We have been down this road before, but it appears the time is again upon us to recycle the ridiculous idea of creating another liberal, blue state, out of a tiny federal district, to satisfy one political party. On Friday, House Democrats passed a bill to make the Swamp, or Washington D.C., the 51st state in the Union. Can you imagine the state flag? Logos from Speaker Nancy Pelosi must already be in process.
The cleverly named bill H.R. 51 passed with a party-line vote of 232-180. With one holdout, Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN), voting against the wishes of his party. The brand-spanking-new Swamp would be named Washington, Douglass Commonwealth – possibly to save the millions of dollars in changing street signs and stationery, so D.C. will still be, well, D.C. However, the great abolitionist, Frederick Douglass, was the given reason.
The happy little effort now heads off to the Senate to be beaten up, picked apart, ridiculed, and rejected.
If, perchance, it succeeds the Senate would welcome two new members, with the District’s nonvoting House representative finally becoming legit and able to cast a ballot, instead of skulking about the gallery.
No Way Does the US Need a New Blue
Statehood was brought up on the House floor in 1888, 1921, and 1993 but never gained much momentum -- although there have been several movements and meetings and calls for statehood in the District. And if H.R. 51 does gain ground and somehow miraculously pass and head towards the Oval Office, what Congress would be creating is an elitist mess.
Based on 2018 statistics, it would rank first in median household income, 49th by population, first in Gross Domestic Product per capita, yet 51st in area, and 49th in population.
Another aspect of promoting statehood in a federal district is the level of local government and powers bestowed. Currently, D.C. has a mayor and council. How would the District add in a state government? The territory, gifted by the state of Maryland, was never intended to be a state. Would a governor of the nation’s federal District have powers nearly equal to the president?
Liberty Nation’s Chief Political Correspondent, Graham J. Noble concludes:
“The District of Columbia was carved out for the purpose of serving as a federal district, housing the federal capital of Washington. Conferring the rights of a state upon this federal District presents all kinds of conflicts. Moreover, it cannot be a real state without a governor - and the District cannot have a governor: Imagine the power a governor of the District that houses the federal government could wield.”
Consider that the Executive Branch within the federal District is the mayor. The role is much like a state governor, signing bills destined to become law. Unlike a governor, the D.C. mayor must acquire congressional approval before a district law is in effect. Congress can and has imposed laws on the District and retains authority over the local budget: Because it is a federal district – not an autonomous self-governing capital city.
If the Democrats are hell-bent on wresting power by granting statehood, it will help their battle immensely. It appears they are already trying to dismantle the nation’s history by demonizing the Founding Fathers, attempting to rid this nation of its emblems of freedom and shelving the national anthem. And all the while pursuing the toppling of a nearly 300-year-old form of government that created the most prosperous, free, protected, and liberty-oriented country on earth.
Statehood? Not a chance – unless Maryland will step up and take one for the team and absorb the gift that keeps on giving America grief.
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