Marc Fisher today has a column advocating for DC voting rights and representation. It’s worth a read if for no other reason that it doesn’t harp on the tiresome and misleading income tax point. While “taxation without representation” makes a nice soundbyte, I think it’s a little weak – we all pay for a lot of things that were decided against our personal interest and fund things we’ll never have use of, and at least in the case of the Senate, were chosen by a group of people of whom only 2% speak on our behalf. Include the House and you’ve got a 3 in 535, or 0.561% say in how 1/4 of your income is spent.
Instead he hits on several good reasons – and “because it’s the right thing to do” is certainly not the least of them – but saves what are, for my money, the best two for last. D.C. residents and armed forces members Darrell Lewis and Kevin Shea died in Afghanistan and Iraq, respectively, both conflicts ordered by the President after they were authorized by Congress… where they have no voting representation.
Given the whole point of this discussion, there’s nothing DC residents can do about the matter. However the rest of us who live outside the district and have representation can call our congresscritter and ask him or her to push the matter forward. DC Vote makes it easy for you to contract your representative or you can pick up the phone and call your senator.
Update: Thanks KC for the dead trout to the head – I had another bill open in THOMAS that Webb was a co-sponsor on and my wishful thinking and gnat’s attention span got the better of me, it seems. We VA folk need to call both our Senators.
Here in this area you don’t have to call Webb in VA or Mikulski in MD – they’re co-sponsors of the bill. Maryland residents need not call Mikulski – she’s a co-sponsor so her vote is pretty sure. Virginia residents should call John Warner at (202) 224-2023 and Jim Webb at (202) 224-4024. Marylanders should call Cardin at (202) 224-4524. The rest of you can find the phone numbers you need here.
This post appeared in its original form at DC Metblogs
Well I used to say something in my profile about not quite being a “tinker, tailor, soldier, or spy” but Tom stole that for our about us page, so I guess I’ll have to find another way to express that I am a man of many interests.
Hmm, guess I just did.
My tastes run the gamut from sophomoric to Shakespeare and in my “professional” life I’ve sold things, served beer, written software, and carried heavy objects… sometimes at the same place. It’s that range of loves and activities that makes it so easy for me to love DC – we’ve got it all.
