D.C. Mayor Calls for Civil Disobedience in Voting Rights Fight

Tuesday, January 13, 2004 | Kristinn

[kristinn]

Washington, D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams tonight called for "respectful" civil disobedience to call attention to the District's lack of full voting rights in Congress.

Mr. Williams made his remarks to a reporter for WTTG-TV at a gathering to mark the ruling Democratic party's faux presidential primary election held today.

The city's leaders fought the Democratic National Committee to hold the first-in-the-nation primary to highlight the lack of full congressional representation for D.C. residents.

The city backed off from holding an official primary, but went ahead with today's beauty contest.

The WTTG reporter mentioned that one form of civil disobedience under consideration is blocking the 14th Street Bridge, a major commuter route between northern Virginia and the District.

[kristinn]

It's not like the rule of law applies in D.C. anyway.....

[MJY1288]

I'm surprised Mayor Williams would say such a thing

[jaz.357]

Move to Virginia!

[optik_b]

The lack of voting representation in congress is a disgrace. It is an anomaly for a great democracy to have a people that are federally taxed but not have representation. This is not some small amount of taxes paid either. Washington, DC has a huge population too.

[MJY1288]

Why should I?

Virginians are taxed more than Marylanders and we have a Republican Governor

[upcountryhorseman]

The Founding Fathers never intended that anyone would live
in D. C. all year.

[optik_b]

Did you guys know that Washington DC residents were not allowed to vote in presidential elections until the 1960s.

[kristinn]

The people living in D.C. are free to move to any of the 50 states. There is no federal mandate compelling them to live here.

[kristinn]

Yes. Did you know D.C. used to have great schools, safe streets and a model police force before then?

[Tax Government]

Should little D.C. have two senators, just like California? Talk about proportional representation...NOT.

D.C. ought to declare independence and join Puerto Rico.

[ambrose]

Yes, we know that. Have you ever read the Constitution?

[Lancey Howard]

It is an anomaly for a great democracy to have a people that are federally taxed but not have representation.

Okay, then let DC support itself with its own tax base. DC will send no money to the federal government and the federal government will send no money to DC. Think that will work?

[kristinn]

Maybe he wants a third term.

[NormsRevenge]

Did you know D.C. used to have great schools, safe streets and a model police force before then?

Sounds like California ... sigh :-\

[MJY1288]

Washington D.C. has seen it's population decline in the last 20 years, The federal Government pays for their police department and the U.S. Park Police patrol all the Federal landmarks, Parks, and Memorials. The D.C. Government can't even clean the snow off the streets when the snowfall measures more than 3 inches.

The District of Columbia is not really a functioning city or state, they're more like a poorly run congressional district that should be split between Maryland and Virginia and therefore be represented by both. But to give Washington D.C. the same status as a State would be a disaster. I've dealt with the D.C. Government in the past and they're not capable of Governing

[hellinahandcart]

This is not some small amount of taxes paid either

DC gets something like 45 dollars for every one dollar they send in.

So, relatively speaking, it's a PIDDLY amount of taxes paid.

[MJY1288]

I actually like Mayor Williams, He is for School Vouchers and there isn't a corrupt bone in his body. After the Whore hopping, crack smoking gangster, Mayor Barry! Mayor Williams is God sent

[kristinn]

I'd like him better if he'd work to restore the Second Amendment to D.C.

[MJY1288]

BTW, Have you been to Walter Reed lately?

I'm thinking of buying a bunch of Pizza's to take to them for the Football games this weekend, You want to help me organize it?

[CurlyDave]

The already have 100 senators and 435 representatives.

Why should they get even more?