Statehood might be a bit ambitious of a goal. But for sure, the time is right to get DC a vote. They do not have Senators, and their Congresswoman is actually a bit of a figurehead in that she can participate on committees and such but not in actual floor votes. This is why DC's license plates read "Taxation Without Representation," and why an electronic sign along the inaugural parade route on Pennsylvania Avenue read---at the time of the parade---"DC Residents Tax Dollars Paid: $187,704,453.60." And that figure would be even higher if Marion Barry could be bothered to pay his! (Update on 1/29---I called it: Barry Again Fails to File Tax Forms. What do I win?)

Republicans have always opposed full voting rights for District of Columbia subjects, I mean citizens, for the simple reason that partisanship is more important to them than democracy. DC would be the very bluest of all the blue states, and the GOP flips out at the thought of two new guaranteed-Democratic Senators and a new guaranteed-Democratic House member. They'll never let it happen. Even with the overwhelmingly blue Congress in place now, the latest DC voting rights bill provides only for a DC Congressperson, but no Senators.

So keep this in mind, the next time some Republican tells you that they needed to kill thousands upon thousands of Iraqi noncombatant citizens "in the name of democracy." Ask them what District neighborhoods they're planning to decimate with tanks and bombs before they'll let DC have the vote.