Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Speaker, listening to the debate, I wonder if our friends on the other side of the aisle would be so passionate if Washington, D.C., were 90 percent Republican as 90 percent Democrat. H.R. 51 goes against the Founding Fathers' intent. It is unconstitutional, impractical, and a blatant power grab. The Founding Fathers created the Federal city--this Federal city--to be separate and apart from the States which it would serve as the seat of government. They designed it this way so there would be no super State that could unduly influence Federal affairs and international relations. Now, I understand the people of the District's desire for representation in Congress. I think that is a legitimate concern, and it is not a new one. If Democrats truly wanted to grant the wishes of D.C. residents, then they would address the constitutional issues with H.R. 51 since it does not stand a chance in court. We all know that. This does not stand one chance in court. Additionally, Democrats could explore other options other than statehood, but they are not interested in any of them since they don't add two new progressive Senators to the U.S. Senate. Serious policy proposals like retrocession, allowing D.C. residents to vote in Maryland Federal elections, and most obviously, the passage of the constitutional amendment have been called for by many of my Republican colleagues.…”