Should Washington DC Ever Become a State? Congress Votes on DC's Statehood - TLDR News

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For years people living in Washington DC have been campaigning that the district should be granted full statehood. There are a lot of interesting arguments surrounding DC's status, but the debate got kicked into high gear when a bill proposing statehood passed the House of Representatives. In this video we discuss why some think DC should become a state, the current debate, and if it will actually get full approval.
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1 - www.congress.gov/bill/116th-c...
2 - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...
3 - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demogra....
4 - www.270towin.com/states/Distr...
5 - www.vox.com/the-highlight/201...
6 - www.vox.com/2014/11/12/717389...
7 - / 1276242497325367302
8 - nypost.com/2020/05/05/trump-s...
9 - / 1276285377595281408
10 - www.cnn.com/2020/06/26/opinio...

[@SeanLamb-I-Am]

I'm always amused when I see a D.C. license plate. The official automobile license plate says "Taxation Without Representation" right on it.

[@PeterStanton]

Arguing that a territory's job sectors matter in whether it deserves statehood is like when Immanuel Kant argued that wigmakers deserved full citizenship rights while hairdressers didn't. It's utter insanity.

[@JWNimble]

“You mean District of Columbia, a state? Why? So we can have two more Democratic - Democrat senators and five more congressmen? No, thank you. That’ll never happen.” - Donald Trump We all know the real reason why DC is not a state. It is all politically motivated and thus 700,000 American citizens who pay federal taxes lack proper representation. It is Ironic that in America's heart of democracy taxation without representation exists.

[@terrythompson7535]

Inflation is the REAL taxation without representation, and we are supposed to pay private shareholders of stock of the central banks our TAX money for what.. "loaning" money into existence? Money that they didn't have and didn't earn? Central banks shouldn't exist, and neither should this corrupt government that does their biddings.

[@yeetbomb2015]

Don't like it? Than move lmfao

[@thefreudiantheoryofpenisen2197]

CecilDaBomb1117 I get ur joking but do they understand there’s not this mythical land with no problems

[@Delgen1951]

@@terrythompson7535 inflation is zero, dead, nil, nonexistent. When President Jackson killed the bank of the Untied States, he placed the US on a century long roller coaster of bank fallers and inflation, and bank runs, panics and depressions, that would rack the finances of the nation every twenty years, as regular as clock work. This is what you want? to destroy people's financial lives every twenty years? Really?

[@freddiesimmons1394]

@@yeetbomb2015 ...or change the people in charge so they actually act like humans and not ghouls?

[@binkensteinnz]

Given that the whole American Revolution was started because of "Taxation Without Representation", it's somewhat hard to argue against it.

[@Alan.Endicott]

Easy solution: stop taxing incomes earned in DC.

[@jasons5916]

They vote for president. They have representation. Plus they live among and influence every other places representatives. Congresspeople and senators probably know more about what people in DC want than their own constituents.

[@ilect1690]

@@jasons5916 nope, the capital and DC people are heavily seperated, they have 3 electoral votes but it should be 4 based off of population

[@budomk9299]

@@jasons5916 this is a dumb comment. Funny enough, this is not the first time I've heard it

[@jd9304]

@Yoo Wat then join Maryland. We’re never going to have a 68 square foot state. Every city would start fighting for statehood

[@johng5474]

No taxation without representation... wasn't that one of the reason for independence from GB?

[@jasons5916]

They vote for president and have a non-voting representative. As far as I know, there is no argument that they have to have a certain number of representatives.

[@budomk9299]

@@jasons5916 there is, for one their representative doesn't vote, so they still have to pay taxes they don't have any chance to vote on. For another, states with smaller populations have 2 senators. The 700000 people in washington dc should get the same representation. If you don't know any reason they should be fairly represented, then you need to learn.

[@Ch-xk5tv]

So why don't declare the Washingtonians their independence from the US?

[@brotherakuma]

You should look at the American territories and why they aren't states

[@sklaWlivE]

Ooo! Ooo! I know this one. It's pretty much the go to ultimate answer for why things in the US are so F'd up: Racism. Seriously. Look at why Puerto Rico was declared a territory and not a state, despite having a significant population...also, notice how (almost) all of the territories don't have majority white populations...yeeeah. Other issues are of course brought up when denying these places full constitutional rights, but they are all ultimately moot: they wouldn't be having those arguments, if the territories had been granted statehood and full representation in the first place...and the reason they didn't, was racism. As economic imperialism...which was fueled by racist jingoism...so again, racism. I'm Canadian, so not exactly innocent on the territories front, as we have 3 that make up the North of Canada: Yukon, The North-West Territories, and Nunavut...though being a Territory in the Canadian context, is quite a bit different then being a Territory in the US context....for one, all three have both MPs and Senetors, and both groups have actual voting power in their respective houses (A former Fisheries, Oceans, and the Coast Guard Minister, Hunter Tootoo, was the MP for Nunavut for instance)...which also means, they have do have a voice and a vote (albeit a small one) in the appointed powers granted to their territory (which does come from the Federal government directly, unlike Provinces which are considered more sovereign over their affairs). Also, the Wyoming v. DC population argument doesn't work either, since there is a very clear difference in population sizes between the Territories and even our smallest province, PEI...by about a 100,000 people. That's not an excuse for having the territories, just a little education on the statistics at play. Also, Racism was probably a factor at play as well in those territories being not full provinces...Especially the first two, Yukon and NWT...pretty much everything in early Canadian history has racism plastered all over it. :S

[@kain6996]

space lapis did Puerto Rico not send a state hood request in 2019 that was shot down by our congress did I just imagine that?

[@Ace-uc5cj]

Johannes-Wesley Ladage it’s not cause of racism, yah say everything is happening cause of racism. Both parties want DC to be a state but there are much more important things that are happejing

[@Udontkno7]

Johannes-Wesley Ladage Also because they voted to remain a territory in the 60’s. They’ve tried to vote again but nobody turns up for there to be a concrete consensus.

[@cdg715]

Adiall0 its against the law to make DC a state

[@elijahfordsidioticvarietys8770]

You really 'gotta love this weird reverse elitism going on with Tom Cotton.

[@aaronjulien7331]

So Tom cotton doesn't have a "real job"? still dreaming of the rough lumberjack he'll be one day. Chase you dreams pal, we believe in you

[@spencersfarm]

He's too dumb to understand that mantrap.

[@edwardblair4096]

I'm sure as a lumberjack he will "be OK, ... sleep all night and work all day." ... You know, "press wildflowers" and "hang around in bars". :-)

[@elijahfordsidioticvarietys8770]

You 'gotta love the irony of someone badmouthing other people for not having proper jobs when he only works for half the fucking year.

