While over 600,000 Americans have signed petitions asking for their state to secede from the Union, there are over 600,000 US citizens residing in DC who do not have the same rights as those in the 50 current states. Residents of DC pay more per capita in federal income tax than those of any state. Unlike other US citizens, DC residents to not get to determine how their locally collected tax money is generated or spent. Instead, members of Congress who are elected by the residents of the 50 states have the final say over DC law and finances. To cement this injustice even further, DC residents have extremely limited representation and no final vote in the US House, while being completely shut of any voice in the US Senate.
Mr Obama, please make DC statehood a top priority in your 2nd term.