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

[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.

[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!

[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".