Mehdi Hassan did a pointed little rant last night on the recent history of statehood.
"Welcome back. It's time now for what I'm calling the 60-second rant. Start the clock," he said, and proceeded to outpace the disclaimers on pharmaceutical commercials.
"Can you support or oppose statehood for Washington, D.C.? Politicians in glass houses throwing stones. Senator Joe Manchin said he opposes D.C. statehood. He thinks it's unconstitutional.
"He represents West Virginia, whose own statehood was in 1863 in the middle of the Civil War was perceived to be illegal and unconstitutional. Even Lincoln himself was reluctant to sign off on the matter.
"Mike Rounds of South Dakota says the Founding Fathers never intended for Washington, D.C. to be a state, that D.C. statehood is about packing the house with Democrats. The Republicans could pack the Senate with four extra senators, but the hypocrisy award has to go to GOP's Nancy Mace, who said it wouldn't qualify as a congressional district, while standing in front of Liz Cheney, representing Wyoming, a state that's so small, it has 100,000 fewer residents than Washington D.C.
"Pot, this is the kettle. You're black."
...
