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Utah deserves a 4th seat in the U.S. House of Representatives!
And citizens residing in the District of Columbia should have a voting voice in the same body. So, a bill introduced last month by Virginia Congressman Tom Davis makes a lot of sense.
Foremost, the proposal would resolve a 200-year-old dispute over representation in Congress for residents of the nation’s capital. It is the right thing to do in this nation that was founded on the principle of no taxation without representation.
Since politics comes in to play in adding a congressional seat, Davis’ bill seeks to forge a reasonable compromise. D.C. residents undoubtedly would elect a democratic to represent them, so Davis proposes balancing that out by increasing House membership by two, for a time, and giving Utah, which would likely elect a republican, another seat.
Great idea!
To accomplish it though, Utah’s entire Congressional delegation needs to actively and enthusiastically endorse the measure. And the state’s GOP dominated legislature needs to get out of the redistricting business and establish an independent commission to do the job of drawing congressional boundaries.
Utah’s opportunity for more representation in Congress, sooner rather than later, must not be scuttled by petty political disputes and an insatiable greed by any one party for more power.