[@kyledavis4202]

Don’t get it twisted. This wasn’t about jobs. Wyoming is 83% white, DC is 47% black and 11% Hispanic. And the only reason it’s not higher is because of rapid gentrification that has boosted the white population significantly in recent years. It’s not that Wyoming has the “right jobs”, it’s that it has the “right people.” He intentionally tried to scare people by saying that people like Mayors Bowser and Barry could not be trusted to run the city of Washington and to protect its federal institutions. When the Pentagon and the WTC were hit on 9/11 I didn’t see Tom cotton blaming Rudy Giuliani or whoever the mayor of Arlington VA was at the time for those attacks. So why does he automatically assume that if something bad happens to one of the federal buildings in DC, it’s automatically Muriel Bowser’s fault?

[@elijahculper5522]

Aaron Julien Is it bad if I really really like the idea of Tom Cotton the Lumberjack? That just might be the gay icon I need in my life.

[@msaone]

Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, Northern Marianas, American Samoa, & Guam should become new states as well

[@joewilson3575]

#FreeGuam

[@rag2031]

They can be independent countries as well

[@ryanmcmichael9217]

Only Puerto Rico has a big enough population to have members of congress, but if the electoral college is abolished then there is no reason why all territories can't vote for president.

[@unclesam5230]

No they should all be independent

[@PrograError]

actually why not have all of them be represented under "extraterritorial territories" title with them given representative rights and presidential election rights but not a "seat" in the senate? basically the elected representatives can voice out and vote in the house but under the senate they are only allowed to voice out but not vote, other than for the presidential election/ electoral collage.

[@veraxiana9993]

Funny thing is Tom Cottons speech made me even more pro-statehood rather than less. Epic persuasion fail right there lol

[@moosesandmeese969]

Tom Cotton Swab's speech is just a coded dog whistle for "the people in DC aren't white"

[@cynic2201]

Ben Cofield everything is a dog whistle if it comes out of the mouth of someone you disagree with

[@moosesandmeese969]

@@cynic2201 "racism doesn't exist at all." -you in a nutshell Yeah no, "hard working people" is definitely a dog whistle. There is no way to measure how "hard working" people are. And any real measure would prove the contrary. If you go by GDP, DC's is 4x higher than Wyoming with only 1.4x the population. So if we really want to ask who's more "hard working," seems like it's actually DC residents. There must be *some* reason Tom cotton swab thinks DC residents are lazier and therefore deserve less rights than Wyoming. Maybe it's because DC is less than 50% white while Wyoming is over 90%, hmmm. That's the only factor left. You can plug your ears, cover your eyes, and deliberately act ignorant and oblivious to racism, but it exists no matter how much you deny it. And this is exactly what Tom's speech is: a dog whistle to race. Go cry "nuh uh" all you want dummy lol

[@joshlobsenz7252]

One thing I found interesting that he conveniently left out is the GDPs of DC and Wyoming--DC's 148 billion dollars, while Wyoming's is just under 40 billion.

[@angelogiusti5283]

outdoor fun DC is a US territory also the Congress Building, White House, Supreme Court and the rest of the national mall are going to still be the District of Columbia while the new state Washington Douglas Commonwealth is just going to be the area where the people live and the non-government business are located so yes they are still respecting the constitution by allowing the government buildings and monuments to stay in their own district while the rest of the city becomes a state.

[@cartman19892]

It absolutly should. Remember "No taxation without representation"

[@ALLIRIX]

Do they pay state tax?

[@dyamineu5246]

@@ALLIRIX Federal taxes

[@neeneko]

@Matt Horkan Yeah, but that was also done under the assumption that it would ONLY be the capital, with no significant permanent stateless population. So an initial predicate is no longer valid.

[@genstian]

Holds true for all the other territories like Porto Rico, Guam, etc as well.

[@unhandthatscience8210]

@Matt Horkan thats why, as mentioned, the houses of government wont be in the new state, theyll stay in whats left of the district

[@Grussmoney]

I always hated the argument that no one was suppose to live in DC since people already lived there before the states ceded the land. Georgetown and Alexandria were already established port towns before the federal government came and the rest of the land was mostly owned by farmers the last of which was bought up in 1939.

[@CatholicWeeb]

Puerto Rico: Ahem, What about us?

[@moosesandmeese969]

@@a.r.w.2753 I don't see the US ever giving it up, and the island is unlikely to survive well on it's own, so I think statehood is the best option for them rather than continue to treat it like a colony. I was firmly in favor of PR statehood after the abysmal response to hurricane Maria. If PR was a state, they would have a much better ability to get federal aid for the damage. They also don't even get to vote unlike DC.

[@pseudonym9599]

Not enough white people. Not a state. -Trump

[@GreenBlueWalkthrough]

@@a.r.w.2753 They still voted to be a state 3 times now or so.

[@davidmcfadden7509]

@@a.r.w.2753 The Majority of PR have voted for statehood on several occasions. And it's local government has voiced its desire to do so. It has to be approved by congress and the president like every other state which is the main hurdle. It also seems PR has more of a legitimate reason for statehood than DC.

[@ShadowWolfRising]

I am willing to bet if/when D.C. is, Puerto Rico will be right behind, and probably Guam behind them. Possibly the Mariana Islands, Virgin Islands (Possibly the 2 as one State), and American Samoa if Guam does so.

[@sda1186]

Wasn't the whole USA independence about not accepting taxation without representation? How is this different?!

[@kevinclark6776]

It has to do with our federal process and not wanting one party to control the seat of government. If the federal gov has their own land, and the federal government is changing hands every 4 years or so, then we can't have an elected state official unduly influencing or even seizing the capital with state forces. That is the worse case scenario, though there are other complications as to how you run a state that is essentially a single city built around and servicing the Federal Buildings and community that run the country. Also the sheer number of lobbyists and special interests groups that base themselves out of D.C. is astounding. Under the federal gov these group's powers fluctuate, but in a state that has never voted red only one type of special interest or lobbyist would have access and proximity theoretically that all these group enjoyed. I think ceding the land to Maryland makes the most sense, it doesn't change the congressional balance much and they get to vote. Though some other issues may still remain

[@altrag]

@@kevinclark6776 > Under the federal gov these group's powers fluctuate, but in a state that has never voted red only one type of special interest or lobbyist would have access and proximity theoretically that all these group enjoyed. ... You think DC as a state would what? Build a wall and only allow vetted democrat lobbyists in or something? I guess they'd have to cut all phone lines as well. Maybe shoot down Air Force One when it tries to take off?

[@uhohhotdog]

Jam’in Cans your argument is very flawed. Assuming all your worries were legitimate, Maryland is almost as democrat heavy as DC. Maryland would be surrounding the capital and everything you just worried about would still be true.

