quote:D.C. Mayor Vincent C. Gray and several members of the D.C. Council were arrested Monday at a protest on Capitol Hill, as city officials turned up the volume on their complaints about a federal spending deal that imposes controversial riders on the District.
The spending measure — agreed to Friday night by President Obama, Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) and House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) — reimposes a Republican-backed ban on the District spending its own money to provide abortions to low-income women. It also revives and expands a private school voucher program that has divided D.C. officials.
At least I don't have to be ashamed of this mayor. Sad part is this isn't going to make a difference. We can't vote, so we have no power. We have no power, so we're never going to get to vote.
Its so easy for the rest of us to forget that you guys still dont have proper represention in the government. Is there an intelligent reason as to why?
Posted by ambyr (Member # 7616) on :
quote:Originally posted by AchillesHeel: Its so easy for the rest of us to forget that you guys still dont have proper represention in the government. Is there an intelligent reason as to why?
Short answer? No.
Posted by Miro (Member # 1178) on :
There are historical reasons why. I can get into that, if you'd like.
The reasons it hasn't been corrected mostly boil down to the Catch-22: We can't vote, so we have no power. We don't have any power, so we can't vote.
Posted by scholarette (Member # 11540) on :
If everyone in DC refused to pay federal taxes, that might change something. They can't arrest you all.
Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
DC isn't a state. I wonder why, instead of asking Congress to go around the "states" provisions, they don't apply for statehood.
For the mayor, I'm mixed. He's protesting the shutdown of the needle program, the defunding of abortions, and the restoration of the voucher program.
The needle program I support - shutting it down is horrible. AIDS is a terrible problem in DC, and that is proven to lower the rate of infection. Shutting it down = killing people.
The funding of abortions I don't support. I don't wish to actively campaign against abortion, but I don't like it and think most of the reasons do not justify ending a life. Cutting off funding = saving people's lives.
The voucher program I do support. The Dems who ended private school for residents when it was helping those students immensely and when the public school system is so crappy while sending their own children to private school. I'd prefer the public school system be better, but since it sucks, then it's better to pay for the kids to go elsewhere. If the lawmakers want to support the public system at the expense of present kids' education, tell them to send their own children to DC public schools.
So, the record is 1 terrible thing and 2 good things. I'd be more impressed with Vincent Gray if he protested to the point of getting arrested on behalf of kids' education instead of handing out six-figure jobs to unqualified political cronies.
Posted by Dobbie (Member # 3881) on :
quote:Originally posted by katharina: DC isn't a state. I wonder why, instead of asking Congress to go around the "states" provisions, they don't apply for statehood.
quote:As we work to pass this important bill, we continue to research and explore legislation to provide full local democracy and to make Washington, DC the 51st state in the union.
Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
So they want the go-around because there are obstacles to becoming a state.
Seeing the way DC handles the things it does have completely control over (school system, for example), I think it is a very good thing that the federal government buildings are not in their hands. Can you imagine? There were good reasons for locating the federal capital in a place where it wasn't subject to a local government.
I'd support returing DC to Maryland (Virginia already took back their share) before making DC its own state.
If Maryland doesn't want it, that's kind of a commentary on what a mess DC is.
Posted by Miro (Member # 1178) on :
Regardless of where you come down on these specific issues, the fact of the matter is that the issues were decided by a legislative body that does not represent any of the people who are affected by them. That is wrong.
Statehood is one option. A constitutional amendment granting DC congressional representation (like the 23rd Amendment, allowing DC to elect presidential electors) is another option. Or retrocede all but the federal downtown core to Maryland. As long as it results in us having a real say in our own government.
The problem is that nearly any solution would require a Constitutional amendment (because there are provisions for the District in the Constitution). That requires a lot of work from both federal and state legislators and who exactly is going to spend their time and effort on an issue that only helps 600,000 people who live thousands of miles away? And has no direct benefit for anyone else?
Posted by Orincoro (Member # 8854) on :
Moreover, proper congressional representation would likely add another democratic representative in Congress, and two senators if the District became a State. The parties are perfectly willing to allow people to continue to be disenfranchised as long as it is to their own political gain.
Posted by Stephan (Member # 7549) on :
When I heard this on the news in my teacher lounger, 5 minutes from DC, half of us heard "DC mayor arrested", and said crap, not again.
Great to know it was for a good cause.
They don't have true representation in Congress AND can't even use their own tax money as they see fit.
If they dropped federal tax, DC could become a new boom town. Property values would skyrocket as Maryland and Virginia residents sought tax havens.
Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
They don't have the ability to drop federal tax, and they wouldn't even if they were a state.
DC is a tiny town with not very many residents. Meld it back into Maryland, and make the land with federal buildings on it national park land not under Maryland's control.
The part of DC that was in Virginia did it. Why doesn't Maryland take it back?
Posted by Stephan (Member # 7549) on :
quote:Originally posted by katharina: They don't have the ability to drop federal tax, and they wouldn't even if they were a state.
DC is a tiny town with not very many residents. Meld it back into Maryland, and make the land with federal buildings on it national park land not under Maryland's control.
The part of DC that was in Virginia did it. Why doesn't Maryland take it back?
DC can't drop federal tax, but Congress can stop making them pay it. Puerto Ricans don't pay it.
I don't think we Marylanders want DC back.
Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :