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A Serious Proposal to Solve the DC Statehood Problem
vanity | February 13, 2009 | Jim Noble

Posted on 02/13/2009 9:40:07 AM PST by Jim Noble

The Congress is about to pass an unconstitutional bill to seat Members of Congress elected by the population of the District of Columbia. I am reasonably sure the Supreme Court will overturn this law.

The problem will then arise of what to do with all those RAT voters. The Democrats and RINOs may have enough votes to create a "state of New Columbia" out of the residential districts of DC, either by an Organic Act or by amending the Constitution.

The problems with allowing this have been exhaustively discussed here. DC is too small, two automatic and permanent RAT Senators, etc, etc. The objection which prompted the creation of DC to begin with, though - that having the Seat of Government within any State would give that State too much power over the Federal Government - seems to have become obsolete, and is not sufficient reason to deny DC-ites their votes for Members of Congress and Senators.

I have favored retrocession to Maryland for years. However, this will never happen, because both Maryland and the Congress, whose consent would be required, will object.

My plan, however, has a chance to get around this.

Let's GIVE the RATs their "New Columbia". BUT, to counteract the perfectly reasonable and proper objection that it's too small, let's ADD to DC the counties of Prince Georges and Montgomery in Maryland, and the counties of Arlington, Fairfax, and Loudon in Virginia.

This WILL add two permanent RAT Senators, and 5-6 RAT Congressmen.

However, it will also restore Maryland and Virginia to competitiveness, and has a reasonable chance of adding 4 new GOP Senators from those states.

With trends running the way they are, representation for DC seems inevitable. Let's get ahead of the process and do it in a way which is least damaging to our freedom.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Politics/Elections; US: District of Columbia; Your Opinion/Questions
KEYWORDS: 111th; bho44; dcstatehood; toomanyrats
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1 posted on 02/13/2009 9:40:07 AM PST by Jim Noble
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To: Jim Noble

“The Congress is about to pass an unconstitutional bill to seat Members of Congress elected by the population of the District of Columbia.”

Of course they are...is there anyone in DC NOT a stark raving marxist???


2 posted on 02/13/2009 9:42:17 AM PST by jessduntno ("If the stimulus plan were a Thanksgiving dinner it would be a Turphucken")
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To: Jim Noble
"The Democrats and RINOs may have enough votes to create a "state of New Columbia" out of the residential districts of DC, either by an Organic Act or by amending the Constitution."

No, they don't: amendments to the Constitution must be ratified by the States, and not just by a simple majority.

Ever hear of the ERA Amendment? No?
That's because it wasn't ratified.

3 posted on 02/13/2009 9:43:14 AM PST by Redbob (W.W.J.B.D.: "What Would Jack Bauer Do?")
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To: Jim Noble

Hmmm interesting proposal. Well thought out.


4 posted on 02/13/2009 9:44:18 AM PST by karibdes (It's not a perfect world. Screws fall out.)
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To: Jim Noble
I'd be happy with a constitutional amendment to repeal the 23rd amendment but exempt DC residents from all federal taxes.
5 posted on 02/13/2009 9:44:20 AM PST by pnh102 (Save America - Ban Ethanol Now!)
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To: Jim Noble

Oh, heck no.


6 posted on 02/13/2009 9:44:39 AM PST by patton (SPQA - the last, the least and the lost)
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To: Jim Noble

If they make DC a “state” then Texas should invoke one of the privileges it retained when it joined the union. The privilege was that it can split into 4 or 5 states if it chooses. That would give 8 to 10 more GOP (hopefully) Senators.


7 posted on 02/13/2009 9:46:13 AM PST by The Sons of Liberty (Kenyan Usurper - "Let his days be few, and let another take his office." Psalm 109:8)
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To: Jim Noble
My plan, however, has a chance to get around this.

'getting around' the constitution is never a good idea

if the people that live there want 'representation' - move

8 posted on 02/13/2009 9:48:14 AM PST by sloop (pfc in the quiet civil war)
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To: Jim Noble
In that case, Congress, Maryland, and Virginia would all need to agree and there's no way either state would give up that tax base.
9 posted on 02/13/2009 9:48:22 AM PST by DaisyCutter
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To: Jim Noble
I agree. It would turn Maryland and Virginia into Red States. Which is exactly why the Democrats will never go for it.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

10 posted on 02/13/2009 9:57:13 AM PST by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: Redbob

Even in tooday’s climate, 3/4 of the states would not vote for it.


11 posted on 02/13/2009 10:00:38 AM PST by DMZFrank
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To: sloop; Jim Noble
if the people that live there want 'representation' - move

It's a fallacy that the people of DC have no representation. That's just a brazenly false Leftist claim designed to increase Dem numbers in the House and Senate. Trust me. If DC was majority white Republican instead of majority black Democrat, this subject would never be on the table.

In point of fact, the District of Columbia is unique because it is represented by the ENTIRE federal Congress. That's right. It's one of the enumerated powers in Section 8 of the United States Constitution:

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...

Granted, these days the Constitution is little more than something congress critters wipe their collective butts on daily, but the truth is still the truth in my neck of the woods.

12 posted on 02/13/2009 10:01:14 AM PST by Wolfstar (Elections have thousands of consequences. Some minor, some major...and some that can kill you.)
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To: The Sons of Liberty
....."That would give 8 to 10 more GOP (hopefully) Senators.".....

I don't know if I would bet the farm on that. South Texas is all Dem and Austin, Houston, and Dallas is pretty much Dem urban areas. Austin is San Fransisco west. Big cities are just like Detroit, or Philly and DC. I understand the principle, but it may backfire.

Also, I don't understand the fuss anyway because DC is specifically enumerated in the Constitution. The rest of the country would have to vote on any changes. If you want representatives, move the hell out. If DC wants to be like everywhere else then move Washington out to Alabama or Wyoming. DC can just be like any other ghetto then.

13 posted on 02/13/2009 10:03:31 AM PST by chuckles
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To: Jim Noble

NO, first it would take a Constitutional Amendment (and there are much bigger issues out there that warrent one), 2nd I think that’s a bad idea (5-6 PERMANENT DEM REPS, 2 SENATORS)- Just for “competitiveness”..come on that would be suicide.

2ndly IF YOU REALLY WANT DC STATEHOOD: I’d only support this if we split one of the very conservative states into two-and made sure we “had 2 PERMANENT SENATORS, 1+ REP, Too..)!


14 posted on 02/13/2009 10:08:02 AM PST by JSDude1 (R(epublicans) In Name Only SUCK; D(emocrats) In Name Only are worth their weight..)
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To: Jim Noble

Here’s a better idea - Move the capital to the geographic center of America. Let the city of Washington become part of Virginia or Maryland.


15 posted on 02/13/2009 10:14:17 AM PST by stop_fascism
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To: Jim Noble
I am reasonably sure the Supreme Court will overturn this law.

Well I was reasonably sure that the Supreme Court would overturn McCain-Feingold.

16 posted on 02/13/2009 10:25:29 AM PST by Maceman (If you're not getting a tax cut, you're getting a pay cut.)
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To: Jim Noble
Admit one Republican State if they admit D.C. as a State.

The East Shore of Maryland voted for McCain/Palin with 56%. The counties east of Baltimore have about 670,000 people (including Harford, Cecil, Kent, Queen Anne's, Caroline, Talbot, Dorchester, Wicomico, Somerset, Worcester counties).

In 2008 D.C. had 591,833 people -- that's more than Wyoming which had 532,668 people in 2008 according to Census Bureau 2008 estimate

17 posted on 02/13/2009 12:16:56 PM PST by Aroostook25
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To: stop_fascism
Move the capital to the geographic center of America

That's Lebanon, KS, in north central Kansas just south of the Nebraska border. Better would be to move all the capital museums and other good stuff almost as far from the east, west and gulf coasts as possible such as near Rapid City, South Dakota -- near the Black Hills and the Badlands.

18 posted on 02/13/2009 12:25:36 PM PST by Aroostook25
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To: Jim Noble

Technically DC residents should be treated as residents of Puerto Rico and Guam..no Federal Income Tax.


19 posted on 02/13/2009 12:32:49 PM PST by mo
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To: Aroostook25

No, I really want Nancy to spend her time in Lebanon KS.

Did you take Alaska and Hawaii into your calculation of the center?

I am actually quite serious about this proposal. The location of Washington makes it very difficult for representatives from the west to serve their constituents. In addition, power is shifted, abnormally, to the Northeast, in part, due to the location of the capital. In addition, the move would be a make-works project that would make the WPA pale in comparison.


20 posted on 02/13/2009 12:49:20 PM PST by stop_fascism
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