[@terrythompson7535]

No, it wasn't. It was about the refusal of accepting caste systems and fiat currency. The taxation without representation narrative is false, and everyone is currently being taxed without representation through the inflation caused by fiat currency, by a group of private shareholders of stock of central banks.

[@Nic1700]

@@kevinclark6776 I think returning all of the land in DC where people live to Maryland and readjusting the House representation and Electoral College votes accordingly makes the most sense. Pair down the District to just the enclave of buildings, parks, and monuments described in the video. The people there then get to vote for voting members of both houses of congress. There's no questioning the motives of Democrats as a power grab or Republicans as stifling the vote and representation of their opponents.

[@affinityforanime]

Perhaps if the federal government didn't keep passing laws that screwed over Puetro Rico's economy, they'd have both a strong financial foundation and a more positive outlook on America and be both able and willing to become a state.

[@AndrewRusherLDS]

The US doesn't care about Puerto Rico, the US just wants Puerto Rico for the money.

[@visorij3374]

Puerto rico had control over its own economy and fuck it up thats why the feds have a oversight board now.

[@JJ-nu8qi]

Pr is so corrupt and in debt. The corruption there has little to do with US polices and more to do with themselves.

[@britannia2129]

I wonder what a 51 star flag will look like

[@amylaneio]

It would be alternate rows of 9 and 8 stars.

[@timogul]

Probably like the 49 star flag, only slightly out of order.

[@webdesignerplays]

I'd advise watching the Last Week Tonight segment on this, he literally shows the flag a number of times during it and at the end reveals the flag has 51 stars and nobody noticed

[@KilosWorld]

@@ballroomscott In fact, every one up to 61 has been proposed by someone, 62 hasn't been done yet (although it could be), and 63-70 have been done.

[@kolaida]

Might be 52 stars in 2021. Puerto Rico is supposed to vote on statehood in November.

[@sarah-janeandersen2797]

As someone who lives close to DC, everyone I know who lives there wants it to become a state. I would love to see a Puerto Rico video though - I’ve heard polarizing opinions regarding statehood by Puerto Ricans. Thanks for shedding light on the issue, TLDR! 💕

[@nymike06]

If anything DC should be given to Virginia or Maryland , not become a state

[@StephySon]

@@nymike06 the people have already voted that they wish to become a state. And Virginia took back its land decades ago and Maryland does not want them back

[@nymike06]

@@StephySon Ok, if that's the case, I would encourage Texas to divide itself into three parts and become three separate states. Problem solved.

[@StephySon]

@@nymike06 or we just simply add more states to the Union. As we have since the beginning of this nation. We started off with 13 and we’ve grown from there and we will continue to grow

[@nymike06]

@@StephySon Right, we can also divide up Tennessee and Alabama too, would be good to get a North and South Alabama added to the country.

[@Permille]

Aw, there goes the opportunity to make Area 51 the 51st state...

[@nobrang5146]

Area 51 is, has, and always will be rightful Nevadan territory.

[@eoinmcelligott]

@@nobrang5146 it was a joke

[@beforecuddlybunnylps841]

@@nobrang5146 FEDRAL LAND

[@garretbuechler8848]

I think that if any of the territories want to become a state they should be allowed

[@Ace-uc5cj]

Some of them are far away.

[@isaacmoraesdornelasdesouza4830]

Adiall0 so? They are taxpaying citizens who deserve representation in government.

[@santacruiser2214]

What about Alaska? It’s further from the contiguous U.S. than Puerto Rico, and significantly smaller in population.

[@jamescliff8038]

Yeah Guam should be a state even though it shares no common culture and is in Asia. You should be president

[@jarjar4095]

If that happens ima move to some uninhabited us island and become a senator.

[@andrewnetherton652]

Tom Cotton's argument is so dumb. Wyoming may have way more loggers and factory workers, but DC has way more politicians, office workers, lobbyists, and lawyers -- jobs that pay more and have better benefits than being a lumberjack. The 2019 GDP of DC is 12x that of Wyoming with only a 15% higher population.

[@jamescliff8038]

It’s not dumb to believe diversity in economy is good for a state. It’s simple economics. If it was possible for an entity’s economy to survive on only high paying and important jobs then we’d be living amazing here. And you can’t argue for dc statehood with a point that it depends on the politicians and lobbyists that are there because of the federal capital. That just shows how much their economy revolves around the capital being there and it actually makes you sound dumb to try and negate that very obvious fact that makes dc statehood not a good idea.

[@andrewnetherton652]

@@jamescliff8038 If DC were a state, it'd have more autonomy over its budget, which currently must be approved by Congress, more representing the will of its 700k residents instead of a body in which they have no say. Sure, people representing the citizens of DC draft the budget, but their representatives lacking approval power kinda seems like taxation without representation, right? Plus, that disproportionate amount of high-income political/legal workers in the DC area means more residents of your state can be taxed at a higher tax bracket, generating more revenue for your state. Tax revenue is tax revenue in the eyes of the state, regardless if it came from a resource extraction industry or the legal/political/hospitality industries. Having more tax revenue means you can choose to do more for your citizens who happen not to have a law degree, and that's more likely to occur if the people who have final say in your budget can be held accountable by the voters of DC. It's simple representative democracy. Why can't I argue that regions with relatively less economic diversity still deserve representation/statehood? To me, Hawaii's statehood seems like a fair comparison; they rely heavily on their ability to leverage their tourism industry way more than other states can. It's not a bug, it's a feature; their ability to leverage being tropical islands, much like DC with its proximity to the federal capitol, is what generates reliable income for the state, and it's not going away any time soon. A less diversified economy is a only critical failure if the industries relied upon do not have a stable/reliable demand, right? I guess there would be such a critical failure for DC if the capitol relocated, but I doubt that will happen. What federal land would they put this new capitol in? Yosemite? Don't you think the "political industrial complex" would effectively lobby against any legislation that proposes moving the capitol to avoid the expenses associated with relocating their own operations to this new capitol? Also, don't you think that if this hypothetical capitol relocation bill was passed and signed into law, the politicians that supported this measure would look really bad for destabilizing an economy? Doesn't giving DC statehood provide more economic stability to the region by giving more guaranteed votes in Congress against relocating the capitol? Sure, some goods in less economically-diverse states will be sold at higher prices due to increased shipping costs of goods they cannot produce themselves, kind of like in Hawaii again. I don't understand why that bars such an entity from forming a state (or how that economic reality would change things for DC between being a federal district and being a state --it's currently presumably how things already are and things aren't spiraling out of control). Please explain. Are there certain economic benefits they would lose by being a state instead of being a federal district? Technically, couldn't a DC with statehood and control over its own budget use that autonomy to invest in developing local businesses via grants to produce a more diversified economy? Additionally, what fraction of the goods you purchase were actually produced within your state? If this argument really is purely due to this lack of economic diversity, DC would benefit from being absorbed into Maryland or Virginia, right? That way, these 700k people would gain voting representatives in both a state government and the federal government, along with some budget autonomy and being a member of a more diverse state-wide economy, but they would not gain the two additional senators I suspect you're truly more concerned about. Hell, by splitting the district between Maryland and Virginia and some clever application of gerrymandering, you could ensure the status quo: this voting bloc introduces no additional members to the Senate and their representation in the House remains purely symbolic. tl;dr: "Granting DC statehood is a bad idea" based upon this idea of an insufficient degree of economic diversity is not an obvious fact.

