700,000 people live in D.C. They have no representative in Congress.

[yardwork]

Most Americans don't know this.

700,000 American citizens, who pay federal taxes, are not allowed to elect senators or representatives to Congress.

A majority of the citizens of DC are not white.

Out of curiosity, I wonder what the population totals in Wyoming, whose people have two senators and (I don't know how many) representatives in the U.S. House.

Let's add up different sets of states whose combined population totals 700,000 or so, and see how many senators and Congressional representatives they have.

Do we call this a democracy?

[leftstreet]

1. WY has less than 600,000 people

2 senators and reps?
Yeah, so fair

DURec

[dsc]

3. One rep

[leftstreet]

5. Yeah, I just looked that up

wasn't sure

[yardwork]

6. Thanks for looking it up.

I was hoping for class participation in this thread.

[mcar]

2. My son and his family live in DC

It needs to become a state. I was surprised several years ago when the idea got a lot of pushback here on DU.

[yardwork]

7. Yeah, who would be against this?

And why?

[mcar]

13. IIRC, it was all about the size

Which makes no sense whatsoever.

[50 Shades Of Blue]

4. DC had a majority white population until the 1950's. As a (white) 2nd gen. DC native, I remember

when my grandparents who still lived in DC (after my parents moved to the 'burbs) could not vote for President. I do think the fact that DC is majorly black now has a lot to do with the way Republicans treat it. But it's never been treated fairly, regardless.

[yardwork]

8. North Dakota has almost 800,000 citizens.

They have two US senators and one representative.

They also have a governor and state legislature.

Why do the people of ND deserve all this representation and the people of DC get none?

[mcar]

14. And why are there 2 Dakotas?

[Wiz Imp]

9. States with populations under 1 million (+ DC)

 South Dakota 924,669
 North Dakota 796,568
 Alaska 740,133
 District of Columbia 702,250
 Vermont 648,493
 Wyoming 587,618

Additional states with lower populations than Puerto Rico

 Puerto Rico 3,203,295
 Arkansas 3,088,354
 Kansas 2,970,606
 Mississippi 2,943,045
 New Mexico 2,130,256
 Nebraska 2,005,465
 Idaho 2,001,619
 West Virginia 1,769,979
 Hawaii 1,446,146
 New Hampshire 1,409,032
 Maine 1,405,012
 Montana 1,137,233
 Rhode Island 1,112,308
 Delaware 1,051,917

Wyoming, Vermont, Alaska, North Dakota, South Dakota & Delaware all have 1 Representative
Rhode Island, Montana, Maine, New Hampshire, West Virginia, Hawaii & Idaho have 2 Reps
Nebraska & New Mexico have 3 Reps
Arkansas, Kansas, Mississippi, Iowa, Nevada & Utah have 4 Reps.

[yardwork]

12. Thank you!

The numbers tell a story.

[Nanjeanne]

10. I've never understood why DC representation wasn't a big part of a Democratic Party platform.

[yardwork]

11. On the surface it makes no sense.

Making DC a state would virtually guarantee two Democratic senators and a Democratic representative to Congress.

It could mean the difference for Democratic control of the Senate.

It makes one wonder...are wealthy Democratic donors leery?

And making Puerto Rico a state might deliver even more Democratic representation.

Citizens United is the worst SCOTUS decision in our history. It's destroyed our democracy.

[DetroitLegalBeagle]

15. There are Constitutional questions on whether it can be done or how it can be done

And there is no urgency. The vast majority Americans outside of DC dont care. Dc's Electoral votes in the presidential election is guaranteed Dem, so most probably think why bother? Particularly with the current SCOTUS which would almost certainly rule against DC statehood.

[onenote]

16. Since 1971, DC has had an elected non-voting "delegate" to the House

Currently Eleanor Holmes Norton, a Democrat. While she lacks full voting privileges, she are permitted to sit on, cast votes in, and chair congressional committees and subcommittees. The non-voting delegate also can join party caucuses, introduce legislation, and hire staff to assist with constituent services.

The US Virgin Islands, Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands also elect non-voting delegates to Congress. The USVI delegate is a Democrat, the delegate from Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands are repubs.

Non-voting delegates serve two year terms. They are to be distinguished from the non-voting "resident commissioner" from Puerto Rico who is elected to a four year House term and has the same limited powers as the non-voting delegates listed above. The current resident commissioner from Puerto Rico is a Democrat.

Posting this for information purposes, not to defend it.