Pelosi Affirms Support of Full D.C. Voting Rights

[MountainLaurel]

U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi, the incoming speaker of the House of Representatives, supports District voting rights and is a co-sponsor of legislation that would give Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) a full vote in the House, a spokeswoman said yesterday.

The statement from Pelosi's office clarified her position after heated discussion on Washington Post Radio about her position on the issue. On Thursday, Pelosi said she would change House rules on the first day of the new Democratic-controlled session in January so that Norton could vote on proposed changes but not final approval of legislation on the House floor. That would be a temporary measure, Norton said.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/10/AR2006111001662.html

[Duke Leto]

1. I'm thinking that's not enough, I'm thinking Statehood, for DC and elsewhere.

To be like unto the Republicans and use temporary advantage to create permanent gains, we should:

Admit Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, The US Virgin Islands and DC to the Union as states 51-55.

This means 10 new senators, most of whom will likely be blue, (all the house delegates from these territories and the district are blue, save for PR, and that's more a function of local politics). More importantly, 10 new house seats would need to be created, 7-8 of which would likely be blue, and these will come at the expense of the largest states. These states will have to perform mid-term redistricting, and with Dems in charge of many of these state houses and/or governorships, the losses will come from safe Republican districts. California and New York could probably switch a couple extra seats via gerrymandering a la De Lay.

End Result:

Senate ~ 60 - 50 Dems
House ~ 245 - 190 Dems

That's in addition to a ~ 10-15 vote swing in the electoral college, which would have been enough to tip the scales in 2000 or 2004.

Here's how statehood works. First the territory draws up a state constitution after a plebiscite or referendum on seeking statehood, and then petitions Congress for statehood. A majority vote in congress makes it so and the President signs his approval admitting the new state to the union.

No Super-majority needed. The only thing that could stop it if the potential states want it and congress approves is a veto. And a veto could give the opposition some nasty things to say about the Prez.

DC is a special case, since the constitution specifies that congress has exclusive legislative power in the district, and the constitution also specifies that all states will be guaranteed a republican form of government. These aren't incompatible. Here's how:

The US Congress would simultaneously be the state legislature in DC. Its House represntative and Senators would each have a veto power in their respective houses over laws that are made as the DC Legislature. The city council would continue to exist as a body to introduce legislation to the Congress. There would be a popularly elected Governor with executive power and an appointed judiciary. State and District, Congress controlled and Citizen limited. Problem solved.

So the question becomes, does this seem workable and if so, whose attention do I need to get in order to get it rolling.