[@user-hp6od8jw4k]

6:45 Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark. : If most of Washington was under the control of a left wing politician who frequently takes the side of rioters... Should we risk the safety of our capital on such a gamble? That didn't age well, did it.

[@tommay6590]

Why not just reintegrated D.C. into the State of Maryland, the southwestern part of the Diamond was returned to Virginia already.

[@alexray230]

Many Marylanders don't want DC because it would likely increase the already strong democratic majority in the state legislature, something that republican marylanders on the eastern shore and in western Maryland aren't going to be happy about. An even larger amount of Marylanders simply don't care. It's also not likely to happen while we have a republican governor

[@tommay6590]

Alex Ray that be the case, but Maryland ( and Virginia) only ceded the Land in order to give the union some real estate for the federal district. When the federal district is not needed anymore

[@tommay6590]

Than the land should fall back to Maryland.

[@ryanmassie448]

The first thing you learn when you live in DC is that they hate Maryland, so they are not eager to join them.

[@timogul]

If Maryland got free land, I'd prefer to get Delaware. Just to smooth things out.

[@lensy6]

Never forget, anything done in an election year is always about the election

[@joeo3377]

In the US, every year is an election year.

[@void2258]

I've also heard merging the non-federal parts back into Maryland as another proposal, which bypasses the hurdle of extra congressional sets. Not as popular with anyone, including the residents, but seems like it might be easier to get through the divided government.

[@AndrewRusherLDS]

It wouldn't give the Dems more power so they wouldn't back it. People were meant to enter Washington DC to do federal work then leave Washington DC to return home, the issue is that people came into Washington DC to do federal work but they didn't leave & they created a city so now they want Washington DC to become a state so the Dems can get more power in Congress.

[@void2258]

@@AndrewRusherLDS Way to insert your own political views into an argument about a ton of US CITIZENS who are bring denied representation on a technicality. You act like this was doen with the express nefarious purpose, rather than the natural evolution of a community that deserves to be represented in some way.

[@AndrewRusherLDS]

​@@void2258 If the people of Washington DC want a voice in Congress they should call for the non-federal parts of Washington DC to be admitted or readmitted to Maryland or Virginia or both. The Dems are submitting to the Far-Left & the Far-Left wants one-party rule so you get "Washington DC Statehood" bills with the goal of making Washington DC a state which will elect Dems who will vote on Far-Left bills.

[@joelkirkwood8224]

Elliot Jenner Eh, he’s got a point. We desperately need to revisit legislation that limits terms for senators and house representatives

[@leewaters5949]

@@joelkirkwood8224 The people who live in DC aren't senators who came and never left. Career senators live in their own states with offices in DC. The people who live in DC are the "essential workers" who support the industries that support the running of the government (secretarial, janitorial, administrative, etc.) and the industries that support those people (the usual population requirements, food, gas, housing, etc.) .

[@brianholmes1812]

I feel like there should be some economic margin set up for state admittance. Like when it reaces some arbitrary stable number, in it goes. It seems more fair that way, otherwise it gets tangled up in party politics and demographics when the real point should be on taxation without representation, something the framers of the constitution were famously not fans of

[@DarkFlareGC]

One glance at historial maps proves political leanings and jobs are temporary. (Even Texas was at one time blue and California was red) Those things change. You have to look at the long term fact that 700k (and rising) people in america are paying taxes in the nation's capital and are having their voices ignored. They literally write on their license plates "taxation without representation". That's simply unfair and I think america is the only country that does this. In Canada, Ottawa is part of the province of Ontario and gets members in the houses of both province and federal parliament. Those that live in Gatineau have the same but in Quebec. You also end up having extra police in that area as the Mounties protect the parliament building along with Ontario's OPP and Ottawa's own city police taking care of other areas. So the argument that DC will become less safe with statehood doesn't exactly hold water. I know what occurs in Canada doesn't translate to what happens in America but honestly I wouldn't be surprised if a smaller district would cause the federal government to up it's own secret service in response to fears that the "liberal elite" isn't doing enough.

[@nymike06]

Then give DC back to Virginia and Maryland

[@budomk9299]

@@nymike06 no, make it a state

[@nymike06]

@@budomk9299 It doesn't need to be a state, make it part of Maryland once again

[@DerpyLaron]

6:46 He basically takes number out of context, gives no source, context or reason why the number are good for the case he presented and his entire argument hinges on "This number is bigger, thus that muss mean that it can't work" He should try the same with lawyers and see how many DC has in comparison. How is the GDP of Washingtion DC compared to his state. Maybe even consider the crazy of democratic represnetation in the area, but no instead he those a cowards job and backs party lines out of fear to loose power as the people gaining representation would likely not vote for his backass party as they are more open to the world, aware of lawas and diverse. What a disgrace to democracy that guy and his party are.

[@alexwhinnie274]

Totally agree good comment.

[@bm1747]

How are logging, mining, etc. the key jobs that determine whether a place has a "well rounded" economy?

[@leewaters5949]

@@bm1747 Let me translate: he means there are more white people.

[@heavenlygaze-]

9:06 I’d just like to note, at least in the text that says give.

[@spencerking2692]

Cottons’ words didn’t age very well after Jan 6th

[@itsburky0616]

I recommend renaming Washington State (West Coast) Washington State 1 & Calling Washington DC (If it does become a state) Washington State 2 (DC) It would make it a lot easier

[@Kenji000]

Nice and loud. Thank you

[@danp420]

TDLR US has been an amazing channel so far! thank you TLDR

[@AbramSF]

Why can’t DC just be absorbed by the states around it? Just extend the state lines around the White House and other Federally mandated buildings. It’s not like Virginia is so big it couldn’t add in an extra city. Let the people of DC ask if they can join whatever state they want to be a part of. Honestly looking at the map it looks like a square chunk was cut off from Maryland. Just give it back to Maryland.

[@gusgrow9768]

They don’t want it.

[@Peppurr1]

Funny how he was so concerned about DC mayor protecting the capitol when the president allowed his supporters to attack the capitol. I wonder if he has a different position now.

