If the United States is prepared to shed the blood of patriots to advance the cause of democracy, then we should all be outraged about 570,000 U.S. citizens who are disenfranchised, who are taxed without representation, and who are ruled by federal dictates and by people they cannot hold accountable.
Such is the case in Washington, D.C.
Citizens living in our nation’s capital pay federal taxes. They serve in the active-duty military and in the reserves. They have fought and died in Iraq. But they do not have representation in the House or Senate. It is a travesty. Mainers, known for their political participation and commitment to local government, should be offended.
It was not until 1960 that Washingtonians were allowed to vote for president. They were given a non-voting delegate in the House in the 1970s. Even now, the city government bends to the whim of Congress, which can kill any local initiative and impose its will by fiat.
Think of it this way: What if Maine’s 2nd Congressional District were eliminated? Everyone from Lewiston to Presque Isle, Bangor to Eastport just fell into a political limbo. No Rep. Mike Michaud, no challenger Brian Hamel, no say on whether to elect Sens. Olympia Snowe or Susan Collins.
Republican Rep. Tom Davis from Virginia has a plan that would grant the District of Columbia a single voting seat in the House of Representatives, while also giving a new seat to Utah. The idea is to eliminate the partisan gain of giving the heavily Democratic D.C. a vote.
In the early 1800s, a similar compromise threatened Maine’s admittance to the United States. A deal was struck to admit Missouri, a slave state, at the same time. Congress wanted to maintain equity between slave states and free states, like Maine. It was a deal with the devil.
Davis’ plan isn’t nearly as bad, but it puts naked partisanship above basic fairness. Washington should have a representative and two U.S. senators.
A role for Stone
Lewiston City Manager Jim Bennett should reconsider his objections to appointing a member of the city’s Budget Committee to his proposed tax-cap study group.
The panel’s task would be to figure out how the city could adapt to the tax-cap referendum on November’s ballot. Municipal and elected officials from around the state have predicted that the cap, if passed, will wreak havoc on local government.
Bennett has predicted that Lewiston would lose $20 million per year.
Robert Stone is a tax-cap supporter, former banker, political candidate and longtime critic of high taxes and government spending.
Clearly, Bennett’s goal in appointing the panel is to get an outside citizen opinion supporting his view that the tax-cap would be disastrous for the city.
He worries that people like Stone, who are already associated with the city, will reduce the panel’s credibility.
His concern is misplaced. By not appointing critics like Stone, the manager runs the opposite risk: A public perception that this will be a bland panel of inexperienced people that city officials will lead around by the nose.
Stone’s strong views and experience will be a plus in the long run.
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