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Food for thought
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Posted on Mar 11 2009
A week or so ago, the U.S. Senate approved legislation that would grant the District of Columbia in Washington full representation in the U.S. Congress.
While I will not argue the rights of citizens in the District to some form of representation, this legislation is facially unconstitutional. In other words, pertinent provisions of the U.S. Constitution limits full representation to the 50 states. The District is decidedly not a state.
The only option would be to return it to the State of Maryland that once owned the capital seat of our country. It’s the way to do it if we take the U.S. Constitution seriously. But I doubt that Maryland wants to retrieve the District. There are fundamental constitutional issues, though, that differentiates the District versus that of the State of California.
Now if the U.S. Congress is prepared to ratify it, then all territorial possessions should be included in order to attain inclusion.
The inclusion of territories would mean representation without taxation. I’d take it anytime though it would be unfair for fellow countrymen who contribute annually to the federal coffers. But I’d like to see whether this measure would gain positive traction as traditional conscience from both chambers give it critical review based on pertinent provisions of the U.S. Constitution.
[B]John S. DelRosario Jr.[/B] [I]As Gonno, Saipan[/I]
