Sen. Tom Carper of Delaware and a bunch of other Democrats introduced a bill to make Washington, D.C., the 51st state.
Republicans will tell you such a proposal is dead on arrival.
In a statement Carper said, “This isn’t a Republican or Democratic issue; it’s an American issue because the lack of fair representation for D.C. residents is clearly inconsistent with the values on which this country was founded. It is therefore incumbent upon all of us who enjoy the right and the privilege of full voting rights and representation to take up the cause of our fellow citizens in the District of Columbia.”
One argument against D.C. statehood – perhaps the only argument – is size. Geographically, it’s very small.
But that’s the wrong measurement for statehood. It’s like judging a person’s intelligence by his weight.