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@Pelham1861, there shouldn't be any constitutional question as to DC statehood. Article One, Section Eight, the constitutional provision creating the District of Columbia, is silent as to what territory constitutes the seat of government, just its maximum size. In theory, nothing would stop Congress from shrinking DC just to an uninhabited monumental core and proposing the rest for admittance as a new state. If it were otherwise, the retrocession of Arlington and Alexandria would have been unconstitutional.

The only real constitutional "question" about DC statehood, as opposed to the currently insurmountable practical political barriers, would be the need to repeal the 23rd Amendment, lest the rump monumental core somehow get three electoral votes. But presumably the two could be linked, so that Congressional admission of the District as a state only occured after enough states ratified a repeal of the 23rd Amendment.

by cminus on Jun 7, 2012 3:37 pm • link • report

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