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Posted on 02/26/2009 2:59:26 PM PST by stevie_d_64
District of Columbia when it became the nation's capital two centuries ago would be granted under legislation the Senate passed Thursday.
Congress is "moving to right a centuries-old wrong," said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid shortly before the 61-37 vote.
The House is expected to pass the measure with a strong majority next week and President Barack Obama, a co-sponsor when the bill failed to clear the Senate two years ago, has promised to sign it.
The measure is likely to face a court challenge immediately after becoming law; opponents argue that it is unconstitutional because D.C. is not a state and does not qualify for representation.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
For decades I have strongly suggested The area comprising the District of Columbia be returned to the State of Maryland, and a new demographically centered federal district established. My reasoning all along has been to thwart any attempt to grant the District of Columbia statehood, or any similar status.
Notes: When the federal capital was established the demographic center of the nation was near Baltimore, Maryland. It has since moved westward and is currently in western Missouri, approaching Kansas. Having a more demographically centered federal district makes it possible for the various elected representatives to better represent their districts and states, rather than allowing a single region of the country control over the national government.
self ping for later
Its not, really. Section 8, Article 1 provides for Congress “to exercise exclusive legislation in all cases whatsoever, over such District”.
yes it is.
Article 1
Section 2. The House of Representatives shall be composed of members chosen every second year by the people of the several states, and the electors in each state shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of the most numerous branch of the state legislature.
I'm an individual with capability of thought, if that makes me racist, so be it.
CONSTITUTION
“Will never pass SCOTUS muster.”
Yeah, like the McCain Feingold bill.
How does Utah warrant an extra seat in the House? One for Utah, one for DC.....can anyone tell me how this is supposed to work or be constitutional?
>>Who were the insane Republicans that voted for this???
I’m sure that will come to light here very quickly...<<<
Well they got another rep for Utah in exchange so it shouldn’t effect the balance.
And I see an argument for either not taxing them or else giving them representation.
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Now on to Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, US Virgin Islands, Yeeearrgh!
wikipedia has a map of the part of Virginia which left DC.
They haven’t pretended to give a damned about the Constitution since FDR. They just pass whatever the hell they want and hope the SC agrees with them.
----Robert Byrd (Sr D-WVA)
Bookmark
I agree ... what on earth is in the water? How can they vote on a blatantly unconstitutional bill?
“They’re not even pretending to be restricted by the Constitution anymore.”
If they are no longer bound by the Constitution then they are fair game, because we will thus have no foundational laws to restrict us, either, and thus anything goes.
Specter (R-PA), Yea
Collins (R-ME), Yea
Snowe (R-ME), Yea
Voinovich (R-OH), Yea
Hatch (R-UT), Yea
The usual suspects plus Hatch...Byrd and Baucus voted Nay on the D’s side.
That's for sure.
“One of the states had better go to court over this. It’s flatly unconstitutional.”
You and I finally agree on something.
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