Lake County, Oregon voters will vote in local elections on May 18, 2021. Among the items on their ballots will be a county initiative that would allow voters to support the idea that Lake County should leave Oregon and become part of Idaho. The actual question is “Shall the County Board of Commissioners meet three times annually to discuss promoting Lake County’s interests regarding location of the state border.” Two other Oregon counties, Jefferson and Union, voted “yes” on similar measures in 2020. See this story.
A more daring plan would be for all of Oregon east of the Cascades to become a new state if DC or PR becomes a state.
Article IV, Section 3, Clause 1:
New States may be admitted by the Congress into this Union; but no new State shall be formed or erected within the Jurisdiction of any other State; nor any State be formed by the Junction of two or more States, or Parts of States, without the Consent of the Legislatures of the States concerned as well as of the Congress.
Ergo, this proposed phantasmagoric “junction” is not likely in the real world.
Nice to note another ConLaw person on the BAN list.
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4-3-1 due to possible more gerrymander / insurrrection stuff in States
>>> Min 1 USA Rep + 2 USA Sens = Min 3 EC Votes [ folks can look up Art-Sec-cl ]
Abolish the USA Senate and EC >>> more States add/divide.
Walter has a valid point here. Still, it would take a constitutional amendment in order for DC to become a state. Frankly, I’d like to see Oregon limited to the northwestern corner (from Eugene to Portland and to the northern and central coast).
As to D.C. and its incessant cry for statehood. The response is “No.” The current bounds of the District of Columbia was ceded by Maryland, which retains the option of its grant should the land be “repurposed”. D.C. Statehood conditionally rests with the State of Maryland, not with the District residents.
The land would have to be optioned back to Maryland which holds the original ceded grant for the purpose of a federal Seat of Government. Even if the Legislature of Maryland agreed to quit the grant and sever that land from their State, a new “state” of D.C. could NOT contain the seat of federal government.
Should D.C. achieve statehood, the federal government would have to relocate, and a new federal District would need to be created pursuant to Article 1, Section 8, Clause 17. A “state” of D.C. would inherit nothing, except perhaps upon their negotiated payment for now emptied federal buildings for a museum. They do not get to keep the federal government within its “state” jurisdiction.
This was ruled out by the founding delegates to the Federal convention. [E.g. George Mason and Pierce Butler per Madison’s Records; cited and indexed by Farrand; Thursday July 26, 1787; pages 127-128].
Besides, Article 1 is clear. Congress is expressly enumerated: “To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of particular States, and the Acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States”.
So, should D.C. persist, remove the federal Seat of Government from the place (and all that federal overhead payroll) to newly ceded lands for a new District somewhere in the middle of America like, say, Iowa.
There’s already a backup federal district in the Denver area. But it’s not necessary for dc statehood. The federal district could just be shrunk to the core area of federal buildings not including residential neighborhoods. Maryland and the rest of D.C. could then mutually agree on the formation of a new state, since most residents of both have no desire for it to be part of Maryland.
While I’m feeling chatty, an historical note. James Madison (1794) stated, regarding Congress: “[t]he indispensable necessity of complete authority at the seat of government, carries its own evidence with it.” “Without it,” Madison warned, “not only the public authority might be insulted and its proceedings interrupted with impunity.”
So again, D.C. as a “state” CANNOT exist coterminous with their retention of the federal Seat of Government within the same.
Lastly, please note” regarding the January 6, 2021 riotous coup attempt, which seditious event the media incorrectly ascribes as the “only” time that ever happened…uh, no. On June 21, 1783 (while still operating under the original government, i.e. Articles of Confederation) 80 veterans marched on Congress (then at Philadelphia) abused it and its members, causing Congress to flee the city.
By may way of thinking, January 6, 2021 was number 2. In any case, it was to this “insult” that Madison expressed the obvious need for Congress’ complete authority over the federal Seat of Government.
Congress is in essence the municipal legislature over D.C. True wherever that District might in the future be located…whether that be where it is now, or in Iowa, or Kansas or wherever else. D.C. “statehood”–one of the dumbest dead end neo-left ideas out there.
They’re going to try to do it thanks to your support for dementia Joe.
You totally missed that your points were already addressed. Again, there’s no need to keep the federal seat of government in the new state to be formed. DC, the federal district, can stay exactly whee it is, and the new state can be formed from the residential neighborhoods that surround it. By separating the two thee would be no more need for congress to act as the legislature for any city since DC the federal district would no longer have residents, only people who work there. There would also be no issue with getting permission from Maryland. Maryland legislators have no interest in diluting their power in the Maryland legislature by adding several hundred thousand new residents with different priorities. That vote would be a slam dunk. Lastly, if the DC federal district was moved – which again is not needed for the rest of DC to become a new state – it would be to an already existing backup federal district in the Denver area, not to Iowa or Kansas.
DC statehood will pass the US House, and die in the US Senate. Manchin and Sinema won’t allow the Senate to get rid of the filibuster, so it’s going to die there.
Manchin has already softened his stance on the filibuster. Sinema will follow.
http://dccode.elaws.us/code
very little, if any, left of MD laws 1800-1801 ???