[@blarneystone38]

"Well rounded working class state..." might as well just say "white state" and get it out in the open.

[@tibblez]

I’m from DC. The real DC is not what everyone thinks, all that tourist stuff is just one area that most people live miles away from. It is nuts that I have to pay federal taxes but have no vote.

[@connorhurley1689]

I fucking hate the federal taxes but we can’t get any money back for our federal high ways the pot holes are such a pain

[@deandredukes4975]

I didnt like it because i liked the idea of having a separate district for the federal government, but once you said the federal government would be cut off to make its own district separate from DC state, i liked the idea

[@eoinmcelligott]

All these districts and territories should have referendums to find out if they want statehood. If they want it then they should get it. Not up to someone in Tennessee, New York , California or Montana to decide. DC, Puerto Rico and the other US overseas territories should decide THEIR future .

[@Ace-uc5cj]

Well ask them if they want statehood they can do a referendum like what Puerto Rico did, Puerto Rico being a state makes sense but DC becoming a state doesn’t it’s too small, they should just join and be part of Maryland over being a state, DC was a reserved district of federal land to have the Federal government there.

[@newjamisonia]

DC did have a referendum, it was overwhelming in support for statehood. Like 90%

[@newjamisonia]

@@Ace-uc5cj this is a terrible take and you should feel bad for posting it.

[@Ace-uc5cj]

@@newjamisonia How

[@newjamisonia]

Because you demonstrated you have zero knowledge of the intricacies of retrocession, which importantly require consent of the territory (DC doesn't want it), the State (Maryland doesn't want it) and Congress (Congress doesn't want it). Your point about the Federal reserve is meaningless. Retrocession fucks that up just as much as DC statehood does. And it hasn't been a valid concern since 1864. It's only brought up to dismiss statehood out of hand as an excuse not to think critically about it. DC statehood is the most viable and likely solution. It only requires consent of DC (DC residents overwhelmingly support it), a state Constitution (check we have that), support of Congress (the House approved it) and the President. The next time there's a D trifecta it will happen.

[@ronvelitsky6703]

Niceee I have been waiting

[@rasho2532]

It should be illegal to deny statehood just because you think the citizens of territory won't vote the way you would like them to. That's very undemocratic. How can they say that so openly without repercussions?

[@cynic2201]

I agree, which is why literally nobody is arguing that, other than people strawmanning.

[@evannibbe9375]

Also the Constitution basically makes D.C. statehood illegal because it specifically describes the federal district as being under the sole legislative control of U.S. Congress in all cases whatsoever.

[@rasho2532]

@@evannibbe9375 sure, but the proposal in the video still allows the existence of a federal district. It is just restricted to the buildings that actually matter like the white house, Congress, the Supreme Court... So, DC can get its representation and the federal district can keep existing

[@zephodb]

Honestly, as a US Citizen... They should just carve out the 'parts' needed for the federal government and let the actual 'area' that is talking about as a state... Simple re-cede it to Maryland and move on, since Washington DC was initially carved out of Maryland in the first place. Additionally, the ~locals~ of Puerto Rico have repeatedly (by a slim majority) voted ~against~ Statehood, but the exact reasons why are more complex than I'm willing to go in to in a post here at the moment.

[@lioraselby5328]

didn't the most recent puerto rican referendum lead to a pro-statehood majority, though?

[@Indigoqueer]

Puerto Rico has voted to become a state twice. Both votes were seen as non-binding. The most recent only got 23% of the voting public due to a boycott.

[@Plutonium2000]

Maryland doesnt want dc back and dc doesnt want to be part of maryland. There are hundreds of years of separation and the people of dc developed their own culture.

[@blarneystone38]

@@lioraselby5328 The most recent referendum was overwhelming pro-statehood, but turnout was very low because anti-statehood groups boycotted it. The most recent referendum with full participation happened in 2012. The vote was very slightly in favor of abandoning territorial status, but those who voted against being a territory were split between statehood, free association, and independence as the solution.

[@roberteischen4170]

Brah, if we make D.C. a state before giving Puerto Rico' either statehood or independence, I'm gonna be pissed.

[@averagejoe6031]

“We don’t think you should get representation in the government that controls you because we disagree with you”

[@chrishemmerling982]

Minnesota wants and needs District Of Columbia to become a state! It has been a dream of mine since I was a young 8 year old boy in MN!

[@kadz3597]

can't just D.C. join Maryland?

[@elli6220]

No. Maryland doesn't want them back.

[@nobrang5146]

Then Maryland would be dictating the policies of the nation then

[@LoserGopher]

No Brang That’s definitely not how it would work the national mall and federal government buildings would still be under the rule and jurisdiction of the federal government much like embassies

[@kadz3597]

@@nobrang5146 No, DC would be smaller like in this video and the rest would join Maryland

[@jackcook5673]

Does Tom Cotton expect a city to have logging and mining industries?

[@buddigabong]

I think he's saying they don't have any industry. even Rhode Island has marine related industries. most DC residents work for the federal govt. It's all about power, but it's not the same as a typical territory.

[@danielsykes7558]

I'm crossing my fingers that with the Senate this might possibly get through. It would also increase the security of the Douglas Commonwealth.

[@s4gr_n0s3y]

Right now senate Democrats have introduced a bill to make DC a state so it could happen

[@nitramreniar]

Gotta love how everyone else tries to argue against it with the safety of the capitol or economic reasons, while trump just casually admits that the main reason is just their political position without giving even a single thought about how that should definitely be illegal

[@Plutonium2000]

@Cam Adams 1st People are talking about incorporating it back into maryland all the time 2nd Neither maryland nor DC residents want that. There was even a vote and dc residents voted no

[@evancombs5159]

@@Plutonium2000 Rejoining Maryland is their only legal option if they want full representation.

[@charanth182]

A politician should represent the interest of the people first not the party.

[@maddie_1122]

Answer: Yes.

[@Ghastly_Grinner]

No

[@maddie_1122]

@@Ghastly_Grinner Yes. There is no reason why the citizens of your Capital should lack the electoral rights that yo enjoy.

[@claybryan1557]

@@williamwhisenant1494 will you pay for my relocation? I can't afford to move out of DC right now.

[@davidharris2517]

This would make referring to Washington state as Washington state 110x more confusing.

[@MrJames1471]

It does confuse it, doesn't it?

[@zombiem3mes441]

I heard they will rename it

[@OhSanjiBoi]

The new name of DC is going to be New Columbia.

