D.C. a state of The United States?

[bironi]

Yes.
Here is the most basic step to deal with slavery and racism in our country's history.
It is so obvious.
Even to a segregated west coast visitor.
Byron

[Too Tall]

We have been fighting this for a long time to the blank stares of Congress. The time is now, we've got some momentum.

[monadnocky]

61MCN2LIr7L._AC_SL1200_.jpg

Arguments against make no sense to me.

[j44ke]

We should also either give Puerto Rico its independence or make it a state too. That makes no sense either. Especially the restriction that all goods shipped to PR have to go through a US mainland port first.

[Saab2000]

We should also either give Puerto Rico its independence or make it a state too. That makes no sense either. Especially the restriction that all goods shipped to PR have to go through a US mainland port first.

Or let them independently decide via referendum.

My guess is that DC would opt in for statehood. It’s not clear to me that PR would.

[Bingissimo]

DC has a larger population than Wyoming and Vermont and is close in population to Alaska.

Puerto Rico has a larger population than Iowa, Nevada, Arkansas, Mississippi, Kansas, New Mexico, Nebraska, Idaho, West Virginia, Hawaii, New Hampshire, Maine, Montana, Rhode Island, Delaware, South Dakota, North Dakota, and the aforementioned Alaska, Wyoming and Vermont.

How many of the states in the above lists are reliably Red and do not want to see their influence diminished in a senate that would tilt more blue given the proposed new states *ahem* demographic and that demographic's purported tendency to vote in a direction not red?

[jimcav]

wait, no one here bought the anti-statehood argument that they don't even have a car dealership there (wish I could name the author, but wasn't paying close enough attention when that was on the news)? Since the demographics heavily favor two D senators, hard to see how the GOP would ever support the idea

[robin3mj]

Allow it and re-combine the Dakotas. The only reason they were split as they entered the union was to bolster the post civil war R states at the time.

[vertical_doug]

I know marijuana has been legalized in many states and obviously you are smoking some strong shit. This will not happen, otherwise, it thwarts the efforts are voter suppression.

[Smitty2k1]

Oh hi, DCist here. Thanks for the support!

End taxation without representation!

[j44ke]

Or let them independently decide via referendum.

My guess is that DC would opt in for statehood. It’s not clear to me that PR would.

PR has had numerous referenda, most recently in Nov. 2020 when they voted yes for statehood, as they have several times before. But the US Congress has the power of awarding statehood, so these referenda mean bupkis except for expressing the will of the people.

[Bingissimo]

This will not happen, otherwise, it thwarts the efforts are voter suppression.

And granting statehood diminishes the power and influence of small rural states that reliably vote Republican.

Voter suppression comes in many forms, from outright prevention at the ballot box, through all the gerrymandering tricks described in REDMAP like cracking and packing to the more subtle things like dilution of power through the Senate and the Electoral College.

2 (D) senators from Cali represent approx 39 million people, while the 2 (R) senators represented by the Wyoming represent 0.6 million people. The senate does not represent people, it represents land. It allows small rural sparsely populated states to hold the more densely populated urban states hostage to their political desires and it does so while those small states are net takers from the federal coffers.

[Bingissimo]

DvsR.jpg

The numbers tell the tale. 30 Red senators vs 2 Blue for roughly the same populations.

30 Red that will reliably vote against any bills put forth by a Democratic led house or encouraged by a Democratic President.

[Will Neide]

And granting statehood diminishes the power and influence of small rural states that reliably vote Republican.

Voter suppression comes in many forms, from outright prevention at the ballot box, through all the gerrymandering tricks described in REDMAP like cracking and packing to the more subtle things like dilution of power through the Senate and the Electoral College.

2 (D) senators from Cali represent approx 39 million people, while the 2 (R) senators represented by the Wyoming represent 0.6 million people. The senate does not represent people, it represents land. It allows small rural sparsely populated states to hold the more densely populated urban states hostage to their political desires and it does so while those small states are net takers from the federal coffers.

Let me introduce you to the House of Representatives.

[Bingissimo]

Let me introduce you to the House of Representatives.

At least they are elected in proportion to the population and electoral districts are subject to change every 10 years following a national census. Unless you're in heavily gerrymandered states where a party can win 40 or 45% of the total vote statewide but still control 60% of the seats. Google REDMAP and 'packing and cracking' for a comprehensive review.

In return let me introduce you to Mitch McConnell. By election he personally only represents 1.4% of the entire US population yet he single-handedly controlled the legislative agenda as Senate majority leader by deciding which bills, if any, passed on to reading, debate and a vote in the Senate. How many moved to committee and how many died on his desk? He was once referred to as the "gravedigger of democracy".

[Will Neide]

At least they are elected in proportion to the population and electoral districts are subject to change every 10 years following a national census. Unless you're in heavily gerrymandered states where a party can win 40 or 45% of the total vote statewide but still control 60% of the seats. Google REDMAP and 'packing and cracking' for a comprehensive review.

