D.C. Statehood Would Be a Really Bad Idea | Eastern NC Now

Kylee Zempel explains in a Federalist column why the nation’s capital should not become the 51st American state.

ENCNow
Publisher's Note: This post appears here courtesy of the John Locke Foundation. The author of this post is Mitch Kokai.

    Kylee Zempel explains in a Federalist column why the nation's capital should not become the 51st American state.

  • In their latest leftist power-grab, Democratic lawmakers in the House of Representatives voted last week to admit Washington, D.C. as the 51st state in the union, tossing the measure to the Senate, where it faces an uphill battle. That's because, as even some Democratic senators know, conferring statehood on the District of Columbia is a horrible idea — and not just because the founders wouldn't approve.
  • Washingtonians who have ever bothered to crack the Constitution (likely a minority of them) know D.C. statehood is unconstitutional. Article I of the Constitution grants the federal government the power of "exclusive legislation, in all cases whatsoever, over such district ... as may, by cession of particular States and the acceptance of Congress, become the seat of the government of the United States" even before the location of the district had been decided. As last summer's mayhem and rioting illustrated, not only would granting statehood to D.C. give this one state a disproportionate amount of power, but it would also prohibit the federal government from eliminating threats and disorder there.
  • "Lawlessness in capitals poses a unique danger to a nation, which is among the reasons the federal government has exclusive jurisdiction over the federal district," wrote Kyle Sammin here at The Federalist. "[A]llowing D.C. to become the 51st state would enable one local government to hold the nation hostage through inaction — or even endorsement — of riotous disturbances."
  • But the biggest reason never to admit the District of Columbia as a state isn't that it would violate our treasured founding documents. D.C. lawmakers gave those up long ago, anyway.
  • It's that Washington, D.C., despite its stately marble halls and rich history, is a Third World country. That's right: America would be better off giving statehood to Somalia. At least we could try fracking it. D.C. is no fracking good at all.

Go Back


Leave a Guest Comment

Your Name or Alias
Your Email Address ( your email address will not be published )
Enter Your Comment ( text only please )




Black Nebraska Democrat Calls Out School Choice Hypocrisy John Locke Foundation Guest Editorial, Editorials, Op-Ed & Politics Biden, Big Government, and a ‘Colossal Mistake’


HbAD0

Latest Op-Ed & Politics

If you are covering Roy Cooper in Greensboro today, please consider the following statement from the Republican National Committee:
Obama and Biden judges abuse power for political reasons to try to stop Haitian deportations
teachers union rally held on major socialist / communist May Day holiday
Democrats foment climate of violence against Trump and GOP

HbAD1

Cheryl Hines. Dennis Quaid. Nicki Minaj. All became associated with the Trump administration. What happened next?
A federal grand jury in North Carolina has indicted former FBI Director James Comey on two charges related to making threats against President Donald Trump.
Their goal was simple: to put a Planned Parenthood in every mailbox in America.
Treasury officials allege these groups pose as humanitarian entities while covertly siphoning donations to Hamas.
President Donald Trump has publicly floated regime change and other aggressive actions toward Cuba.
With a new roadside plaque unveiled in Ellerbe on April 23, legendary wrestler and local resident André René Roussimoff is finally getting the formal recognition fans believe he deserves.

HbAD2

Following a string of attacks, critics are calling for denaturalizations. It's not that simple.
Understanding how parties work is important for making informed decisions regarding elected officials.
The solution is not to legalize the problem; it is to enforce the law consistently and deter future illegal immigration.
The teachers union is pushing to cancel school on May 1 as Chicago public schools continue to report dismal student proficiency rates.
Mission accomplished on sending inspiration from the dark side of the moon.

HbAD3

 
 
Back to Top