Democrats introduce bill to make Washington, D.C., the 51st state

[BUtterfield 8 41,818]

House and Senate Democrats introduced legislation Wednesday that would make Washington, D.C., the 51st state.

The measure was reintroduced in the House by Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, a Democrat who represents the District of Columbia, and its companion was unveiled in the Senate by Sen. Tom Carper, D-Del. As of Tuesday evening, Norton said that she had more than 200 co-sponsors in the House.

“There’s never been a time when statehood for the District was more likely," Norton said in a statement, adding the bill was passed by the House last year for the first time and now had a "record" 202 co-sponsors. With the Senate companion bill also gaining co-sponsors, "we’re ready to achieve voting representation and full local self-government for the 712,000+ residents of the District of Columbia,” she said.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., have committed to bringing the bill to the floor for a vote, Norton said. She added that with Democrats in the majority in the House and the Senate, and with President Joe Biden's support, “this is the time we can finally correct this historic injustice and give D.C. residents the same rights as other taxpaying Americans.”

While the bill could pass again in the House, which remains in Democratic control, its chances of clearing the Senate are nil. Democrats control the Senate because, with a 50-50 split, Vice President Kamala Harris can cast tie-breaking votes. But Democrats would need to overcome a filibuster, requiring 60 votes, for the legislation to pass, meaning they would need at least 10 Republicans to join them. Many GOP lawmakers have expressed opposition to statehood for D.C. because its congressional representation would almost certainly be Democratic.

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[FATCAT 60,888]

There’s no reason why it shouldn’t be a state, same with Puerto Rico. 

[CameronSpears 2,128]

Finally. Hope it passes.

[SharkmanthaC 115,041]

I'm okay with this.

But then how will we redesign our flag?? 

[BUtterfield 8 41,818]

4 minutes ago, SamanthaC said:

I'm okay with this.

But then how will we redesign our flag?? 

[SharkmanthaC 115,041]

1 minute ago, BUtterfield 8 said:

I don't know why my brain went to some random star on the side. 

[BornAsUnic0rn 2,245]

Nuke the filibuster, lordddddd.

[SpadesToStart 3,808]

Honestly, this would be a great thing to nuke the filibuster over. DC would essentially provide two eternally blue senators, which would make a Republican majority in the senate increasingly difficult for decades to come.

(Also it’s BS that DC has a bigger population than the state of Wyoming, yet has no senate representation)

[Lucas 31,103]

Do they usually vote democrat or republican?

[Spyro 8,438]

3 minutes ago, Lucas said:

Do they usually vote democrat or republican?

A republican would be lucky to get 10% of the total votes in a presidential election.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_elections_in_Washington,_D.C.

[gabeoz 7,915]

4 minutes ago, Lucas said:

Do they usually vote democrat or republican?

DC is almost entirely democrat which is why Republicans dont want to make it a state

[Emvee 8,826]

20 minutes ago, BornAsUnic0rn said:

Nuke the filibuster, lordddddd.

Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema won’t let them. 
 

Those two are basically Republicans. 

[Spyro 8,438]

23 minutes ago, BornAsUnic0rn said:

Nuke the filibuster, lordddddd.

There's still about six dems who don't support statehood for some reason.  So nuking the filibuster is a must but not enough.

[Spyro 8,438]

1 minute ago, E Z said:

Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema won’t let them. 
 

Those two are basically Republicans. 

To be fair, Joe is from West Virginia and we gotta take what we get.  But I don't seem him running again so I would just be like eff it.

[Emvee 8,826]

2 minutes ago, Spyro said:

To be fair, Joe is from West Virginia and we gotta take what we get.  But I don't seem him running again so I would just be like eff it.

I’m just stating the facts. Before anyone goes on a false equivalence to say Democrats are just as bad as Republicans. 
 

No, Democrats have an agenda. It may not be as progressive as we want it to be (though that has significantly changed post Bernie and AOC), but they do have one that tries to improve the lives of Americans. 
 

We can objectively point to reasons why our political system is in a perpetual gridlock. Their names are Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema in this instance.