Colbert King’s most recent Washington Post column has convinced me. It’s time for the Congress to draw a line around the various federal buildings and monuments, administer them directly, prohibit residence within that area by anyone other than the president (and maybe vice president), and cede the balance of the District back to Maryland. That process is called “retrocession”.
I suspect that wasn’t his objective in the column but IMO that’s the case he makes.
I’ve been a supporter of retrocession for some time now. It *is* absurd that residents of Washington, D.C. cannot vote for a Member of Congress or Senator, but I don’t believe the answer to that problem is to give statehood, or something equivalent to statehood, to what amounts to a city with a population smaller than that of Denver, Columbus, Ohio, or San Francisco. Additionally, given the partisan politics involved — in short, the GOP is not going to accept two more reliably Democratic Senate seats — aiming for statehood means that it would likely never happen. Retrocession would mean, at most, adding an additional seat for Maryland to the House of Representatives.
There is precedent for this move as well. The land which Virginia had ceded surrounding the Potomac was eventually retroceded to Virginia prior to the Civil War. That area now consists of Arlington County, Virginia and the City of Alexandria.
One complication is that retrocession would appear to require approval by the Maryland legislature. Given that this move would likely result in a significant shift of political power in the state away from Baltimore and toward Suburban Maryland and the non-Federal parts of D.C., that may be easier said than done.
I’ve supported retrocession or variants for over a decade. It’s just absurd to make a dysfunctional city that exists solely because the US capital is there a state. But, yes, the residents ought have representation in Congress.
Nuke the site from orbit. It’s the only way to be sure.
It’s once again a sad commentary on bureaucratic behavior, of which government is the prime example, that the proposed solution to a problem is more structures, more rules, more money. I am pursuaded by comments that retrocession makes perfect sense. The power related obstacles cited also convince me it has minimal chance.
Nuking the place might have its virtues, but may I humbly suggest we refrain from such activities when possible. For example, I found the employment disparities no greater than one might find in comparing employment on LaSalle street from Winnetka, Hinsdale and Lincoln Park vs Cicero, Stickney and the south side.
For example, I found the employment disparities no greater than one might find in comparing employment on LaSalle street from Winnetka, Hinsdale and Lincoln Park vs Cicero, Stickney and the south side.
You know what that suggests, don’t you? TWO sites to nuke from orbit.
Hmm, nuking the Orlando region wouldn’t hurt either, but you’d need at least a dozen bombs. It would certainly be one way to take care of the urban sprawl.
Nuclear carpet bombing as urban planning, an idea whose time has come!