When the Senate failed to end the filibuster on the DC Voting Rights Act, there was a lot of talk by opponents about the Constitution.  But behind the rhetoric there is a lot of ignorance about the District - even with Senators who live and work in DC.

One myth is that DC is full of transients, who come here to work in politics for a few years and then leave.  Marc Fisher, in the WaPo, has some stats disputing that myth.  And one of his readers succintly put down this notion:

And here's Fisher's list of cities and % of people who were born in the city and still live there:  -- read more --

On Tuesday, the Senate has a cloture vote scheduled for 2:30 to end the filibuster on the DC Voting Rights Act, giving DC a seat in Congress.

A Congressional Quarterly piece on the Senate schedule next week notes that

To Republicans: Stop trying to defend an unsuccessful effort to jump-start a democracy in Iraq.  Instead, turn around as take a look at a huge democracy deficit just outside the doors to the US Capitol.  As Republicans Michael Steele and J.C. Watts said in an op-ed last week: "This is a blemish on our democracy and it must come to an end."   Don't go back to 1964, the last time a voting rights bill was filibustered (by Democrats!) - spread democracy in the United States.

To Democrats: Be willing to stop talking - for a few hours - about Bush's failed effort to jump-start democracy in Iraq.  You, too, should turn around as take a look at a huge democracy deficit just outside the doors to the US Capitol.  Don't let Republican delaying tactics kill this bill that already has strong majority support.

This is jumping ahead a little -- the filibuster has to be stopped first.  If you live in a state with a Republican Senator, call them and tell them to vote YES on cloture to end the filibuster.

Update: Sen. Reid is now saying they will vote on the bill the week of Sept. 17.

Two hundred years of waiting for democracy may soon come to an end for the citizens of the District of Columbia.  Senate Leader Harry Reid has said S. 1257, DC House Voting Rights Act is on the list of priority legislation that the Senate will act on this month.

The Washington Post today noted in an editorial that conservative Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee recently spoke out on DC voting rights:

If Huckabee can stand up for voting rights, how can Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell stand in the way of votng rights for DC?  McConnell has it in his power to filibuster the bill, or to let it come to a vote, even if he's against it.  We know we'll win the vote.

Join us in calling on the Senate to vote for basic rights for DC.

After many years around Congress and more hearings than I can count, I know how rare it is to walk out of a hearing feeling inspired and invigorated.

That's what happened today in the Senate Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs Committee's hearing on the DC Voting Rights Act (S 1257).  It was the usual setup - two four-person panels, elected officals first, then the advocates and experts.  Nice to see Republicans supporting the bill - Sen. Hatch, Viet Dinh (author of Patriot Act), Rep. Tom Davis, the father of this bill.  Mayor Fenty testified and Wade Henderson of LCCR, one of the finest people you'll meet, who told his own DC story.

Eleanor Holmes Norton and Jack Kemp were the inspiration.  Norton spoke at eloquently about the Framers of the Constitution, telling the committee they never intended to disenfranchise DC - that the Framers knew how to disenfranchise people (blacks and women) but didn't do it to DC.  She told the story, in a cracking voice, of her great-grandfather walking off the plantation as a slave and coming to settle in DC, where her family has lived ever since.

Jack Kemp, just as emotional, pointed his finger at the ranking Republican, Susan Collins, and challenged her to break from the politically destructive path the Republican Party has gone down the past few decades: from Nixon's refusal to call Martin Luther King's wife while King was in jail in GA, to Barry Goldwater's vote against the Civil Rights Act of 1964.  He lambasted the White House staffers who are talking about a veto and promised to make a strong argument to President Bush to sign the bill.

This bill has momentum and is headed to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., Washington, DC, 20500 - who's resident does have a voting representative in Congress.

The DC Voting Rights Act has a new hero.  Republican Senator Orrin Hatch (UT) announced his strong support of the new bill introduced in the Senate yesterday. 

Hatch's support is key.  He's an influential Senator and will bring other Republicans with him onto the bill.  In the Senate, we need 60 votes, so we're looking for a few good Republicans.  Senator Hatch and his state-mate, Sen. Robert Bennett are both supporting the bill -- it includes an a new House seat for Utah, as well as the historic DC seat.

The bill, S. 1527, is somewhat changed from the House-passed version.  Markup in Homeland Security Committee is expected in May.

The people who live in the nation's capital moved one step closer to inclusion in American democracy when the US House voted 241-177 to pass the DC Voting Rights Act.  The bill gives DC a voting rep in the House - and also adds an additional seat for Utah.

The vote followed a march on Monday by thousands down America's Main Street, Pennsylvania Ave. in support of DC voting rights.

Today, April 16, is Emancipation Day in the District of Columbia.  A commemoration of Abraham Lincoln's abolishment of slavery in DC in 1862, Emancipation Day 2007 has an entirely new target - voting rights for District citizens.

Rob Getzschman has an excellent op-ed in the Christian Science Monitor on the injustice that DC citizens suffer to this day:

Getzschman lays out his argument excellent - serously, go read the entire article.  There are a number of points in it that are impossible to argue with.  For example:

I'll steal one more line from him, the choice words he closes with - and that are being echoed by the residents of this fine city today and every other day that goes by with taxation without representation:

Marching, chanting, music - join us walking down America's Main St., Pennsylvania Ave. in Washington, DC.  On Monday, April 16 @ 2:30 in Freedom Plaza (14th & Penn).  This will be the largest demo for democracy in DC in the history of the world! 

We've got DC's cool, bald new mayor Adrian Fenty leading the way and many other local officials - but we really need YOU!  This is not a stand-on-sidewalk and watch the parade kind of event - we're in a fight for DC to get representation in Congress, so we need you out on the street!

There are people, including in the White House, throwing around consitutional concerns about ways to give DC the vote.  WTF!?  Where in the the Constitution does it say Americans can't be represented in Congress?  Join us.  Demand the Vote!