The U.S. House is expected to vote on HR51 on June 26. It is extremely likely to pass, because it is co-authored by over half the members of the U.S. House. Thanks to Political Wire for this news. HR51 is the bill for statehood for the District of Columbia.
Is this just grandstanding? Is there any chance that the Senate would support it? I think the only hope for this idea is if a new state is created that Republicans can have a chance in. But, the Democrats have their minds set on permanent control of Congress. Not balance and negotiation. (To be honest, neither do the Republicans, which explains the political deadlock today. “Rule, or ruin” is the motto of both major parties today.)
There’s grandstanding in politics??!!
Abolish the USA ANTI-Democracy minority rule Senate and EC.
Divide all larger States.
Devil City – part of MD for USA election purposes.
All regimes —
Voter = USA Citizen, 18 plus yrs olde.
PR and AppV — pending Condorcet.
TOTSOP
But first… take down the Jefferson memorial! No statues honoring white, Euro-centric, slave owning males!
How about that tall pointy monument in Deficit City ??? — aka Washington Monument – in Washington [to be re-named], DC as well as a State Name.
No NOTHING honoring white, Euro-centric, slave owning males !!! ???
Every X years PURGE ALL olde names — to be politically correct ???
DC should be given back to Maryland. Problem solved.
Could MD handle the hoards of ANTI USA govt protesters on a zillion issues ???
or merely let the latest gang of barbarians [with or without the help of the MD regime] take over the Fed govt [so the States could totally ignore the Fed govt OR be totally crushed by barbarian WMD threats] ???
See Federalist about DC area.
Local purge —
https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/detroit-city/2020/06/15/after-110-years-downtown-detroits-christopher-columbus-bust-placed-storage/3191547001/
CC = death/slavery for millions in Africa and N/S America.
Spain paid for having CC in 1936-1939 – Spanish Civil WAR — still rotted.
To keep number of states at (an even) 50 they should combine two small states into one, for example, N Dakota and S Dakota would become the new state of “Dakota.”
What is Demo Rep even ranting about?
DC and Maryland have been separate jurisdictions since 1800. After the passage of 220 years, it doesn’t seem realistic to me to merge them. They have their own political traditions and institutions. DC has more population than Wyoming and Vermont, so why shouldn’t it be a state?
@ ken b: Just the opposite. We should create new states by dividing states with large populations into smaller states. California, Texas, New York, and Florida are prime candidates for division, IMO.
DC — Federalist No. 43 — Madison
How about have ZERO population in Devil City — ALL commuters / tourists — paying REAL taxes in MD and VA. ???
REALITY – bill DOA in Senate —
NOOO 2 more RED commie Donkey USA Senators and a RED commie USA Rep.
@WalterZiobro:
OK, In the long-run big-picture I’d go for some populous states being divided especially when the voters’ political leanings clearly matches geography. For example, in my neighboring Illinois the northern environs around Chicago generally are progressive/liberal vs the rural mid & downstate that trends conservative. In fact, o’er the years there’s been some efforts in Illinois toward that separation.
Here’s a brief but interesting article about Illinois and other states’ efforts toward internal seperations —
https://abcnews.go.com/US/resolution-proposes-separating-chicago-illinois-create-51st-state/story?id=62405752
My keeping-state-count-at-50 suggestion was simply the quickest thing to in the short run if DC becomes a state to avoid an odd 51 and all the flags & documents that would need updating. And besides, I’ve occasionally heard from folks in North & in South Dakota who wouldn’t mind such a political merger.
Richard Winger makes a good point. DC Statehood is overdue at this point, to say the least.
Richard, DC exists so the capital would not be in a state. DC only has one city, Washington. Virginia took back their portion, why not Maryland? The government buildings and the Mall remain separate.
Wyoming is actually growing on population. I am not sure about Vermont offhand. Washington DC is declining.
What’s next, making Guam a state? Puerto Rico is the only area that actually makes sense for statehood.
Not the US Virgin Islands?
