Eleanor Holmes Norton has the Colbert bump to the 6th appearance power. She's an unstoppable force that won't be deterred by some guy threatening to close the gates.

Surely you can't be serious.

You cannot interfere with interstate commerce.

The 14th street bridge is Interstate 395. The Woodrow Wilson bridge is Interstate 95 and 495.

Good luck with that.

Talon: You cannot interfere with interstate commerce.

The 14th street bridge is Interstate 395. The Woodrow Wilson bridge is Interstate 95 and 495.

Good luck with that.

To clarify: The interstate highways are federal land and, afaik subject to interstate commerce protections. DC can't shut down highways it does not own, again afaik.

Talon: To clarify: The interstate highways are federal land and, afaik subject to interstate commerce protections. DC can't shut down highways it does not own, again afaik.

Meh. With the flow of DC traffic, I doubt anyone would notice if you barricaded them.

Trying to out-crazy Eleanor Holmes Norton is always a losing strategy.

Oh, yes... that plan would go over well.

The seat of federal power is kept in a separate district to prevent any one state from having undue influence or special status over all others. It is done that way precisely because of shenanigans like this. If that territory were controlled by a state legislature, there is no end to the tricks they could pull to hold up the functions of national government.

"Without it, not only the public authority might be insulted and its proceedings interrupted with impunity; but a dependence of the members of the general government on the State comprehending the seat of the government, for protection in the exercise of their duty, might bring on the national councils an imputation of awe or influence, equally dishonorable to the government and dissatisfactory to the other members of the Confederacy."

- Publius, Federalist #43

lajimi: Former congressman Tom Davis, who has been instrumental in the D.C. voting rights campaign, tells WTOP the idea is "naive and irresponsible."

like that ever stopped the city that elected marion barry multiple times. that's not a bug, it's a feature

Oh darn. I can't drive to DC. Jeez, I hope they don't take away Rockville, MD and Alexandria, VA too. That would be such a shame.

ZAZ: First, I recommend giving DC back to Maryland, as suggested upthread.

Second, I recommend revoking DC's self government.

agree on both. dc city council hasn't proved it can run the city competently; and we're going to give them a state to run?

maryland needs to take one for the team

That's OK. I'm on the left coast and didn't plan on being in the area today anyway. Thanks for the heads-up.

Pocket Ninja: vygramul: So every major city should become a state? Or is it that they're not driven to self-govern like DC is? Or, just maybe, they're still self-governing despite being part of a state?

I didn't say any of those things. I was simply asking you what was being revealed, and I'm still not sure of your implication.

If all they wanted was for their citizens to have congressional representatives who can vote (one that actually gets counted), joining back with MD would be a way to do that.

If they are given the opportunity to join with MD* to get representation and refuse, resulting in no representation... you can safely conclude that "statehood" is the real goal, not the "representation" that they currently lack.

That's about all it reveals to me.

*has DC actually been given an opportunity to give land and her people back to MD?

vygramul: Give DC back to Maryland. VA took back its part of DC: Arlington and Alexandria. If the issue was REALLY about representation, that should satisfy them. That it doesn't is revealing.

this

vygramul: Give DC back to Maryland. VA took back its part of DC: Arlington and Alexandria. If the issue was REALLY about representation, that should satisfy them. That it doesn't is revealing.

Whoa!! What makes you think we want DC? We've already got PG County to deal with.

Jimmy Devil Rocket Science: The seat of federal power is kept in a separate district to prevent any one state from having undue influence or special status over all others. It is done that way precisely because of shenanigans like this. If that territory were controlled by a state legislature, there is no end to the tricks they could pull to hold up the functions of national government.

"Without it, not only the public authority might be insulted and its proceedings interrupted with impunity; but a dependence of the members of the general government on the State comprehending the seat of the government, for protection in the exercise of their duty, might bring on the national councils an imputation of awe or influence, equally dishonorable to the government and dissatisfactory to the other members of the Confederacy."

- Publius, Federalist #43

Thank you, Jimmy. Saved me the copy and paste.

Talon: Talon: You cannot interfere with interstate commerce.

The 14th street bridge is Interstate 395. The Woodrow Wilson bridge is Interstate 95 and 495.

Good luck with that.

To clarify: The interstate highways are federal land and, afaik subject to interstate commerce protections. DC can't shut down highways it does not own, again afaik.


If that's the case why did murrayland and virgina have to threaten to sue the feds to get money to build the new bridge?

Build a wall around it and nuke it. We're better off without it.

Meh...then I'd have to give up my cool license plate.

I'm not a political scientist and I don't really know the ramifications of statehood for D.C. but aren't all citizens supposed to be guaranteed equal representation, or at least the illusion of equal representation? Didn't we have some sort of war a few hundred years back where the people claimed this was the cause of said war?

So laying siege to your own city merits a HERO tag?

Captain James T. Kirk: "They're animals."

Captain Spock: "Jim, there is an historic opportunity here."

Captain James T. Kirk: "Don't believe them. Don't trust them."

Captain Spock: "They're dying."

Captain James T. Kirk: "Let them die!"

SurfaceTension: I always wondered why terrorists haven't targeted the American Legion and Woodrow Wilson bridges. Between 5-10% of US commerce travels over those bridges every year. To destroy them would disrupt commerce and travel, not to mention bring DC area traffic to a halt, for months.

Oh, and I'd drive to Franconia-Springfield Metro station and Metro to my stop. Problem solved.

Watch out for ghouls.

Boy's got a point.

I live in MD and hate the idea of taking on DC but that is the correct way to do things. MD would probably get an extra congresschode so that could be the token DC representative. Then the city council would all be accountable to a slightly more pro-active Annapolis instead of congress.

kronicfeld: ZAZ: First, I recommend giving DC back to Maryland, as suggested upthread.

Take it a step further.

Cede DC to MD.

Cede MD to PA.

Cede PA to the Atlantic Ocean.

I like this plan, then I'd only live 30 min from the ocean! (Please leave western NY out of the ceding...)

lul wut?
The US Federal system works because D.C. is not a state.