Fighting democracy on the streets of Washington

Mark Jordan, FP's D.C. correspondent, writes in with a dispatch from our nation's capital: All Iraqis must have a voice in the new government, and all citizens must have their rights protected." That was George W. Bush, speaking on February 26, 2003. On Tuesday afternoon, the U.S. Senate demonstrated its commitment to this bedrock democratic ...

Mark Jordan, FP's D.C. correspondent, writes in with a dispatch from our nation's capital:

Mark Jordan, FP's D.C. correspondent, writes in with a dispatch from our nation's capital:

All Iraqis must have a voice in the new government, and all citizens must have their rights protected." That was George W. Bush, speaking on February 26, 2003.

On Tuesday afternoon, the U.S. Senate demonstrated its commitment to this bedrock democratic principle. Unbeknownst to most Americans, despite its larger population than the state of Wyoming, the 580,000-plus residents of Washington, D.C., are not represented by any voting member in Congress. Nevertheless, District residents are required to pay federal taxes and serve in the United States military. Three District residents have died in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Earlier this year, a bill that would provide Washington with a voting representative in Congress passed in the House. And Tuesday, Republican Senators—with the explicit encouragement of the Bush administration—blocked consideration of that legislation in the Senate, leaving over half a million Americans without a voice, and without their rights protected.

So much for leading by example.

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