[@johndeltuvia7892]

I don't think it is likely to become a state - in fact, less likely if the polls are correct for November. There are only three states (Wyoming among them) which have such an outsize representation in the Senate as Washington would have, with slightly over 700K residents. New Jersey, where I live, has over 9 million residents, and our Senators and Congressmen would have some explaining to do to have yet ANOTHER state have such disproportionate representation in the Senate. Everyone is overlooking the fact that DC was originally square in shape. In 1846, in a process called retrocession, the land that was originally ceded by Virginia was retroceded to Virginia, becoming Arlington County. It would be much more reasonable to retrocede the residential part of DC to Maryland, thus giving them more appropriate representation in the House and Senate than statehood would. Finally, Tom Cotton makes a great point - although he probably didn't realize it himself. The Hatch Act of 1939, as amended, prohibits Federal Employees, or state or local employees paid in part from Federal funds (such as welfare workers in the States) from participation in partisan politics. 10% - 20% of the proposed State's residents would therefore be unable to run for office or participate in a candidate's election campaign. They could vote... but who would they vote for? Who would run the campaign committees? The answer, of course, is the people who can afford the average single-family home - $765 K. The candidates would be picked by the wealthy... and two Senators might just backfire on the party pushing for statehood.

[@altrag]

You're thinking too deeply. Trump in his usual way accidentally uttered a horrid truth while trying to dogwhistle his base -- DC's statehood will be denied for entirely the same reason Trump's impeachment trial was a farce: Republicans don't care about being fair or just or upholding the constitution if it goes against their partisan hackery. And right now, Republicans hold a slim majority in the senate and full control of the presidential veto. The chance that any "democrat idea" will make it past both is essentially zero, no matter how much objective sense it makes. Republicans don't work on logic. They work on hate.

[@genstian]

Meh, instead of statehood, just give all of DC back to the state that gave the land in the first place ,except for the very same buildings. District of Colombia itself is tiny. It would be 22 times smaller than Rhode Island,

[@timogul]

Size of land does not matter, number of people matters, and it has more people than Vermont and Wyoming. Land should not get a vote.

[@moosesandmeese969]

DC residents are very much against merging with Maryland as are people in Maryland. They also have a much more distinct identity. Additionally, since DC itself has been a big spot for protests, they would not take kindly to being under the control of Maryland which has a massive police brutality problem.

[@elfunny1212]

Dont be fooled "Well rounded working class" is a dogwhistle

[@moosesandmeese969]

DC has a GDP 4 times bigger than Wyoming with only 1.4 times the population. That "well rounded working class" sure is lazy if we go by the racists' reasoning...

[@benjaminmadrigalperez9010]

@Luís Filipe Andrade that phrase itself is a dog whistle :P

[@daveharrison84]

it's not a dog whistle it's a bull horn

[@hs5312]

Ben Cofield it has more money because of the lobbying, special interests and rich people who live their. Also if you genuinely support giving them representation why not give most of the area to Maryland where they could vote for federal representation

[@Obi-Wan_Kenobi]

While I don't think DC should ever become a state, but the fact that they do not have equal representation in congress is ridiculous. They (and all of other American territories) deserve to have a voice and voting rights in congress. And the excuse of Republicans not wanting another Blue State is one of the most undemocratic things I've ever heard. I like the idea of DC not being a state so no one state has power over the federal government, but the people living there still need some kind of voice. I don't know, maybe they could be split the city in half with one half in Maryland and the other in Virginia. Or maybe they can do something else, I just know something has to be done. There are hundreds of thousand of people there who do not have the same rights as other Americans. That is simply wrong!

[@connorhurley1689]

The fact is we need to become a state so president like trump can’t have nation guard and federal officers harassing us in our day to day lives. On a when they can get deployed and use tear gas to clear people from the streets churches and there own porches. I think if someone did that to your neighborhood you’d be pissed too.

[@elio1711]

Nice image of Puerto Rico. Any chance a pin could be made XD. Btw nice pronunciation of Puerto Rico. 👍🏼

[@javierfigueroa7405]

I need the Puerto Rico with shoes pin plz!!!!

[@kennyamr5]

51 states in 2021.

[@ericomarpaboncrespo6005]

As a Puertorrican myself, I LOVED the country with shoes of PR. If you one day decide to make it, I will be so happy.

[@tonespeaks]

No taxation without representation!!!!

[@moveslikemacca]

🎵 let them have gun laws, let them have weed 🎵

[@eliasstenman3710]

I don’t belive this bill will go through, but I want it to happen so much!

[@FlyingAlfredoSaucer]

He said give more congressmen not five more.

[@connorhurley1689]

As a DC resident, I would like to just say that Mural Bowser is a no pro protesters, she pro freedom of speech and peaceful assemblies. As well as the fact that dc is different for the fact we pay federal income taxes un like any other territory’s.

[@corbinlubianski16]

I consider myself a Republican. If I was a senator, I would definitely support the bill. This bill shouldn't be partisan; it should be based off of principle.

[@videogamebomer]

Out of curiosity do hold the smae opinion for Puerto Rico or do you think it's different?

[@Distress.]

You're a Republican but you would support a blatantly unconstitutional bill? The constitution outlines DC's status as the neutral capital of the 50 untied states.

[@blarneystone38]

@@Distress. The Constitution establishes the existence of a federal district but it neither defines its borders, nor says that the borders cannot be changed through legislation. HR 51 preserves a small section of DC as the constitutionally required federal district, and therefore it is perfectly constitutional.

[@knutthompson7879]

In practice, for elected officials, nothing is based on principle. It's all partisan.

[@declannewton2556]

How about just giving most of DC(the parts where people live) back to Maryland? It satisfies both the demand for political representation in the federal government(via the state of Maryland) while compromising with hardcore anti state hood partisans.

[@kiriltrenkoski]

Yes but it wouldn’t happen.

[@Ghastly_Grinner]

No and it shouldn't

[@UnsolicitedContext]

Ghastly_Grinner for what reason?

[@cameronburke8002]

@@UnsolicitedContext because Dems will get 2 Senate seats out of it, that's why Republicans don't want it.

[@corwin32]

It should, and Puerto Rico should at least be given an opportunity to.

[@Ghastly_Grinner]

@@corwin32 Puerto Rico has been repeatedly give chanced they shoot it down And Neither should be states.

[@DarnedYankee]

The reason why the founders made DC in the first place is because they didn’t want one state to have great geographical influence over the federal government.

[@arifakyuz7673]

Just give it a special status that gives the same representation as a state without calling it a state, like, call it a “Federal City” or something.

[@acefader96]

The District of Columbia was partly born from a compromise created during a dinner party between Madison, Jefferson and Hamilton. In the deal Hamilton would get southern support for his assumption plan as Secretary of the Treasury. In return, the south would get the nations’s capital as a federal city within southern cultural geography. Therefore, I propose a compromise. Separate the federal parts of the nation’s capital from DC and give the remainder of the district back to Maryland, it’s historical owners. (DC was originally shaped as a diamond but part of the district was returned to Virginia in the Compromise of 1850) The people will have the benefits of statehood and the political ramifications of DC statehood will be muted by being incorporated into an existing state. Neither side will get exactly what they want and the Founders may look on approvingly as the tradition of compromise is invoked again.

