From: millerm@CS.ColoState.EDU (mark miller)
Subject: Re: Representation for Washington D.C.  Controversy in the House.
Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1993 00:02:51 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Colorado State University, Computer Science Department

fcrary@ucsu.Colorado.EDU (Frank Crary) writes:

>In article <Jan19.095102.39439@yuma.ACNS.ColoState.EDU> millerm@CS.ColoState.EDU (mark miller) writes:
>>I saw an interesting event on C-SPAN late last week.  A group of
>>Republican representatives had held a press conference on Wednesday (I
>>think).  They were talking about how the Democratic leadership had
>>brought "pseudo-statehood" to Washington D.C. by changing the House
>>rules to allow 4 or 5 delegates to represent D.C. in the House of
>>Representatives.  I did not hear what function these delegates had.  I
>>don't know if they were allowed to vote on the House floor or not, or
>>whether they had voting rights in committees.
>
>I think they would be able to vote in committee, but not on the floor.
>However, the House conducts _alot_ of business in a "committee of the
>whole" (i.e. a committee consisting of all members of the House), 
>as far as the drafting of bills is concerned, these delegates would
>be the same as Congressmen.

Ah, I see.

>>Some stated their views on statehood for D.C. and they were against
>>it, because the national government should not be subject to the laws
>>of a state that contains it.  I can agree with that concept.  National
>>government would be signficantly weakened and confused if that were to
>>occur.
>
>Actually, very little of the National government is within the broders
>of the District of Columbia. Is, for example, the Department of Defence
>weakened and confused by the Commonwealth of Virginia, since the
>Pentagon is located in that state (as is ther CIA, for that matter...)

I see your point.  Come to think of it I used to live in McLean,
Virginia when I was a kid.  When we went into town for shopping we
would passed the CIA entrance.  Does the CIA, FBI, or Defense Dept.
have to pay state taxes??  What is the arrangement here?  I assume
there is something to back them up so the state of Virginia could not
exert some kind of control over these agencies.  Is it through statute?

>The real problem is that most of Washington has nothing to do with the
>federal government. Perhaps shrinking the national capitol to the
>one (instead of ten) miles square that contain the Capitol building, 
>the White House, congressional and executive offices, and giving the
>rest of the city (i.e. the residential, commercial and generally
>non-governmental parts) statehood, would be an acceptable compromies.
>(Actually, it wouldn't: The Republican objections are really one more
>Democrat Governor, two more Democrat Senators and at least one more
>Democrat Representative.)

Something I thought of a while back is I'm surprised that when the
amendment was made they didn't say people could not live in the area,
that it would only be a place for governing agencies.  I don't think
there's a problem with having businesses, museums, schools, etc.
there, however.  It seems like they were just asking for this issue
to come up, because who in this country would want to live without the
same kind of representation that people in other states had?

I agree with your idea of shrinking the district, and letting the
people in their now become a part of Virginia or Maryland.  I don't
really see justification for that tiny area to become a state.  It
would be the smallest one in the Union, right?  The thing is, D.C.
already has its foot (or toe) in the door for statehood in a sense,
because it has a place in the Electoral College for voting for
President.  As I remember it, only states were given that right in the
Constitution.  I think it might've been given to D.C. as a kind of
concession.

I also agree with your analysis of the Republicans not wanting it
to be a state for political reasons.  D.C. has traditionally gone
Democratic in presidential elections.

|Mark Miller, computer science   |"Like a government, the operating system   |
|major at C.S.U.                 |performs no useful function by itself."    |
|millerm@cs.colostate.edu        |   --- Operating System Concepts           |
|mmiller@nyx.cs.du.edu           |"Let me ask you something.  Is the         |
|                                |government worth preserving when it lies   |
|                                |to the people?" --- "JFK"                  |
|        "FATHER!...FATHER!...THE SLEEPER HAS AWAKENED!" --- "Dune"          |

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