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Sign the petition: A new year, and a new Congress. Demand D.C. statehood now! [1]
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Date: 2023-01-29
When Congress took days to elect a House speaker (due to Kevin McCarthy's staggering incompetence), it had real consequences on D.C. residents. That's because, since D.C. is not a state, no bills passed by the city council and mayor can become law without congressional review. And the constitution says Congress can't do anything before electing a speaker. In other words, D.C. government was hamstrung by the silliness of legislators on Capitol Hill (none of whom they can elect!) when statehood would have relegated the debacle to an amusing sideshow.
The push for D.C. statehood is nothing new, and would have passed years ago as a "good government" measure—if it wasn't perceived as benefiting Democrats over Republicans.
RELATED STORY: The judicial system in D.C. is collapsing due to Republican obstruction
The 23rd Amendment to the Constitution (adopted in 1961) gave D.C. residents the right to vote in presidential elections. At the time, neither party was sure if it gave them an advantage. In 1960, both candidates Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy supported it. But since 1964, D.C. residents have overwhelmingly picked the Democratic nominee in every election. By the time D.C. statehood started to pick up steam in the 1970s, Republicans were motivated to drag their feet and do all they can to prevent it from becoming law.
D.C. statehood is not about partisan politics. It's about giving people the voice they deserve. Now, Sen. Tom Carper has reintroduced legislation to make Washington, D.C., the 51st state. The bill would give Washington residents full representation in Congress—and MUST pass.
Make no mistake, this is voter suppression. Equality at the ballot box cannot be guaranteed until Congress grants the residents of D.C. the statehood they deserve to be a part of the democratic process. It’s past time for this great injustice to be righted.
Taxation without representation is wrong. Help the people of D.C. get the right of statehood.
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https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/1/29/2149625/-Sign-the-petition-A-new-year-and-a-new-Congress-Demand-D-C-statehood-now
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