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We Need a Floor Fight for D.C. Statehood
| Source: |
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Washington Post (DC) |
| Date: |
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Friday, August 24, 2012 |
| Author: |
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Mark Plotkin |
hese days, political conventions are written off as antiquated ceremonial occurrences that have no lasting impact.
High on the list of supposedly meaningless quadrennial exercises are the deliberations and final products of each party’s platform committee. I remember fabled TV news anchor David Brinkley blithely dismissing them by curtly announcing, “No one reads them.” But the platforms do provide insight into what really matters to the parties.
Right now, D.C. is the Rodney Dangerfield of American politics. No one gives us any respect. Just look at the platforms.
The Republican platform includes a provision explicitly opposing statehood for the District. As for the Democrats, they view the city as the ultimate sure thing. Three-quarters of registered voters in the city are Democrats. In 2008, Barack Obama got an astounding 92 percent of the vote.
You would think that the Democratic Party would be grateful for this show of support. None of the states are so consistently loyal. The District will never be a battleground. . . .
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