dc statehood?

face it: it'll never happen.

the city of washington has autonomy under its home rule charter. that's as far as it's going to go.

congress passed a constitutional amendment to give dc a vote in congress in 1978, but the states didn't ratify it. petitions for statehood didn't even get that far, and they never will.

congress won't agree to statehood because they don't want another level of government in their midst. the risk of having to deal with 10th amendment issues is too great. statehood for dc is no more likely than israeli jews giving up jerusalem. (it's a separate issue, obviously, but palestinians might as well face facts too.)

the question of representation is easily solved, tho: just make dc part of maryland for federal elections only.

dc residents would vote for president, senate, and house of representatives as if they were in maryland. the state would have to redraw its congressional districts to include dc in one of them and would most likely gain a seat in the house and an electoral vote. the national total of electoral votes would go back to 535.

it would be so easy it's odd no one has thought of it before.