Non-voting: what's wrong with the status of the District of Columbia, and whether it will become the 51st state

The US capital is preparing for a defining event in its history. After 30 years of debate this Friday, June 26, Congress will vote to grant Washington, DC the status of full 51st US state, says "Voice of America".

Photo: Shutterstock

License plates on cars in America are an additional opportunity for states to show off their advantages. Virginia is the “Lovers State,” West Virginia is the “Wild and Beautiful,” New Jersey is the “Garden State.” But in Washington, D.C., license plates are less about praise and more about protest. Taxation without representation communicates a harsh reality. Being a resident of Washington means paying taxes, but not having a representative or voice in Congress.

Photo: video frame "Voices of America"

Each state in Congress is represented by two senators and from 1 to 53 congressmen, depending on population. There is one non-voting legislator from the District of Columbia. This comes at a time when residents of the capital pay the highest per capita federal taxes in the country. Until 1961, Washingtonians could not elect a president. All local laws must still be approved by Congress.

"It's like you're a different American," says George Birch, founder of one of the local activist groups lobbying for the capital to become a state.

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Photo: video frame "Voices of America"

“When our daughter was 4 years old, we talked about the American flag,” he shares. — I told you that on it 13 stripes symbolize the 13 colonies, and 50 stars symbolize the 50 states. She asked if there was a star where we were from. I said, “No, because we’re not the state.” We were not only deprived of a place on the flag, but also in the main legislative body. This is a big gap in American democracy: denying 700 people the right to be represented.”

Photo: video frame "Voices of America"

Opponents of the idea of ​​creating a state refer to the Constitution, which stipulates federal control over the district in which power is concentrated. What guided the founding fathers, explains historian Jonathan Earle.

“Washington, D.C. is a compromise. One of many political compromises between the northern and southern states, says the expert. “The compromise was that the place where the government sits would not be controlled by either the North or the South.”

Photo: video frame "Voices of America"

In the end, Washington was created from shreds of Virginia and Maryland. The bill, for which the House of Representatives will vote this Friday, June 26, proposes to reduce the size of the government district of Columbia itself.

“So that the institutions of our founding fathers—the National Mall, the White House, Congress, the central core—remain the federal district,” Birch says. — And the remaining territories, where all the people live, where the businesses are located, became the 51st state. And then, as a state, they would have two senators and a voting congressman.”

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Photo: video frame "Voices of America"

The last time the issue of state status for the District of Columbia was considered in Congress almost 30 years ago. Now the protests and the decision of President Trump to use the federal forces of the National Guard to disperse the demonstrators under the White House have prompted this.

“The events of the past few days have shown that our fight for statehood is about more than just two senators,” said Muriel Bauer, mayor of Washington.

The big question now is how far the bill will go.

“We are cautiously optimistic that the bill will pass the House of Representatives,” Birch says. “But the bill will die as soon as it goes to the Senate.”

Leader of the Republican majority in the Senate Mitch McConnell said earlier: while he is in office, this bill will not pass. Because then, he says, the Democrats will get two more senators.

Photo: video frame "Voices of America"

The population of the capital is predominantly black and democratic. In the 2016 presidential election, only 4% of Washingtonians voted for Donald Trump.

History shows, says Jonathan Earle, that without the benefit of both political camps, creating a new state is unlikely. That is why America almost always replenished with two at once.

“The reason why states joined the union in pairs before the Civil War was that neither the North, which was increasingly opposed to slavery, nor the South, which was increasingly pro-slavery, wanted to add two more senators from any of the states until they got something in return,” Earl says. “The question these days is not one of support or opposition to slavery. It’s whether this state is more Republican or Democratic.”

Photo: video frame "Voices of America"

Activists hope that with the adoption of the bill by the House of Representatives, the issue of state status for Washington will move forward. And over time, with the new Congress, 700 residents of the District of Columbia will receive their representative there with the right to vote.

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