DC isn’t a state or in one. The original idea was that it wouldn’t be a meaningful permanent residence, but as the federal government grew it became a real major city with a lot of permanent residents.
They have 1 non voting representative, no presence in the senate, and starting in 1961 they’ve had 3 electoral votes for president.
Oh also in 1973 they were granted the right to elect a mayor and city council rather than being directly governed by the federal government. The federal government still has the constitutional power to overrule them and has done so several times.
DC wants statehood, and I generally support it (alongside Puerto Rican statehood), but for DC even just giving them a single senator, true home rule off federal land, voting representatives proportional to population, and the ability to gain electoral votes as population grows would be huge.
Varpeggio@lemmy.zip 2 months ago
Wait, why?! DC doesn’t get proper representation. Or are you joking?
In any case, to say the people of the 50 states are adequately represented is foolish.
FordBeeblebrox@lemmy.world 2 months ago
DC, Puerto Rico, Samoa, Virgin Islands and Mariana Islands all pay taxes and have zero representation in congress.
captainlezbian@lemmy.world 2 months ago
DC isn’t a state or in one. The original idea was that it wouldn’t be a meaningful permanent residence, but as the federal government grew it became a real major city with a lot of permanent residents.
They have 1 non voting representative, no presence in the senate, and starting in 1961 they’ve had 3 electoral votes for president.
Oh also in 1973 they were granted the right to elect a mayor and city council rather than being directly governed by the federal government. The federal government still has the constitutional power to overrule them and has done so several times.
DC wants statehood, and I generally support it (alongside Puerto Rican statehood), but for DC even just giving them a single senator, true home rule off federal land, voting representatives proportional to population, and the ability to gain electoral votes as population grows would be huge.