U.S. Senator Orrin G. Hatch has this essay in the Harvard Journal on Legislation, decrying the policy that denies District of Columbia residents any voting representation in Congress. Thanks to Rick Hasen’s ElectionLawBlog for the link. Hatch also gives the legal rationale for granting voting rights to the District without the need for a constitutional amendment.
The only reason Hatch cares because Utah is slated to get the gimme seat so that Republicans would sign on to the bill.
Why giving DC a representative (via amendment) is such a hard sell is quite stunning. What is the good-faith argument against DC having a rep?
Why indeed, to the point of turning the district into a county of Maryland ??? Too much common sense ???? Too much politics ????
HR 492 would more thoroughly address the issues that Senator Hatch raises.
HR 492 would treat the residents of the District of Columbia as residents of Maryland for purposes of apportionment, and the election of Representatives, Senators, and the President (presidential electors).
Senator Hatch notes that residents of the new district north of the Potomac continued to vote for representatives and presidential electors from Maryland (Maryland is the only State in which presidential electors have been chosen by popular vote in all 55 presidential elections), and they also participated in the indirect election of Senators through election of members of the Maryland legislature.
It would also be consistent with how Congress has treated residents of federal enclaves and overseas voters, including them both in the apportionment of representatives, and the election of the representatives, senators, and the president.
HR 492 would simply restore the pre-1800 practice, and incorporate the post-17th Amendment popular election of Senators.
Since when is D.C. a S-T-A-T-E in the Union ???
One more NO brainer case for the Supremes in the near future ???
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Real Democracy –
Uniform definition of Elector in ALL of the U.S.A. — States, D.C. and colonies.
P.R. and A.V.
Way too difficult for scheming party hacks who love gerrymander Congress statutory fixes for everything.
Just give DC what DC wants, and has said it wants for the last couple of decades..Statehood.
Hope the folks in PR, Virgin Islands, Samoa, Guam, and else where in the far flung American fascist imperial global empire raise a stink in and out of court…..
Second that motion, actually.
Jim R gave us all an interesting piece of trivia, that Maryland is the only state that has elected its presidential electors by popular vote in all presidential elections starting with 1789. Virginia would have been on the list also, except that it left the union and thus didn’t hold a popular vote for president of the U.S. in 1864 and 1868. Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania chose electors by popular vote 1789 thru 1796, but the 1796 election was so close, the legislatures in all 3 states took away the popular vote after the 1796 election and before the 1800 election, and the state legislatures chose the 1800 electors.
West Virginia and Kentucky could make a partial claim to having their voters participating in the popular election of presidential elections in every election starting since 1789. For example, in the 1789 election, Virginia chose its electors by popular vote in single member electoral districts. Two of these districts were west of the Blue Ridge, with generally a north/south split so one district was mostly in what is now northern West Virginia; and the other included most of the Shenandoah Valley and what is now the western tip of Virginia, southern West Virginia, and Kentucky.
Kentucky acceded to the Union before the next election in 1792, while what became West Virginia continued to participate in the election of Virginia’s presidential election, until it too became a State prior to the 1864 election.
Giving DC a representative in the House would be superior to the current situation, but why not complete statehood with two Senators? The population of DC is greater than that of Wyoming, which has its own two Senators.
The fascination for ancient TRIVIA is amazing — since current election math is so EVIL.
What regime had the first election ??? Trivia election results please.
There happens to be current right now gerrymander Fed / State/ local Govt debts in the U.S.A. of about $$$ 13 TRILLION — a direct threat to the survival of Western Civilization (if not ALL civilization).
Gerrymander math of ALL regimes in the U.S.A. — half the votes in half the districts = about 25 percent MINORITY RULE. Much, much worse due to primary math.
Much worse for the gerrymander U.S.A. Senate — one of the MOST ANTI-Democracy legislative bodies in the world — along with the U.N. General Assembly.
See the FEC website – Library link for 1996-2006 Congress / Prez gerrymander math. Lots of stats for trivia folks.
I.E. ALL major govts in the U.S.A. are EVIL and VICIOUS de facto monarchies / oligarchies posing as *democracies* — that enact / maintain ALL of the EVIL special interest gang laws that are destroying the U.S.A. (and large parts of the world).
Democracy NOW – to save Mother Earth — as a mere matter of life or death for all humans.
P.R. legislative bodies and A.V. executive / judicial offices.
Everything else is nonstop TRIVIAL.
SENATOR HATCH IS NO FRIEND OF THE MILITARY
His cosponsorship status on Military Families key legislation.
The do nothing Senator is too busy composing hymns and selling CDs.
Bill Name Cosponsor?
S. 3057 – The Military Family Separation Benefit Enhancement Act NO
S. 225 – Extending Traumatic Injury Protection Coverage NO
Survivor Issues
Bill Name Cosponsor?
S. 935 – The Military Retiree Survivor Equity Act NO
Retirement Issues
Bill Name Cosponsor?
S. 2836 – Reserve Retirement Credit for Active Duty Service since 9/11 NO
S. 1243 – Age-55 Reserve Retirement NO
S. 648 – Lower Reserve Retirement Age NO
S. 439 – The Retired Pay Restoration Act of 2007 NO
S. 206 – Social Security Fairness Act of 2007 NO
Health Care Issues
Bill Name Cosponsor?
S. 2785 – Save Medicare Act of 2008 NO
S. 773 – Pretax Health Care Premiums YES
S. 604 – Military Health Care Protection Act NO
S. 450 – Medicare Access to Rehabilitation Services Act YES
Spouse/Family Issues
Bill Name Cosponsor?
S. 2599 – Military Spouse Education and Employment Act of 2008 NO
Veterans and Other Issues
Bill Name Cosponsor?
S. 2504 – Federal Charter for MOAA NO
S. 1784 – Reservist and Veteran Small Business Opportunity Act NO
S. 326 – Disabled Veterans Tax Fairness Act of 2007 NO
S. 22 – Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2007