Back up Donkey COMMUNIST scheme —
make every USA island [NOT in a State] into a State –
At least 1 Rep + 2 USA Sens = At least 3 EC.
American Samoa, N. Marianas, etc.
Softened slightly to possibly carve out very limited exceptions. They won’t get rid of the filibuster entirely and DC won’t become a state this term. Manchin and Sinema like the current position of power their swing votes give them and won’t give it up.
There’s no serious plan to make any island except Puerto Rico a state.
“You totally missed that your points were already addressed.” I missed nothing.
As Bob posted above, in order for D.C. statehood to occur, a constitutional amendment would absolutely be required. And I would go further and say that not only one, but a number of constitutional amendments would be required to effect this ill-gotten idea.
Further, it is you seems not to understand that the residents of D.C., instant, do not themselves possess an authority to create a “state”. Likewise, neither do the people in East Oregon possess authority to “merge” their lands into Idaho. Further, in response to Milt, neither does the House and the Senate possess unconditional authority upon admission into the Union. They cannot do so, for example, without the “Legislature of the States concerned”.
In any case, your constructions fail, sir, when they are considered via original intent as expressed by Mr. Madison, whom I cited for reference. Indeed, the overwhelming majority of federal delegates viewed the separation of the federal Seat of Government into its own municipal county (initially there were two) as being indispensable to its unhindered function. You cannot have a fractal, discontiguous seat of government based upon dispersed buildings.
Some of this was also deliberated previously; e.g. Bacon’s Resolution to Re-Cede the District of Columbia; February 9, 1803; Elliot’s Debates Volume 4.
The measurement of the federal District is topographical and clearly square; therefore the Constitution recognizes a contiguous municipal area or territory that is not-detachable from the Seat of Government. Whereas your constructions duplicate the exact same condition which existed when the federal government–buildings–were located within Philadelphia, or for that matter in New York…a circumstance which the federal delegates rejected as unworkable.
“Manchin and Sinema like the current position of power their swing votes give them and won’t give it up.”
Good point. Pressure builds on them from the party, however.
I’m not sure what abortionist Floyd Whitley is going on about and probably neither does he. He helped put the Democrats in power with his backing of Dementia Joe.
You missed something at the very least. No constitutional amendment is required because there would still be a federal district of Columbia, just shrunk down to an area that would no longer include residents. The rest of the district would then be temporarily ceded back to Maryland and the Maryland legislature would immediately vote to grant the former D.C. residents request to be a separate state. Neither Maryland nor the new state would include the federal seat of power. Nothing about this requires a constitutional amendment. The area where the main federal buildings exist is contiguous so that’s not a problem either. There may still be some minor federal buildings in the new state but then every state currently has some federal buildings. It wouldn’t in any way resemble the situation that existed before D.C. was created.
@ Fact Rejecter: My support for Biden? That’s too rich.
So, how’d your support for the Tropicana Tantrum turn out?
Lemme guess. A smashed up Capitol, thousands upon thousands of rubes thrown under his bus, a Ponzi PAC self enriching siphoning scheme that will have the effect of emptying the husk of what remains of the Republican Party after The Donald has sucked the blood and soul out of it, and of course the 24/7 call to prayers over the whining loud speakers (down graded Tweets no doubt) from the Mar a Lago minaret.
Pretty pathetic when not even ‘gators consider the guy palatable.
“So, how’d your support for the Tropicana Tantrum turn out?”
It would’ve turned out great if not for you and your fellow Democrats stealing the election: The border would’ve remained secure, tech companies wouldn’t feel emboldened to censor their political opponents, the monstrous porked up corona bill wouldn’t have passed, restrictions would be lifted more quickly, energy prices would be lower, the Capitol wouldn’t be on constant lockdown, we’d be getting our troops out of Afghanistan, Snowden and Assange would be pardoned, and men wouldn’t be competing in women’s sports.
It’s just too bad you screwed us all.
I was unaware that Jim Jones made extra “revolutionary suicide” Flavor Aid, or that he had any left to ship out of Guyana.
What’s the expiration date on that stuff? Man!
Anyhow, just to be on the safe side, should Trump the Rotunda offer any of you rubes orange juice at his next Cow Skull Shaman riot, you’d be wise to decline.
Jim Jones was a liberal Democrat like you.
So was Trump.
The current DC statehood bill maintains a “Vatican City” type federal district in the new state containing all the major federal buildings, so it is technically constitutional because a tiny federal district is preserved.
Maybe like the Vatican City, the new minimal federal district will build a wall.
How about put all USA regime stuff UNDERGROUND ??? — for Devil folks only.
ALL USA regime property is technically totally immune from State laws –
USA military bases, courthouses, inter-state *defense* highways, etc.
For REAL *representation* in Congress- just make all areas not in a State be deemed a part of MD = few more MD USA Reps.
NOOO more *delegates* from DC and colonies – now lurking in USA H Reps.
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PR and AppV
TOTSOP
@ DR
A better solution for the “colonies” would be to incorporate Guam, Northern Marianas, and American Samoa into Hawaii, and Puerto Rico and the Virgin islands into Florida.
But, IMO, it would be best to make them all associated states, like Micronesia, with the option of allowing them to retain US citizenship. Then, they could all have their own trade policies, and not be subject federal restrictions on commerce.