@ ken b:
Your idea about Illinois has merit. In fact, I would favor a second level of divisions if my first proposal to divide the 4 most populous states caught on: I would create several “metro states” out of large metro areas that dominate a state and accentuate a fierce urban-rural division within those states. Possible metro states could be created by the counties surrounding Philadelphia PA, Alexandria VA, Detroit MI. Chicago IL, and Las Vegas NV. While the resulting metro states would be overwhelmingly Democratic, the remaining portions of the old states would be mostly Republican. A fair split, IMO.
@ Jimmy:
Most of the territories are too small, and too distant, to be states. IMO, what should be done with the territories is to create a new status for each of them: associated states with optional US citizenship. The Marshall Islands, Micronesia and Palau already have the status of associated states,but without US citizenship, except for those residents who otherwise acquired US citizenship on their own. In the case of the current US territories, the residents could be given the individual option of retaining any US citizenship that they would have had at the creation of these new associated states.
Here’s another thought on DC: Most of the district could be given back to Maryland, except for a small district that included most of the federal buildings. While the resident population of the remaining district could be quite small, what could happen is that any US citizen who lives outside any state, whether they are in the military, or are US expats, or residents of non-state territories could be allowed to vote for the Presidential electors assigned to DC. And, possibly Representatives in Congress s well, altho that would probably require a constitutional amendment. But, many countries allow their citizens who live abroad to have designated reps in their legislatures.
The Virgin Islands only have 100,000 people. Guam is the most populous after Puerto Rico, and they only have 160,000.
@ Jimmy:
Population of current associated states:
Palau 18,000, Marshall Islands 58,000, Micronesia 104,000
Population of current US territories:
American Samoa 55,000, Northern Marianas 56,000, Virgin Islands 106,000, Guam 168,000, Puerto Rico 3,200,000
IMO, all of the current territories are large enough to become associated states
DC is growing rapidly in population. In 2000 it had 572,059 people. In 2010 it had 601,723. Now it is estimated to have 705,749 people.
And STILL, Democratic Congressional support for Puerto Rican state-hood is nearly non-existent.
How many of those residents are not government bureaucrats? Are they counting Congressmen and such who happen to have a residence there?
I agree with giving it back to Maryland.
A careful reading of the 23rd Amendment indicates that it is entirely up to Congress as to who may vote for the electors from DC. Congress could by law expand the electorate of DC for the purpose of choosing electors to include any US citizens not resident in any state. This could include: 1. US residents of US territories, 2. US expats living abroad, and 3. US citizen soldiers serving abroad.
Most dc residents are not federal bureaucrats. Have you ever been to the district? Like outside the tourist areas?
Puerto Rico and dc are certainly overdue for statehood, if not independence for pr. Colonial status is outdated.
Most federal employees do not live in dc either . Many are scattered all over the country and overseas. Of the ones who work in D.C. Many, probably most, live in the suburbs. The district has a wide range of all kinds of people, owners and employees of large and small businesses, students, retirees, unemployed people, city workers, and yes, some federal employees. However those are not nearly a majority of the district population nor of all federal employees nationally.
“Puerto Rico and dc are certainly overdue for statehood, if not independence for pr. Colonial status is outdated.” – Thomas
Why not independence for DC?
I’m for independence for D.C.
If Richard Winger moves to Berlin or Beijing, he would still be entitled by law to vote in California. There is no reason (other than Congressional inaction) that if he were to move to Washington, D.C., that he could not still be entitled by law to vote in California.
If a person resides in a federal enclave, such as a forts or other needful buildings and facilities, they by statute vote in federal elections in the state where the enclave is.
Land owners in Maryland and Virginia continued to be property owners after the 1790 cessions to form the district. If eligible, they continued to vote in Maryland and Virginia elections, local and federal. Remember that Maryland voters have always directly elected presidential electors.
It wasn’t until 1805 that the right to vote was removed. This was more an act of negligence, then one of purpose.
There is simply no reason not to restore the federal franchise to residents of the district, through voting in Maryland or state of previous residence.
Why not as an independent state?