[@rastavolt]

I wish more people took such a logical approach issues like this one as you have here.

[@Tullamoreinthemist]

The District of Columbia was originally carved out of the two states of Virginia and Maryland. The SW portion on the other side of the Potomac was ceded back to Virginia. If they wish to give the citizens of D.C. the rights of statehood, then just cede everything that they want to make into a state back to the state of Maryland. No need to create a new state.

[@moosesandmeese969]

Why though? The SW portion was ceded back to Virginia because the residents requested it. DC residents today don't want to merge into Maryland and neither do Maryland residents. DC residents also have a much more distinct identity than both the SW portion did as well as Maryland. Maryland's government is also pretty corrupt so it's understandable that the 700,000 people there wouldn't want to be run under the Maryland government. DC today is very much different from the Southwest portion that was merged back into Virginia 170 years ago. They deserve statehood of their own.

[@Tullamoreinthemist]

Ben Cofield I’m unconvinced by your argument of corruption in Maryland being a valid reason for D.C. to become it’s own state. Every state has a degree of corruption and this new state would be no different. I only argued that I don’t know why they don’t rejoin Maryland because D.C. on it’s own would be insanely tiny and I think, given it’s historic problems with poverty, could benefit from being part of a larger state rather than independent. Furthermore, if it’s simply representation they are after, there is no need to create a state just for that, with the added population of the city, Maryland could stand to gain another congressional district. The better candidate, in my opinion, for statehood is Puerto Rico. In that island’s case, statehood makes perfect sense.

[@OhSanjiBoi]

@@Tullamoreinthemist DC clearly doesn't want be apart of Maryland and Maryland has to ask for it back. Of course DC wouldn't it's been on its for 200+ years and the poverty history only existed because Mayor's Power is extremely limited to the point they can't do anything without Congress' say so.

[@HoennMaster]

DC should be given a chance for statehood, as should all of the territories if they so wish.

[@HowlerBarca]

Nope.

[@Plutonium2000]

@@HowlerBarca yes

[@andreastagni8358]

There is only one sensible argument that Republicans could make. The current federal district was carved out of Maryland with the specific intent to create a capital city uncontrolled by any state government. If its residents want to exert their representation rights, they should be given the chance to vote for the reincorporation of the district (save the federal institutions) back into Maryland, so that the State can reapportion the congressional district to fit in its newly increased population. There is already an historical precedent, as the Virginian portion of DC followed the same path in 1847.

[@ConnorLonergan]

I say if the people wish to have state hood then you give them state hood. Or is "the will of the people" no longer a sign of small government in action

[@carus6280]

If that's all that was needed you'd have states splitting, there are a few places that want independent statehood. I'd say if they insist on being in Congress just return them to whatever state they used to belong to.

[@ConnorLonergan]

@@carus6280 The constitution actually allows states to split. It would just need the approval of congress and the state government

[@altrag]

The will of the people gets less and less important as Republicans disenfranchise more and more people in order to prop up outdated and increasingly unpopular policies.

[@evancombs5159]

@@altrag Sorry to tell you, but Democrats are just as much if not more so at fault of what you are claim Republicans have done.

[@rasho2532]

@@evancombs5159 I mean Democrats aren't the ones who put in places voter ID laws and who diminish the number or polling stations in predominantly black and Hispanic neighbourhoods or areas, so....

[@mr.caretaker6086]

How about a compromise, keep the status quo but allow DC's representative in the house to vote on all matters freely?

[@dennisp8520]

Honestly that is the simplest solution and would actually address what people really want

[@8is]

That's still giving more voting power which is always controversial because it's always going to screw someone over. It's still just a political tool in the eyes of the parties.

[@elijahculper5522]

Mr. Caretaker E push for statehood isn’t just about getting a vote in Congress. It’s also about autonomy. Congress gets to veto city ordinances and gets a say in the municipal budget. When the citizens of DC voted for legalized marijuana, stricter gun laws, and a needle exchange program, members of congress who all represent people who don’t live in the District had more say in deciding if the local laws were changed than the city council. They decided to deny District citizens the policies they wanted because they were too liberal for congressional Republicans to allow. The only way to give the District the autonomy to make their own municipal laws and run their city based on what local residents want (like literally every other city in the country) is to give them statehood.

[@newjamisonia]

This is an ignorant take

[@ilect1690]

The party of tiny states thinks its improper for other tiny states to have statehood

[@jakedesnake97]

This might be a naive question, but why not just return the land (excluding the federal buildings such as the capitol, as proposed in the bill) to Maryland?

[@mikaelj90]

DC residents would trade ultimate control of the city from Pennsylvania Ave to Annapolis. There are enough difference in DC politics that merging it Maryland doesn't seem fair.

[@GeoffryxD]

I live in D.C. We deserve representation.

[@GH-oi2jf]

geffy_spengwa - I think DC should have a voting representative in the House, but DC is already overrepresented in the electoral college.

[@Plutonium2000]

@@GH-oi2jf thats why we should get rid of the electoral college

[@benjamintomassennordahl7911]

This can't become a state! They don't have the mining, forestry, farming and manufacturing jobs like a proper state like Wyoming has. Instead many are working in service professions, tech jobs or even worse; politics! We all know how being a politician isn't a real job!

[@Lugmillord]

McConnell: "...you said something?"

[@nameisblank2023]

You said "five more" but wrote "give more"

[@TILR]

After DC, all Territories should be given the choice of statehood or independence

[@m1nekji165]

Do you just want your country to crumble? Bruh

[@ALLIRIX]

I'm so early I have the urge to hit snooze

[@FloridaClay]

I have borrowed Madame Defarge's knitting needles and yarn and am toiling away until the November election.

[@nickluswidner3915]

Why not just carve out the Federal Government as suggested and cede the rest of the city to Maryland? There's already a precedent for returning the District's land back to the original state with the Virginia side.

[@mikaelj90]

Do you live in DC? If not, hush and let them decide.

[@tedskins]

They should get voting representation but don't call them a state, because it'll mess up the 50 Nifty United States song I sang in Elementary School

[@deangeloenriquez1603]

53 nifty United States from 13 original colonies

[@michaelscheffenacker1362]

Maryland donated the land DC sits on. Virginia was given back the land it donated. The real solution is to give Maryland back the land and it would gain a seat in the house. Then DC residents get represented by Maryland Senators. The fact that you didn’t bring this up in your video shows how bias your channel is, or you just didn’t do any research on the matter.

