District voting rights legislation back before full Senate

[Wretched Excess]

I don't think you can accomplish this via a simple piece of legislation.  I think it would take an amendment.  but nancy will stop at nothing to get another dem vote in her caucus.

Supporters Upbeat About Bill to Give D.C. a Vote in Congress
Conditions Appear Favorable in Senate, House and White House

Supporters of D.C. voting rights believe that they are on the verge of their biggest victory in at least 30 years as the Senate prepares to take up a bill this week creating a full House seat for the District.

Two years ago, a similar measure failed to clear a key procedural hurdle in that chamber by three votes. Democrats picked up at least seven Senate seats in the elections last fall, boosting the current bill's chance of passage. They also expanded their majority in the House, where the bill is expected to be approved as early as next month.

"I think the votes are there. I think it's going to pass the Senate," said Sen. Orrin G. Hatch (R-Utah), who is sponsoring the bill with Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn.).

In decades of struggle for representation, D.C. residents' hopes have often been raised and then dashed. This time, they are counting not only on bigger majorities in Congress but also on a supportive White House. President Obama calls himself a "strong proponent" of congressional representation for the District -- unlike President George W. Bush, who had threatened to veto the measure.

Although passage is likely, it is not ensured.

"The question is whether there will be an attempt to foul it up by amending it," Hatch said in an interview. He also said important differences remain between the Senate and House bills.

Even if the bill becomes law, it will probably be challenged in court. Opponents note that the Constitution gives House representation to the "people of the several states," and the District is not a state.

Still, advocates say they are the closest they've come in decades to having a real D.C. vote in Congress. The issue has particular resonance in a majority-black city whose affairs were long dominated by Southern white congressmen. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D), the District's longtime voice in Congress, can vote only in committee and not on final passage of legislation.

"We were disappointed before, and we don't expect to be disappointed this time," said Lloyd Leonard, director of advocacy for the League of Women Voters.

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[Chris]

Oh, goody... Elanor Holmes Norton will have company in that koo-koo clock that is the DC congressional delegation.

[franksolich]

My solution has always been this, but nobody's paid attention:

Why not just make the residents of Washington, D.C. residents of Maryland?

No need for a 51st state.

[Miss Mia]

I don't think you can accomplish this via a simple piece of legislation.  I think it would take an amendment. 

Yes you're right.  Even if this legislation is passed, I expect it to be tied up in lawsuits for years, until it reaches the Supreme Court only to be knocked down. 

[Wretched Excess]

My solution has always been this, but nobody's paid attention:

Why not just make the residents of Washington, D.C. residents of Maryland?

No need for a 51st state.

it would be impossible to do without making DC an actual part of maryland, and then maryland would have undo influence -- indeed, outright ownership -- over the seat of government.   not to mention the administration of the facilities, buildings, monuments, & etc. . . .

[Miss Mia]

it would be impossible to do without making DC an actual part of maryland, and then maryland would have undo influence -- indeed, outright ownership -- over the seat of government.   not to mention the administration of the facilities, buildings, monuments, & etc. . . .

That's why it's separate.  DC isn't a state and should never be a state just for those reasons. 

[Eupher]

As I understand it, this bill merely increases the House membership by two - D.C. (which will certainly go leftist moonbat) and Utah will each get a seat.

Utah is most definitely a red state, even though the 2nd district congresscritter, Jim Mathis, is a Dem.

The whole deal is supposed to still leave "parity" which is not supposed to leave a foul taste in anyone's mouth.

Like hell. 

[Crazy Horse]

What about the constitution don't they ****ING UNDERSTAND!!!!!!

[Eupher]

What about the constitution don't they ****ING UNDERSTAND!!!!!!

All three branches of the gummint have done a monumental job in ignoring that document, beginning with John Marshall some 200 years ago.

[franksolich]

it would be impossible to do without making DC an actual part of maryland, and then maryland would have undo influence -- indeed, outright ownership -- over the seat of government.   not to mention the administration of the facilities, buildings, monuments, & etc. . . .

I think it would be possible to have the grounds of federal property (the Capitol, the White House, whatnot) NOT part of Maryland.  I'm thinking of the private businesses and residential neighborhoods being part of Maryland.

I've been worried about this a very long time now, as you know the Democrats are sooner or later going to pull off a coup getting one House seat and two Senate seats, if this isn't quashed permanently.  And the Democrats have been looking at places such as Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, whatnot, to get even more guaranteed Democrat seats in Congress.

This is of great concern to me.

This is why, when Republicans gain control of Congress again, this should be a "high priority" matter, either quashing it permanently or making it easier for red states to break themselves up into multiple states, so as to erase that advantage.

In a perfect world, the District of Columbia wouldn't even have a "delegate" in Congress--no one after all is FORCED to live there--but this isn't a perfect world.