. Honestly, I don't really have a hard opinion on this one, but the many friends of mine who live in DC have a very strong opinion that they are taxed without representation. I think its a fair argument to make.

I think it makes sense to carve out the federal bldgs/monuments, ie, shrink the size of the federal distinct referenced in the Constitution and extend representation to the citizenry that live in the areas surrounding the federal bldgs.

[Proud Tiger 4,261]

If you look at a map of the fed locations in DC carving them out would leave a nightmare.

[RunInRed 16,402]

You guys nailed it. The issue is taxation without representation ... imagine if you were on of those citizens. You would be screaming holy hell and rightly so. Now, whether statehood is the best solution, that I'm not sure of ...

[WarTim 3,456]

Only the US Supreme Court can say If DC is a state or not.

Especially if there is some wording that specifically says that it cannot be a state. That means the Supreme Court interpret that however they want.

Too funny and SO very true !!!

[AU_Tiger_88 417]

I for one don't like it. It was never meant to be a state for a reason. If they want to have taxation with representation....move to either MD or VA. So for those folks who want them to be a state and give them TWO Senators and at least ONE to TWO Reps in Congress...you are talking about a City in your state having the voting right in congress of your entire STATE! Really? DC was meant to be a place for Federal Gov and never intended to be a state. If you move to the city you are moving knowing that you DO NOT HAVE representation in congress except for a non-voting member. You moved there and now want to change the rules? That is like saying, I moved next to an Airport and now want the Airplanes to stop flying by my house because of the noise....this is BS. Puerto Rico has had many chances to become a state but voted NO each time.

[TexasTiger 12,835]

I for one don't like it. It was never meant to be a state for a reason. If they want to have taxation with representation....move to either MD or VA. So for those folks who want them to be a state and give them TWO Senators and at least ONE to TWO Reps in Congress...you are talking about a City in your state having the voting right in congress of your entire STATE! Really? DC was meant to be a place for Federal Gov and never intended to be a state. If you move to the city you are moving knowing that you DO NOT HAVE representation in congress except for a non-voting member. You moved there and now want to change the rules? That is like saying, I moved next to an Airport and now want the Airplanes to stop flying by my house because of the noise....this is BS. Puerto Rico has had many chances to become a state but voted NO each time.

DC has more residents than WY and VT.

[AURaptor 1,122]

Only the US Supreme Court can say If DC is a state or not.

Especially if there is some wording that specifically says that it cannot be a state. That means the Supreme Court interpret that however they want.

Bingo.

[channonc 466]

I for one don't like it. It was never meant to be a state for a reason. If they want to have taxation with representation....move to either MD or VA. So for those folks who want them to be a state and give them TWO Senators and at least ONE to TWO Reps in Congress...you are talking about a City in your state having the voting right in congress of your entire STATE! Really? DC was meant to be a place for Federal Gov and never intended to be a state. If you move to the city you are moving knowing that you DO NOT HAVE representation in congress except for a non-voting member. You moved there and now want to change the rules? That is like saying, I moved next to an Airport and now want the Airplanes to stop flying by my house because of the noise....this is BS. Puerto Rico has had many chances to become a state but voted NO each time.

But DC residents have never even been given the chance to vote, unlike Puerto Rico. And, people should move? really? That's not a realistic solution.

[TexasTiger 12,835]

Only the US Supreme Court can say If DC is a state or not.

Especially if there is some wording that specifically says that it cannot be a state. That means the Supreme Court interpret that however they want.

Bingo.

Actually, the details of the federal district aren't that specific-- it can be smaller.

[Proud Tiger 4,261]

TexT, having worked in DC for 5 years, I can tell you there are fed buildings all over the district, some not even open to the public. How do you squeeze them into a smaller district?

As far as taxation w/o representation, don't have the stats but I bet the DC residents get more money back from the fed gov't per capital in benefits, services. etc, than any of the states.

There are other reasons not to make DC a state but no need for me to debate it I just oppose it.