[@dylantorrance2606]

The video isn't about giving Maryland back the land, it's about the current bill to make DC a state. So why would he mention that?

[@evannibbe9375]

Dylan Torrance Because it is a better idea.

[@michaelscheffenacker1362]

Because its Congressman Andy Harris’s position. Maryland is a stakeholder and the bill if enacted would steal land from Maryland without compensation. The only reason to make it a state is to mess with the number of Senators which is crazy. If anyone cared about real representation, this alternative should be discussed and on the table, as its far more likely to get bipartisan support than the state bill. Bias in the news is more about what you don’t say than it is about what you do say.

[@aftokratory]

Whether you support DC statehood or not, I think everyone can agree that "State of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth" is just stupid. Why not just call it the State of Douglass? Or Commonwealth of Douglass? Washington, Douglass Commonwealth doesn't make sense at all. Washington is the name of the city inside the territory of DC. The city of Alexandria in Virginia also used to be part of DC before that portion of DC was retroceded to Virginia. Just call it the Douglass Commonwealth. It would still be abbreviated to DC, and Washington would be a city inside the state.

[@RGC-gn2nm]

No federal taxes in Puerto Rico

[@Crick1952]

Pushing for it to be a state is just silly. If they really want incorporation, shrink DC to just the Mall and g'vt buildings and merge the rest of the territory back into Maryland

[@leonardoespino9780]

But there’s a precedent in the compromise that lead the incorporation of Alaska and Hawaii. Back in the day, in the 50s, Hawaii was a republican leaning state and Alaska was a Democrat leaning state. So when they incorporated the states political influence, the democrat and republican, would cancel each other in making it balance and now we see it where Hawaii only elect democrats and Alaska elects republicans. Now, if they were to have a dc statehood, then, they need to incorporate another territory to off set dc because essentially, if they were to incorporate it into the states, congress, or at lest the senate, will become a permanent democrat place because of that power play. Also, because of the events of the riots, I still think dc shouldn’t become a state because if essentially that each place where people pay federal taxes should become states then Guam, Puerto Rico, wake, the Virgin Islands, and the American Samoa should then become states just like dc

[@Tom-eq7eh]

Example 472939 of why having an upper house which can stop the more proportional lower house.

[@joshmaricle-roberts7822]

Why not integrate the territory into Maryland? This would grant the population representation, but could not draw any fire for being a partisan upset of any kind. Still leaves Puerto Rico out to dry of course...

[@AndreiDudaupersonal]

USA the land of Free* . . . . . . . *As long as it doesn't make me look bad.

[@yoavmor9002]

What? No! That would give too much power to the the State of D.C! If they want something from the federal government, they increase taxes, change their laws, and make life for the politicians more difficult, so they would pass whatever they want. Exactly the same reason it wasn't a state for all the 244 years of the union!

[@yoavmor9002]

And this is all forgetting, that the Senate exists for the States, and not the other way around. Thus, the people can not complain about representation without compensation. Because as citizens, they are represented in the house of representatives. Which leads me to the compromise, which I very much agree with, is giving D.C an actual representative in the house.

[@Croz89]

This is certainly the most legitimate argument against statehood, that a state politically opposed to the federal government but encompassing its location could hold it hostage, so to speak. There would need to be a lot of protection against disruption, possibly exempting some federal officials from being subject to certain state laws.

[@gebboh]

if only the president would say something like that... And not just ain't gonna happen because the democrats would get 2 more seats

[@yoavmor9002]

@Will Kay The important distinction here, is that the new state would control the residential area were all the politicians live. That gives it power over property taxes, which give it leverage over the politicians.

[@yoavmor9002]

@Will Kay Many indeed don't, but the amount who do is what counts. Besides, many politicians who don't reside there do own property there, in case Congress is called for a long session. These properties they own, leave them under the influence of D.C's property tax policy, housing regulations, rent controls (if applicable), etc etc...

[@emtheslav2295]

Wait, dc pays federal taxes, yet can’t vote on legislation?! that’s extremely ironic, it’s almost funny. Sad, and also ironic

[@davidmcfadden7509]

Nothing was mentioned about DC retrocession. DC is a federal district with land (10milex10 mile) taken from Virginia and Maryland. It initially formed a which the Virginia side is already retroceded, wouldn't it be more applicable to retrocede all or parts of DC to Maryland?

[@davidmcfadden7509]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/District_of_Columbia_retrocession#Virginia_retrocession

[@OhSanjiBoi]

That depends if Maryland wants their piece back.

[@ianchapman6254]

Why shouldn't political leanings and job types matter for statehood? It always has before, not just in the slavery era, but even the admission of Hawaii and Alaska were subject to very careful negotiations, and they both came in at the same time for a reason. Hawaii was the GOP state and AK was the Dem state. The states have flipped politically since, but my point stands. Political leanings have *always* mattered for statehood.

[@purplebrick131]

Its utterly unethical for and a shame for democratic principles. Talking about taxation without representation.

[@Caspin]

I don't quite understand the types of workers argument. Why would it matter if your population has more or less working class citizens?

[@kyledavis4202]

It was thinly veiled racism. Wyoming is overwhelmingly white, but DC is mostly people of color. That’s why Tom Cotton thinks Wyoming deserves statehood and DC doesn’t, but he know he can’t say that so he comes up with bullshit workaround arguments like “working class citizens.” As if DC doesn’t have plenty of poor people

[@ShadowWolfRising]

Here's my thoughts on the matter. Wait til November and see what happens.

[@bobjenko]

What are your thoughts now?

[@ShadowWolfRising]

@@bobjenko Senate and House seat numbers are there, wait til Biden is in office, it will probably be inevitable now.

[@bobjenko]

@@ShadowWolfRising Potentially. Though at least one Dem senator (Joe Manchin) is conservative enough to not vote for it. Though I hope you're right.

[@christopherflores3460]

The territories of DC and Puerto Rico should be admitted into the Union since this would create a more representational senate, while enfranchising the AMERICAN CITIZENS of those territories. This would also help bring back the argument of increasing the number of representatives in the House which would as well make it a much more representative body that reflects the nation. A “house of the people” in which one person represents 700k which in turns allows easy gerrymandering is not good for “the people” and a Senate that over represents groups such as a rural and white individuals is not very reflective either.

[@Alexsantana-hk4hb]

I agree with you on Puerto Rico Puerto Rico should have been a state a long time ago but DC no DC should not be a state

[@cs0345]

Puerto Rico keeps voting against statehood. If they become a state it would be harder for them to secede if they want to

[@MrRhomas913]

Rule by majority is not always the best. If so, the next president could win by appealing to white suburbanites and retirees and damn minority interests. California and Texas are both about 40% Hispanic. Within the next decade, Latinos will have significant influence on who the next president will be. Why should they give that leverage up?