With Obama, D.C. residents hope for a voice [View All]

[sniffa]

In recent years, residents of this city - the "last colony," some call it - have resorted to political theater in their fight for representation in Congress. They dumped tea into the Potomac River. They sarcastically petitioned for reunification with Britain. They produced license plates that proclaimed they lived in a place of "Taxation Without Representation," which President Bush refused to put on his limousine.

But now, after two centuries of complaint, the District of Columbia may finally be about to get a full-voting representative, if not two US senators and the ultimate goal of statehood. President-elect Barack Obama is an original cosponsor of the DC Voting Rights bill, which would turn the city's congressional delegate, who has limited power, into a full-fledged member of the US House.

Some are hoping Obama will also back measures eventually leading to statehood. The issue could be one of the first legislative initiatives of his presidency, and a test of his commitment to make life better for the district's 581,000 residents, who on average pay some of the nation's highest federal income tax bills.

....

Backers of voting rights for D.C. residents have asked for a meeting with Obama to discuss his views. Meanwhile, they are hoping that when he rides in the presidential limousine on the day of his inauguration, he will approve the use of the license plate that says "Taxation Without Representation," symbolizing his sympathy with the cause.

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/12/31/with_obama_dc_residents_hope_for_a_voice/

I fully support DC's right to full representation but I just happen to think there are more important issues right now. Their time will come so I hope they don't try and make a big deal about it.