[TexasTiger 12,835]

TexT, having worked in DC for 5 years, I can tell you there are fed buildings all over the district, some not even open to the public. How do you squeeze them into a smaller district?

As far as taxation w/o representation, don't have the stats but I bet the DC residents get more money back from the fed gov't per capital in benefits, services. etc, than any of the states.

There are other reasons not to make DC a state but no need for me to debate it I just oppose it.

Most southern states get more back from the Feds than they pay, but they have representation.

[Proud Tiger 4,261]

But do they get more back than current DC residents?

[AU_Tiger_88 417]

I for one don't like it. It was never meant to be a state for a reason. If they want to have taxation with representation....move to either MD or VA. So for those folks who want them to be a state and give them TWO Senators and at least ONE to TWO Reps in Congress...you are talking about a City in your state having the voting right in congress of your entire STATE! Really? DC was meant to be a place for Federal Gov and never intended to be a state. If you move to the city you are moving knowing that you DO NOT HAVE representation in congress except for a non-voting member. You moved there and now want to change the rules? That is like saying, I moved next to an Airport and now want the Airplanes to stop flying by my house because of the noise....this is BS. Puerto Rico has had many chances to become a state but voted NO each time.

But DC residents have never even been given the chance to vote, unlike Puerto Rico. And, people should move? really? That's not a realistic solution.

They knew that moving into the district and not all of the people living in DC are residents of DC they have houses in other areas and vote in those areas. DC shouldn't have the chance to vote. If they do succeed then they shouldn't get the same amount of money from the Feds as they do now but proportionate to the other states which they will see as as a lot less. They would also have to raise their taxes, etc...so that they can maintain all of the other systems.

DC was created so that the capital wasn't located in any state. Now if they want to be a state then DC should go back to MD minus the Gov Buildings etc...that would solve that problem.

[TexasTiger 12,835]

But do they get more back than current DC residents?

DC is close to even:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_taxation_and_spending_by_state

Several states take more.

[channonc 466]

I for one don't like it. It was never meant to be a state for a reason. If they want to have taxation with representation....move to either MD or VA. So for those folks who want them to be a state and give them TWO Senators and at least ONE to TWO Reps in Congress...you are talking about a City in your state having the voting right in congress of your entire STATE! Really? DC was meant to be a place for Federal Gov and never intended to be a state. If you move to the city you are moving knowing that you DO NOT HAVE representation in congress except for a non-voting member. You moved there and now want to change the rules? That is like saying, I moved next to an Airport and now want the Airplanes to stop flying by my house because of the noise....this is BS. Puerto Rico has had many chances to become a state but voted NO each time.

But DC residents have never even been given the chance to vote, unlike Puerto Rico. And, people should move? really? That's not a realistic solution.

They knew that moving into the district and not all of the people living in DC are residents of DC they have houses in other areas and vote in those areas. DC shouldn't have the chance to vote. If they do succeed then they shouldn't get the same amount of money from the Feds as they do now but proportionate to the other states which they will see as as a lot less. They would also have to raise their taxes, etc...so that they can maintain all of the other systems.

DC was created so that the capital wasn't located in any state. Now if they want to be a state then DC should go back to MD minus the Gov Buildings etc...that would solve that problem.

My husband's whole family were DC residents for generations. And actually, there are a lot of people who live here who have nothing to do with the government, they have everyday jobs and households. Politicians do often have houses in their home states, and that's where they vote, etc. But those are much fewer in number then the people who are residents of DC.

[autigeremt 6,599]

I think we can have municipal authorities in DC without statehood. Doesn't DC have a mayor, police force, etc.?

Statehood isn't the answer. The Feds need to give the city more autonomy and let them have representation. We all know why Sanders wants two more Democrats in the Senate and a few more in the House.

[TexasTiger 12,835]

I doubt the founders ever foresaw a population with the district that exceeded some states.

[AURaptor 1,122]

...or a murder rate that exceeded that of most states.