There is only one way to solve the DC voting rights travesty…

Statehood?  No.  (See, e.g., Civil War).

A House vote for DC in exchange for a House vote for Utah or some other Republican stronghold?  A good (albeit incomplete and morally bankrupt) start, but not good enough.  And it just failed.

Maryland retrocession?  The only people who like the idea live in places other than Maryland or DC.  And I tend to think that the 1847 Virginia (arguably pro-slavery) retrocession was illegal and foolhardy.  Sorry about that, Alexandria and Arlington County, VA.

DC Voting Rights Constitutional Amendment?  Bingo.  It’s the only holistic solution and should be tried again (hopefully sans the ratification deadline, which itself might be ripe for re-consideration of constitutionality):

Section 1. For purposes of representation in the Congress, election of the President and Vice President, and article V of this Constitution, the District constituting the seat of government of the United States shall be treated as though it were a State.

Section. 2. The exercise of the rights and powers conferred under this article shall be by the people of the District constituting the seat of government, and as shall be provided by the Congress.

Section. 3. The twenty-third article of amendment to the Constitution of the United States is hereby repealed.

Section. 4. This article shall be inoperative, unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years from the date of its submission.

I couldn’t imagine Americans of good will – when properly informed – would disagree with the notion that just because a fellow American lives in the nation’s capital, he or she should be denied representation in both the House and Senate, denied an equal opportunity to choose presidential electors, and excluded from the constitutional amendment process.  It’s a wrong and embarrassing situation in the capital of the “free world.”

Nevertheless, I think it makes sense for Congress to maintain a modicum of control over the nation’s capital.

Unfortunately, American politicians of bad will are willing to sidestep their purported adherence to democratic principles because DC would assuredly elect two Democratic Senators, one (possibly two) Democratic House members, and perhaps grant the Democratic nominee for President one additional electoral vote.  These same Americans of bad will are the ones who abuse the modicum of control that Congress should retain in order to make national political waves on issues like gun control.  ”Government that’s closest to people is best” and local control is paramount except when (among many morsels of hypocrisy) it comes to the capital of the Republic.  Sheesh.

This foolishness continues because individual voters nationwide aren’t informed of the anti-democratic antics of their representatives.  Walter Fauntroy took the battle for home rule outside of DC and to the people, and – after a congressman was toppled – DC won the right to elect its own mayor and council.

With money and a long-term targeted strategy, I think citizens nationwide can be compelled to rally behind an unquestionably just and common sense amendment (especially if individual state legislators are targeted during the ratification process).

Now, how do we improve DC governance?  Your guess is as good as mine.  Stay tuned…