Before you even begin to read this article, think about this question. What characteristics does an area need to be admitted to the United States? Common answers are that the area’s population needs to be in favor of becoming a state, that it needs to be economically sustainable, potentially, it needs to have similar interests to other states or the nation as a whole. Whatever your qualifications, Washington D.C. probably fulfills them.
Washington D.C.’s 700,000 residents, despite living in the heart of American democracy, have no representation in it besides the Electoral College — a privilege that took 170 years and the 23rd Amendment to get. D.C.’s lack of autonomy goes further than just an absence of federal representation; policies that are passed by D.C.’s progressive local government must be approved by Congress to receive funding from the city’s own coffers. However, Congress is an entity that often leans away from progressive policy, causing a myriad of policies, widely supported by residents, to be obstructed. These policies range from needle-replacement programs, expanding rights to include same-sex couples, providing low-cost abortions, gun control, legalizing medical marijuana and countless others.
In response to this issue and others, advocates have been petitioning for statehood. One step in this process was the 2016 referendum on statehood. Residents were in agreement — nearly 90% of voters wanted the local government to continue petitioning Congress for statehood.
Despite this overwhelming support, little advancement was made. Entering 2020, when every Democratic candidate for president supported D.C.’s statehood, in June, a bill to make DC a state was passed through the House of Representative. Predictably, that bill died on the Senate floor without receiving a chance to be voted on due to a lack of congressional support from Republicans that are not enthusiastic about a progressive city that voted in excess of 90% in favor of Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton in the last two election cycles
This issue has historically been avoided by admitting states in pairs. Unfortunately, there are no incorporable territories that are likely to vote for the current iteration of the Republican Party. That brings us back to our preceding question; what does a prospective state need to have in order to be admitted to this nation?
The real answer is not in the least bit glamorous; quite the opposite it is a purely political issue. To become a state only requires three things: a constitution, a representative government and a bill be passed through Congress signed by the President. D.C. has fulfilled the first two components since its inception, but the third has been a contentious battle that may be in its last stages. If American citizens across the nation believe in the ideals of the Founding Fathers — that a government ought to be by and for the people, that taxation without due representation is wrong- then Washington D.C. should become the 51st state, regardless of the short-term political implications.
By Chris Godbarge, Contributing Writer
