Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Will the President veto democracy for DC?
In today's Washington Post an article announces that it's likely that President Bush will the DC vote bill. The proposed legislation would give DC residents a voting representation in Congress. I was talking a friend who doesn't live in the Washington DC area. Her question was why is DC still taxed without representation in 2007. So I gave her mini-lesson on DC history and the city's struggles over to the years to gain the rights that other federal tax-paying American citizens take for granted. She doesn't understand why lack of democracy hadn't been corrected prior to now. I explained to her that opponents usually will point to the US Constitution, however, I feel it's more about politics. Many Republicans want to keep DC residents from having a voting Congressperson to prevent the Democratic party from having another vote in the House.
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To respond to your question regarding the veto, the answer of course is “yes”. DC demographics look like New Orleans demographics, and therefore in the eyes of this administration Washingtonians do not matter.
Constitutional interpretation will not help DC at this time. We have seen how the Constitution has been misinterpreted, used as a shield, ripped apart and put back together as the new Golden Rule - he who has the most gold gets to ignore the rules.
Sorry.
As an outsider I still question why this change did not come to pass during a more progressive period. Additionally, I hope that Washingtonians will look beyond taxation without representation to consider the other complaints of 18th century Colonists and will find a way to gain the democracy we want the rest of the world to enjoy.
PS I wish to remain anonymous as I fear how the Constitution has been interpreted this week.
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