In return let me introduce you to Mitch McConnell. By election he personally only represents 1.4% of the entire US population yet he single-handedly controlled the legislative agenda as Senate majority leader by deciding which bills, if any, passed on to reading, debate and a vote in the Senate. How many moved to committee and how many died on his desk? He was once referred to as the "gravedigger of democracy".

You do realize this is a federal republic?

The same things you seem to be upset about are the same things that make our government great. The fact that rural America has a voice (and equal power) is needed to keep populace cities in check. Nothings perfect, but the flip side to your question is why should California get to tell Wyoming what it should do? This is the United States. 50 states. Hopefully, 52 IMO if you eventually include DC and PR.

[theflashunc]

You do realize this is a federal republic?

The same things you seem to be upset about are the same things that make our government great. The fact that rural America has a voice (and equal power) is needed to keep populace cities in check. Nothings perfect, but the flip side to your question is why should California get to tell Wyoming what it should do? This is the United States. 50 states. Hopefully, 52 IMO if you eventually include DC and PR.

Equal would imply a proportionality to the weighting of the Electoral College, House, Senate and voting in national elections that simply does not exist. Rural states have outsized influence and power in our system (if the House weren't capped at 435 representatives artificially, you'd see a body more representative of the country as a whole), and combined with a number of procedures meant to stifle legislation, have led to a highly dysfunctional system of late.

California shouldn't have to tell Wyoming what to do, but in a federal system should operate on majority rule, there's something a bit off about Senators voting for a wildly popular aid package, and voted for by Senators who represent 41 million more Americans than those who voted against, and it was still a 50-50 tie that needed the VP to break it. This isn't leveling the scales, this is giving outsized influence to significant minority in this country.

DC should have been a state a long, long time ago.

[Will Neide]

Equal would imply a proportionality to the weighting of the Electoral College, House, Senate and voting in national elections that simply does not exist. Rural states have outsized influence and power in our system (if the House weren't capped at 435 representatives artificially, you'd see a body more representative of the country as a whole), and combined with a number of procedures meant to stifle legislation, have led to a highly dysfunctional system of late.

California shouldn't have to tell Wyoming what to do, but in a federal system should operate on majority rule, there's something a bit off about Senators voting for a wildly popular aid package, and voted for by Senators who represent 41 million more Americans than those who voted against, and it was still a 50-50 tie that needed the VP to break it. This isn't leveling the scales, this is giving outsized influence to significant minority in this country.

DC should have been a state a long, long time ago.

Equal as in in the senate has 2 representatives for each state. Each state is equally represented within the Senate which was the argument Bingissimo was making.

Just a reminder that this isn't a democracy. Never was. It would seem a majority of the senate voted and it sounds like even though you agree with the final outcome, you're not a fan of how close the vote was.

[theflashunc]

Equal as in in the senate has 2 representatives for each state. Each state is equally represented within the Senate which was the argument Bingissimo was making.

Just a reminder that this isn't a democracy. Never was. It would seem a majority of the senate voted and it sounds like even though you agree with the final outcome, you're not a fan of how close the vote was.

Why should I, or anyone, be a fan when something as bipartisanly popular as the stimulus -- along with a vast array of other items that have bipartisan consensus -- is unable to pass through without a tiebreaker what has become an unfunctioning body of the legislative branch? Never mind it would have never made it to the floor without reconciliation, which is another dysfunctional feather in the cap of this disaster.

What was once a deliberative body is now a do-nothing body, in no small part because of a poor design with outdated rules.

And why do rural areas need to "keep the cities" in check? The legacy of so many items in the Constitution that give power to rural areas are in no small part to continue the institution of slavery. I am all for making policy in the best interest of all Americans, but as the tidal forces of demographic change continue to push people into cities and away from the country, the system is thrown further and further out of whack, serving an ever shrinking reactionary and regressive demographic while ignoring the needs of the vast majority of the country.

[Will Neide]

Why should I, or anyone, be a fan when something as bipartisanly popular as the stimulus -- along with a vast array of other items that have bipartisan consensus -- is unable to pass through without a tiebreaker what has become an unfunctioning body of the legislative branch? Never mind it would have never made it to the floor without reconciliation, which is another dysfunctional feather in the cap of this disaster.

What was once a deliberative body is now a do-nothing body, in no small part because of a poor design with outdated rules.

And why do rural areas need to "keep the cities" in check? The legacy of so many items in the Constitution that give power to rural areas are in no small part to continue the institution of slavery. I am all for making policy in the best interest of all Americans, but as the tidal forces of demographic change continue to push people into cities and away from the country, the system is thrown further and further out of whack, serving an ever shrinking reactionary and regressive demographic while ignoring the needs of the vast majority of the country.

What is your proposal?