I agree completely about counting DC residents as part of Maryland for such political purposes. That would take an amendment to the Constitution, which this move should, too.

This Floor vote for a non state was unconstitutional when Newt Gingrich got rid of it in 1995, and it's unconstitutional now.

Add DC as a state in a constitutional way, add a star to the flag, and let them have a governor and state legislature they have to pay for themselves instead of via our tax dollars. Then Holmes Norton can have a vote on the Floor of the House.

Until then the Constitution is being violated.

Not that anyone in Congress in this generation cares about that.

The law would be clearly unconstitutional; no doubt about it. 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 would Senate seats for the District be far behind? Two more Dem senators.

The Seventeenth Amendment says that the senators shall be elected by the people of "each state."

But then, it's a "living constitution," according to Breyer and Ginsberg.

There was a law passed in 1975 I believe that provided a non-voting representative to Washington, D.C - the city in the House. The rep would report back to the CITY government. The CITY of Washington, D.C. if it had any problems used this non voting rep to voice it's concerns on Washington, D.C. - the city.

They have representation as a city. If the problem requires telling the Federal government, the rep has a voice in Congress. The city government then advises the people what THEY the city government will be doing.

Washington, D.C. is not a state. period. Any who don't like the arrangement; they are free to move to any state they wish. Simple.

First of all, retrocession to Maryland is a horrible idea. Anyone who lives here will tell you that DC is politically, culturally, and economically distinct from MD. In fact, we tend to hate each other. Neither side has any desire to join the other, so suggesting it as a course of action is meaningless. The alternatives are DC statehood or the continued deprivation of rights for over half a million U.S. citizens. As a side note, DC also has more residents then Wyoming, and I don't see any Democrats suggesting that they be combined with Utah because Wyoming doesn't "deserve" Senators.

But I take the Constitutional arguments seriously, and I don't think the current scheme they're trying to pass will hold up to court review.

A smarter option for Democrats would be to redefine the borders of the District with an act of Congress (as they did in 1847) to only include the only the National Mall and surrounding Federal buildings. The territory of Columbia could then apply for statehood, which again could be granted by an act of Congress. Then the Constitution would have to be amended to remove the Presidential electoral votes granted to the District, which no one would oppose.

Of course, all laws would have to go through the President, and Bush wouldn't sign it. But so be it. I think most Americans are in favor of full voting rights for all citizens, and back-door power grabs like this one are short sighted and wrong.

someguyinDC: to every rule there is an exception. The DISTRICT of Columbia is just that, a District to house (primarily) the Federal government. It used to be Philadephia. Read up on your history as to why that changed, and why they decided to give the Federal government it's own area. (I don't have time to explain) But, the Federal Government came first. The city grew up around it. The people knew the rules coming in, if they didn't like it...don't move in. If they want to be part of a state, move to one.

Again I say - SIMPLE.