Is This the Year D.C. Becomes a State?

Matter of Opinion

New York Times Opinion

Society & Culture, Ross Douthat, News, New York Times, Journalism

4.2 • 7.2K Ratings

🗓️ 12 May 2021

⏱️ 37 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

The District of Columbia can almost taste statehood. Last month, House Democrats passed a bill that would make it the 51st state. This is the second time in history that such a legislation has been passed in the House. But it’s not only a question of representation: Making D.C. a state would add two probably Democratic senators and one Democratic representative, at a time when Democrats could use all the votes they can get. And Republicans aren’t willing to give in that easily. This week, we’re debating the future of D.C. and the trade-offs of potential statehood. Dan McLaughlin is senior writer for National Review and a former attorney. George Derek Musgrove is an associate professor of history at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and a co-author of “Chocolate City: A History of Race and Democracy in the Nation’s Capital.” Mentioned in this episode: “The District of Columbia Should Not Be a State,” by Dan McLaughlin in National Review “The 51st State America Needs,” by George Derek Musgrove and Chris Myers Asch in The New York Times “The 51st State?” on the “Today, Explained” podcast by Vox.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Today on the argument, the case 4 and against DC Statehood.
0:10.8	If you live in DC, you aren't represented in Congress.
0:14.9	You don't have a say in where your federal tax dollars go, and you pay a lot of them.
0:21.2	And while you have a congressperson, they don't have the voting power to fix the intersection
0:25.7	of Florida Avenue and New York Avenue, the epicenture of hell.
0:29.4	But Congress does have jurisdiction over every single law passed by your elected city council.
0:35.5	And over how tall your buildings are.
0:41.2	If you live in DC, you're grudgingly used to all of this.
0:45.4	But if you don't, isn't it kind of weird?
0:50.0	Welcome to the long-simmering debate over DC Statehood.
0:53.7	It kicked in the high gear last month when House Democrats unanimously passed a bill to make
0:57.7	DC the 51st State in the Union.
1:00.5	If it passes the Senate, DC will get two senators and one representative.
1:04.8	That's likely two Democratic senators and a Democratic representative.
1:10.3	With 2022 looming, there's a reason Democrats are looking for any edge they can get.
1:15.2	Yes, it's political gamesmanship.
1:18.2	But that doesn't take away from the fact that the residents of DC will finally have representation.
1:23.6	And I suppose new license plates, since they currently stay in taxation without representation.
1:31.0	I'm Jane Kostin, DC resident.
1:33.9	The actual DC, not the Washington, you're probably furious at for one reason or another.
1:40.4	And I think it's about time the residents of DC get the representation they deserve.
1:44.7	More than 700,000 people live here.
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from New York Times Opinion, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of New York Times Opinion and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.