I'd love to hear tea party opinion on DC representation...

[Green_Lantern]

You know....real taxation without representation...

[xultar]

1. A city with a high black population? Surely you jest...

[Riftaxe]

2. Representatton where?

The have local elections so they are represented on the municipal level. If they wish to advance to territorial or commonwealth rights like other US controlled interests, they know the proper procedure to pursue.

We should not ignore Law just to give them representation on the national level.

[tekisui]

3. Do the people of DC pay federal taxes?

The issue is taxation without representation. I would object to paying taxes to any level of government that didn't I didn't have at least an elected representative.

They have local representation, so the issue is local taxes.

[Riftaxe]

4. Commonwealths and territories in the United States do

Pay federal income tax (I believe Puerto Rico is an exception, since they have their own tax authority for income). They also have the rights prescribed by law afforded to them by that status. Basically the pecking order goes from State->Commonwealth->Territory->Possessions, each with it's own defined political and legal status.

[Riftaxe]

5. The matter of taxation without representation

is very interesting though. And although on it's face it does seem decidingly unfair (especially based upon our own national history), it does open a can of worms that really has never been addressed. One interesting thing that i can think of, is it fair to tax expatriates when they have no representation in the countries (including the US) in which they earn income?

[NoNothing]

6. Given unpopular DC is in general

I doubt many people at all support giving them more power.

[havocmom]

7. The people of D.C. are not the ones others have a beef with

It's the temps who come in for 2, 4, or 6 year terms a lot of people dislike.

[Riftaxe]

8. I believe you have a valid point there....

:rofl:

[Winterblues]

9. Doesn't Eleanor Horton represent DC?

:shrug:

[Riftaxe]

10. She is not officially a congress person

Basically the District selects one representative and two senators through their "state" constitution to represent them, however since they have never been officially recognized by congress, they are not "valid" representatives.

While congress can "recognize" their vote, legally they are not valid or binding, is my understanding.

I bet if we could get a native DC'er in here, they could probably shine light on the entire history of the DC vote movement.