Disenfranchisement: Day One

Posted by Michael Link on May 29, 2007 at 05:44 PM

Today I lost my right to voting representation in the United State Congress. After a year of making the daily commute from Virginia to DC, I finally moved into the city and, along the way, lost my full voting rights. So how does Day One of disenfranchisement feel? Well, let me put it this way -- I can't wait to put that "Taxation Without Representation" license plate on my car.

(DC residents are the only Americans that pay federal income taxes without full voting representation in Congress.)

Of course, I'm proud that my new congresswoman, once I register to vote in the area, is the honorable Eleanor Holmes Norton, the only member able to consistently stand toe-to-toe with Stephen Colbert and get some shots in of her own. Nevertheless, the mere "notion" that many of our citizens don't receive proper representation in Congress finally hit home.

About two weeks ago, the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs held a hearing to discuss a bill to discuss the efforts to recognize the voting rights of DC residents. The House has already passed it. Let's see if we can get this done.

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