Newt Gingrich - I'm not a Citizen of the World

**ghettopalmetto** · June-16-09, 01:36 PM

Originally Posted by oladub

ghetopatmetto, I am with you 100% about taxation without representation. DC residents should be allowed to vote as residents of Virginia which donated DC to the Federal government. I don't know how they could have given away the voting rights of DC citizens though.

Congress returned that part of the District of Columbia ceded by Fairfax County back to Virginia in 1846. It is now known as Arlington County. The remainder of the District is on land that was ceded by the State of Maryland.

DC residents never had representation in the Congress. Denizens of the District are NOT residents of Virginia, just as they are NOT residents of Maryland, New Mexico, Alaska, New Hampshire, or any other state. They deserve their own voice in Congress, especially given the unique legal and fiscal limitations that Congress imposes upon them.

I digress.

**oladub** · June-16-09, 02:07 PM

Aargh. You beat me back to the computer about Maryland. I stand corrected. Revise that to " DC residents should be allowed to vote as residents of MARYLAND which donated DC to the Federal government. "

With appropriate amendments to the US constitution, if necessary, and agreements with Maryland, the world citizens of Washington DC could and should be voting for Reps, Senators, and Presidents like the rest of us. Residents of Indian Reservations vote in elections in their states although reservations have special federal ties. DC residents, not already residents of states, should be able to do the same. If, like armed service personel, DC residents have a residence in another state, they should be allowed to vote in those states like armed service personel. I would be suprised if they can't already do that.

**ghettopalmetto** · June-16-09, 02:36 PM

Originally Posted by oladub

Aargh. You beat me back to the computer about Maryland. I stand corrected. Revise that to " DC residents should be allowed to vote as residents of MARYLAND which donated DC to the Federal government. "

With appropriate amendments to the US constitution, if necessary, and agreements with Maryland, the world citizens of Washington DC could and should be voting for Reps, Senators, and Presidents like the rest of us. Residents of Indian Reservations vote in elections in their states although reservations have special federal ties. DC residents, not already residents of states, should be able to do the same. If, like armed service personel, DC residents have a residence in another state, they should be allowed to vote in those states like armed service personel. I would be suprised if they can't already do that.

Why Maryland? Why not Michigan? Why not Florida? Why not Kansas?

Think about what you're writing. How can you be a resident of Washington, DC and have residency in another state at the same time?

**Bobl** · June-16-09, 03:09 PM

Why does anyone care what he says? He is yesterday's news.

Here is a guy who served his wife divorce papers while she lay near death from cancer in a hospital bed, then claimed the moral high ground criticizing Bill Clinton for his stupid affair with Monica Lewinski.

**ghettopalmetto** · June-16-09, 03:19 PM

Originally Posted by Bobl

Why does anyone care what he says? He is yesterday's news.

Here is a guy who served his wife divorce papers while she lay near death from cancer in a hospital bed, then claimed the moral high ground criticizing Bill Clinton for his stupid affair with Monica Lewinski.

Oh boy oh boy! I can't wait to get my hands on "Five Principles for a Successful Life". I wonder what the chapter on dating and marriage has to say.

**oladub** · June-16-09, 10:04 PM

Originally Posted by ghettopalmetto

Why Maryland? Why not Michigan? Why not Florida? Why not Kansas?

Think about what you're writing. How can you be a resident of Washington, DC and have residency in another state at the same time?

DC was carved out of Maryland rather than Michigan, Florida, or Kansas.

Senator Stabenow, by way of example, has a residence in Michigan. Judge Sotomayer has a Greenwich Village pad into which she has sunk the bulk of her wealth. Both will also reside in Washington DC while carrying out their duties. Without having any count, I suspect that many Washington DC residents reside there temporarily attending to government or lobbying activities.

I know you don't like semantic definitions but "legal residence", "domicile", and "home of record" are related legal terms. This is a good article on these terms although it needs to be updated for the citizens of this world who have business with intergalactic beings.

http://definitions.uslegal.com/r/residence/

**ghettopalmetto** · June-17-09, 07:50 AM

Originally Posted by oladub

DC was carved out of Maryland rather than Michigan, Florida, or Kansas.

