Last Updated on November 29, 2022 by Lily Connel
The people of dc are ruled directly by the US government, which leads some citizens to seek statehood for dc so that they can govern themselves and residents can enjoy all the benefits of citizenship. DC residents pay federal taxes and fight in the US military, so many dc statehood supporters believe they should be able to enjoy representation as a full-fledged state would. Additionally, dc is often overlooked when it comes to simple things like infrastructure upgrades which results in dc having very outdated and insufficient systems. There is no commuter rail system, and dc doesn’t have a train station which makes it very difficult for dc commuters to get to work in dc or head out of dc for vacations and such.
DC, or the District of Columbia, is a small district that has been in the news recently with calls for dc statehood. DC is located between Maryland and Virginia and houses about 700,000 people. Residents pay federal income taxes but have no voting member of either house in Congress. They do not have full representation in the Senate either, even though dc is fully represented by two non-voting members of the House of Representatives.
Pros and Cons Of DC Statehood – Let’s Know The Table
| Serial | Pros Of DC Statehood | Cons Of DC Statehood |
| 1. | DC statehood supporters believe dc statehood is the only way dc residents can elect representatives to represent dc interests in government. | Increased Spending on DC As a new member of the union, DC would have to increase its spending in order to support dc statehood. |
| 2. | Protection of Voting Rights A new constitutional amendment would be required to allow DC residents to vote for president and vice-president, and elect members of the US Congress. And yet, DC people are unable to vote with the Senate and House of Representatives. | A new voting member in the US Congress is required As a member of any state, DC people would need only one vote in the House of Representatives with another five votes in the US Senate. |
| 3. | Representation in the House of Representatives As a state, DC would have six representatives to represent its interests. | The tax rate would be raised As new members of the union, DC residents would have to pay taxes to support their own government. |
| 4. | Equal Rights and Benefits As a state, DC would have two senators in Congress to stand up for the interests of Washingtonians including equal rights and benefits. There is only one catch though! The federal government can still override any state law dc statehood. | Voting for President and Vice-President As a new member of the union, DC residents would not be able to elect the president and vice-president. |
| 5. | Representation in the Senate As a state, DC would have two seats in the United States Senate to represent its interests. | DC statehood supporters believe dc should seek statehood through the slow process that is already in place rather than create a new law for citizens only. |
| 6. | Statehood would allow dc to vote on domestic laws and policies that impact dc, which includes laws about dc public schools, safety, transportation, healthcare, housing, voting rights in national elections for president or vice president of the United States, etc. | However, some people believe that it should be one because there are many benefits to being a state that Washington dc would reap if it were to become one. |
| 7. | They would also be subject to the same congressional rules as other states, which means representatives can introduce bills and vote on them. | If dc were to become a state, it would have the full power of congress to vote on laws that dc citizens support or oppose directly. |
History Of The District Of Colombia (DC)
DC has had a long history with the United States government since its beginning as part of the District of Columbia Organic Act in 1801. It was formed from 100 square miles of land donated by the state of Maryland and Virginia to house a new US capital. They were originally governed by three commissioners, appointed by the president, who reported directly to the president.
The District of Columbia Organic Act created a board of commissioners that consisted of two mayors appointed by the president and six citizens appointed by Congress. It was put under the direct control of Congress in 1874, which continues today. They have an appointed governor and legislature that make dc laws, but they are subject to congressional review and can be vetoed by Congress. Even though dc residents pay federal taxes, money coming into dc is controlled by the US government; the local congressperson does not have any say in dc spending.
They should seek statehood through the Twenty-third Amendment, which allows them to have presidential electors and votes in the Electoral College just like any other state. It has consistently voted Democratic since 1964, so dc supporters believe they would be granted statehood without incident. dc residents could also vote for president and vice-president if their elected representative proposed an amendment to the Constitution allowing dc to have a vote in presidential elections.
DC would finally have representation in Congress like it has long sought, and dc residents could feel like real Americans with dc voting rights. Statehood would allow dc residents to have a voice in the federal government, which is currently not allowed due to dc being an unincorporated territory of the United States. Statehood supporters worry that they would lose their identity if it became a state, and become just another part of the United States with no culture of their own. DC has been under direct congressional control for so long that dc culture has been heavily shaped by Congress.
Conclusion
Washington D.C., the capital of the United States, is currently not a state. For example, dc has no voting representation in congress even though everyone who lives there pays taxes just like all other states. The capital district also has extreme wealth inequality because there are many people who live in poverty.
