Couric & Co.
June 1, 2007 4:40 PM

Katie Couric's Notebook: D.C. Voting Rights

I'm in our nation's capital today, covering the effort to give D.C. residents a vote in Congress. They have taxation, yes, but without a voting member in Congress, there's no representation. Click the monitor for more.
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voting rights
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by ericmichael1 June 4, 2007 12:15 PM EDT
Seriously, it would take a Constitutional amendment to do it.

D.C. is not a state. If it becomes one, it gets representation according to the U.S. Constitution.

If it doesn't, it will take an amendment. A long, arduous process, something that Congress cannot do unilaterally with legislation.

There is no racism involved. Something much worse. The cold, sterile, structured legal system of the United States.

Eric
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by petersemkiw June 3, 2007 12:45 AM EDT
Dear Katie, It just annoys me when I hear that the good people of Washington,DC have still not gotten the right to true representation through a voting member in Congress yet. It seems very un-American. I am a great admirer of the Boston Tea Party, and that Tea Party was all about protesting taxation without representation!The Potomac is a pretty big river, too and if Washington,DC doesn't get a voting member in Congress soon, they should organize a symbolic protest DC Tea Party. I haven't heard where the Presidential candidates stand on this issue yet, but I would be very interested in hearing what they have to say about this issue in the upcoming debate this Sunday night and in the other debates thereafter as well.Keep us updated,Katie!
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by ericmichael1 June 2, 2007 1:14 PM EDT
It is thought by some historians that if the British crown had just allotted one vote in Parliament for the American colonies, the U.S. would never have happened and the "colonies" would still be part of the Commonwealth today.

If this voting measure fails (or, more likely, found unconstitutional), perhaps one day D.C. will secede.

And THAT is something to be unhappy about? The national crime rate will likely decrease dramatically, as will the number of politicians in federal jails.

:)

Eric

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by petersemkiw June 1, 2007 8:48 PM EDT
...C'mon, and let's give them the vote already!
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