Idea: pass a law that decrees that DC gets treated as a state for purpose of congressional representation. No need to split the district...
I wouldn't vote no, but that would likely take a constitutional amendment that 14 red states could kill, and it also wouldn't address the issue of DC's lack of home rule.
Sure, but this is a "no loaves" situation since there isn't anywhere close to enough Republican support to get 2/3 in both Houses or 38 states. That's why the carve out statehood method is the only realistic way to get this done.
Well, if the issue is congressional representation or lack of it, then my idea solves that, and it ducks the whole "federal district" issue because nowhere does it say that said federal district cannot be represented in either House of Congress.
The downside of my idea is that it's just a law and Rs could repeal it.
The problem with carveout is that it probably looks more ridiculous to outside observers and runs into more hurdles. The upside of it is that while it's harder to achieve, it's also harder to reverse.
Alternatively, one could pass an amendment codifying that the District of Columbia has congressional representation, or even that it has home rule. But the more you add the more reasons people have to oppose it. However, this is, of course, "no loaves" because it'd be very unlikely to pass anyway...
How feasible is home rule for DC?
Poll