Senator Stabenow, by way of example, has a residence in Michigan. Judge Sotomayer has a Greenwich Village pad into which she has sunk the bulk of her wealth. Both will also reside in Washington DC while carrying out their duties. Without having any count, I suspect that many Washington DC residents reside there temporarily attending to government or lobbying activities.

I know you don't like semantic definitions but "legal residence", "domicile", and "home of record" are related legal terms. This is a good article on these terms although it needs to be updated for the citizens of this world who have business with intergalactic beings.

http://definitions.uslegal.com/r/residence/

Let's put it this way. Just as you wouldn't want to be represented by someone from Ohio, DC residents don't want to be represented by someone that lives in Maryland. Likewise, Maryland doesn't want to have to concern itself with another large city. What you propose is not politically tenable.

Political appointees are not considered "residents" of the District of Columbia. This includes even low-level Hill staffers. Debbie Stabenow is a resident of Michigan [[and must be to hold her office, per Article I of the Constitution). So, suspect all you want. There are 600,000 legal residents of the capital of our nation who don't have any representation in the national legislature--an anomaly in democratic republics of the world.

**oladub** · June-17-09, 04:32 PM

Originally Posted by ghettopalmetto

Let's put it this way. Just as you wouldn't want to be represented by someone from Ohio, DC residents don't want to be represented by someone that lives in Maryland. Likewise, Maryland doesn't want to have to concern itself with another large city. What you propose is not politically tenable.

Political appointees are not considered "residents" of the District of Columbia. This includes even low-level Hill staffers. Debbie Stabenow is a resident of Michigan [[and must be to hold her office, per Article I of the Constitution). So, suspect all you want. There are 600,000 legal residents of the capital of our nation who don't have any representation in the national legislature--an anomaly in democratic republics of the world.

Why wouldn't it be politically tenable? Maryland votes Democrat anyways. It would be that many more votes for their Democratic Senators and presidential nominees. Maryland shouldn't be opposed to a couple of more representatives in its congressional delegation either.

I didn't want to bother you with technical definitions so I just passed along the link. I think you are confusing the meaning of 'resident' with more technical legal terms like 'legal resident' or 'home of record' that sometimes have different meanings in different jusisdictions and for different purposes according to that link. Residences are places where one resides for more than a brief time period. I assume that Stabenow, and others you mention, spend lengthy period in both their home state residences and ones they have in DC.

**alsodave** · June-17-09, 05:43 PM

In keeping with our word association mega-thread, whenever I see the title of this thread, I think of this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGmXb1xenrQ

Carry on.

**ghettopalmetto** · June-17-09, 09:32 PM

Originally Posted by oladub

Why wouldn't it be politically tenable? Maryland votes Democrat anyways. It would be that many more votes for their Democratic Senators and presidential nominees. Maryland shouldn't be opposed to a couple of more representatives in its congressional delegation either.

I didn't want to bother you with technical definitions so I just passed along the link. I think you are confusing the meaning of 'resident' with more technical legal terms like 'legal resident' or 'home of record' that sometimes have different meanings in different jusisdictions and for different purposes according to that link. Residences are places where one resides for more than a brief time period. I assume that Stabenow, and others you mention, spend lengthy period in both their home state residences and ones they have in DC.

It's not politically tenable because it would 1) require a Constitutional amendment to make the District a part of Maryland, 2) the District doesn't want to be a part of Maryland, as it would lose control over its finances and policy priorities 3) Maryland doesn't want to absorb the responsibilities and 4) how does one propose to merge the state and county functions of the District into Maryland state government?

Sorry. The lame definition of "resident" that I was using is the one used by the DC Department of Taxation as well as the DC Board of Elections and Ethics. My bad. I should really just listen to other people.

When you agree to be represented by someone who lives in Ohio, let me know. After all, both Michigan and Ohio were part of the Northwest Territory until 1803, so it should be no big deal, right?