No taxation without representation

As we prepare to celebrate America’s Independence Day, it feels fitting to look at our nation’s capital.

‘No taxation without representation’ may have been the rallying cry of the American Revolution but more than 200 years later, Washington, DC’s residents pay federal taxes but have no voting members in Congress.  To add insult to injury, Congress can take control of the city whenever it wants. 

Article One of the US Constitution created the capital:

                “To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of particular States, and the Acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States, and to exercise like Authority over all Places purchased by the Consent of the Legislature of the State in which the Same shall be, for the Erection of Forts, Magazines, Arsenals, dock-Yards, and other needful Buildings; (http://www.earlyamerica.com/earlyamerica/freedom/constitution/text.html)

It is important to note that the nation’s capital is a ‘district’ not a state.  This distinction is important because the founding fathers did not want to give any one state the preferential treatment it might receive if it were located in a state and because they wanted the federal government to have full control over its security.  George Washington selected the location and picked the spot the closest to Mt. Vernon, his home.  In 1790 the name was changed from ‘Territory of Columbia’ to ‘District of Columbia’ and named for Washington.

District residents were not permitted to vote in presidential elections (and could not until 1961, when the 23^rd Amendment to the Constitution was ratified) but that doesn’t mean they liked it.  Congress began meeting there in 1800 and local protests about the lack of representation followed.  Congress retained full control of the city until 1973 when it passed the ‘District of Columbia Home Rule Act’ that created a city council and allowed the city to elect its mayor.  That has not stopped Congress from taking over the city whenever it wants.

So what can be done?  It’s a quandary for sure.  Any change to the District’s status would have to be done via a Constitutional Amendment, and that seems unlikely.  The proposals have included; giving the residential areas to Maryland or Virginia and leaving only the federal building as ‘DC;’ creating a Congressional District in Utah and one for DC; statehood (before you think it’s too small, it has more residents than at least one state); or making it a federal territory that would not require residents to pay federal taxes.

Personally, I am not sure what the correct or best answer is.  I do know that while the people who wrote the Constitution did not want every point of view or opinion to be represented, they expected voters to be.  Now, a lot has happened since we ratified the Constitution and created DC.  Senators are elected directly.  We have expanded dramatically (when Thomas Jefferson completed the Louisiana Purchase for $15 million, he didn’t think his decision was Constitutional), women can vote, slavery has been abolished and the largest federal government building (the Pentagon) is not in the capital city but across the river in Virginia.

I read a lot from people who feel disenfranchised because their Congressperson or Senators don’t vote the way they want them to and while I sympathize, they at least have three people in the legislative branch to whom they can complain.