Today is tax day. Most of us dread having to fork over our hard earned money to The Man. I think the residents of D.C. feel the pain a little more because we pay our federal taxes, but have no vote. I'm always shocked at how many people don't realize that the D.C. doesn't have voting representatives in Congress.Yes, we get to vote for the President and elect our local council members, but we only have "Shadow Representatives" in the House and Senate. These shadow positions are LAME-O (to use a technical term) and give the holder a right to speak up, but not vote. Every year, Congress decides our city budget, voices opinions on our local laws, and often use their power to draft sneaky legislation that greatly affects our city.
With so many hands in the pot, and a not-so-sympathetic administration, D.C. has its hands tied. True, the city has made some questionable choices in the officials it elects (Marion Barry over and over and over again). But, one might also argue that Arkansas has some questionable taste, yet they get to have voting members in Congress.
This year with the Popemobile in town, the usual Voting Rights march has been cancelled. Instead voting rights groups are gathering on Capitol Hill to educate the public and hopefully make some impression on Congress members strolling around.
Maybe 2009 will be the year that D.C. gets the vote. We have a Target now. That has to count for something right?
2 comments:
I vote and received $2,318 back on my federal taxes... before the economic stimulus package... I rock!
Damn, we didn't get nearly that much. But we are eligible for the tax-stimulus. Woo!
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