DC Democracy
- added March 10, 2006
- 19 responses
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- ragir
- added this
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- related topics
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- VC2 on TV (6310)
- Congress (512)
- Citizen Journalism (469)
- Voting (318)
- Washington DC (122)
- African-americans (11)
It's often overlooked that more than half a million residents of our nation's capital don't have a vote in Congress. <p>
While soldiers from D.C. are sent to war and every Washingtonian continues to pay federal taxes, the predominantly African-American residents of D.C. have little power over their laws and tax system.<p>
Their budget and criminal justice system is under control of the federal government.<p>
Even the otherwise unemotional Department of Motor Vehicles plays its part in the voting rights movement. Likening D.C.'s situation to Britain's exploitation of colonial America, the standard District license plate exclaims, "Taxation Without Representation."
While soldiers from D.C. are sent to war and every Washingtonian continues to pay federal taxes, the predominantly African-American residents of D.C. have little power over their laws and tax system.<p>
Their budget and criminal justice system is under control of the federal government.<p>
Even the otherwise unemotional Department of Motor Vehicles plays its part in the voting rights movement. Likening D.C.'s situation to Britain's exploitation of colonial America, the standard District license plate exclaims, "Taxation Without Representation."
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DC Statehood is an important issue. Thanks for making this.
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- Eric_Jaffa
- 03/12/06
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Ahh...the irony of it all. Nice informative piece on an often overlooked topic. Quick question for the director. What is the argument for not extending suffrage to the District of Columbia? Keep it up.
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I feel just like this video.There reason that is give is just because and that all i feel that they think were intitled too. As having alot in common with the 60% of there population this answer is give all the time as if results are far and unreachable.This show the problems of sloppy managemet and egos plus large goverments.In the past no response or slow response in the need of the people has put fall many great goverments. It must remain flexable to the people needs and remain a tool of the people ideas not a proplem or games of wait and delays.Now we as a people are in the same place as are forfathers,living with a rule class that does not want to let go ,that will past every family member they got in to law hold on to something plus pasting laws on a dime ( without reading most) to act like there really doing something when they really just sit on there can .
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Jaron,
I don't think it is a malicious attempt to disenfranchize Washingtonians. When the District was established it was because they wanted a quiet, safe place to make the laws of the country. As far as I know, nobody anticipated Washington to become the bustling metropolitan it is today. Lawmakers moved Congress from Philadelphia because riots of soldiers demanding back pay actually stopped legislators from doing their job.
But now, it is in a political stalemate. Most Democrats would welcome another progressive member of Congress, but Republicans contend that it would be switching the rules in the middle of the game. But most politicians from both parties recognize the problem.
Republican congressman Tom Davis is proposing to add a rep to Utah (typically Republican) and giving Del. Norton a vote. -
This story rings true for anyone who has lived in DC. Shame on Sam Brownback! I'm sure he'd holler if someone was trying to roll back the 16th Amendment on the state of Kansas... Flat tax?! Didn't that go out of style with Steve Forbes in '96?
The bites drag on a bit long... Maybe you could chop and cover them with some shots of DC residents and non-federal landmarks - U St., Dupont Circle, the Nationals, Georgetown architecture, colleges like Howard GW Catholic Gallaudet, pandas at the zoo!
Also, you really need a tripod for some of those shots, but generally the video is clean.
We hear so much drone from DC while this topic goes under-reported. So it gets my greenlight! -
Decent video, but it's not ready for prime time. The organization identified as "Free DC," represented by speaker Anise Jenkins is actually Stand Up! -- as in "Stand Up! for democracy."
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- deeceevoice
- 03/21/06
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A self-correction. The full name of the organization IS "Stand UP! for Democracy." As a resident of DC, "the last plantation," (sometimes called "the last colony") I'm accustomed to referring to the abbreviation version of the organization's name.
But a voiceover boo-boo is easy enough to fix. Please get the organization's name right.
Stand Up! has been in the forefront of the struggle for full voting rights for the District of Columbia for years. It is a disgrace for U.S. politicians and the executive branch to yammer about democracy, to squander billions of dollars and thousands of U.S. and Iraqi lives in the name of democracy abroad when there is none for those of us living in the shadow of the U.S. Capitol.
We here in the District continue to fight for the fundamental constitutional right to voting representation guaranteed every citizen.
What can those of you who do not live here do to help?
Write your senators and congressmen/women! Let them know the disenfranchisement of U.S. citizens in the nation's capital is something you will not tolerate. Urge presidential and congressional candidates in the next election cycle to make full democracy for D.C. a priority and part of their political platforms. TALK about it. Make it part of the vibrant political discourse of this nation. Get the word out.
And "Stand Up! for Democracy" here in D.C.
Peace.-
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- deeceevoice
- 03/21/06
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crazy, i never knew that. greenlight***
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You think that's though? Try Puerto Rico, the last colony in the world that I remember. It's incredible how the "the land of the free" still has a colony.
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- sandman979
- 04/03/06
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Great journalism, bringing to light issues that most people never knew about. It was shot well, and the info was good.
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that needs to get out! greenlight
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Quite the scary embodiment of the government's mentality. Other than tightening some coverage and possibly adding music, this piece definitely deserves to be on TV as soon as possible.
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- fresh_bread
- 05/18/06
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Very interesting issue...only a few are aware of this. It is no wonder that DC is so poor and dangerous. Hopefully, this awareness will prompt some debate on the issue.
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Yet another example of the Oxymoron or Morons of goverment, greenlighted and I think worthy of TVness
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Very good. I'd heard of this before but wasn't exactly sure what the situation was. Also, the video is well produced. Good job.
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- thegrrraue
- 06/02/06
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This is a very important issue confronting our legistators. The reality that we have citizens in our country without representation is shameful. The irony that they live in the very capitol of the republic is almost unbelievable. "Of/For/By the people" rings hollow for those very citizens. But since when have our elected officials truly met those very basic tenets of our government? Public awareness of this issue is long overdue. Thanks for making the film. Greenlight!
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Give us our rights!
Dean Hamer
Washington DC -
From a Native born in G-Town, I knew it, but we moved to Maryland. I won't move back into DC because its citizens are treated as 2nd class.
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