Move the capital of the country?

[CowboyTed]

If the capital of the United States cannot maintain a reasonable crime rate, then perhaps it's time to consider relocating it. A new capital—ideally in the central part of the country—could be designed with no permanent residents, only public servants and temporary staff. The land would be entirely government-owned, dedicated to the business of the people. The old district would be returned to its original owner, the state of Maryland. We, the American people, deserve a capital city we can be proud of—safe, functional, and worthy of its name.

Please vote and indicate whether you consider yourself a liberal, a moderate, a conservative, or something else. I'm curious how this idea would be accepted across the political spectrum.

Right lets start...

Washington DC is not the safest city in America but it isn't the Worst either... There is many Red State cities like Memphis which is way worse...

Washington DC has got rejected on policing budget increases from Congress, year on year... Add that to increases in social programs and Washington crime rate will plummet even further... This would be by far the cheapest way to fix the issue which is fixing itself generally over time.. The City is actually getting better and better if they just pay for it, way cheaper than a new City...

Also having a private exclusive city away from the people is absolutely against the founders wishes... That is so anti American it is dystopian. This is what dictators do...

Who would run this new city? Wouldn't be the ones that ran Washington DC? The only difference is that you want this city only to be inhabited by a ruling class... Only people allowed into the City(& Ruling Class) would be ones that hold a permit... Who decides who gets permits? See where this is going....

You best watch the Hunger Games again, you might thing it is a comedy...

We have got some bad ideas over the years, this one is right up there..

 

[CowboyTed]

China is making a city called XiongAn. It's basically Xi's way of wasting money so people remember him. As far as I could tell the government was supposed to own everything and you could only rent from the government. Seems like the sort of thing Trump will be proposing.

Xi is using as a way to control who can enter the corridors of power... Good idea if you are setting up a dictatorship...

This way it is easy to be among the ruling class, you only mingle with the ruling class. Your kids would also be desperate to be among the ruling class as being not would mean you would have to live in the 'regions'...

 

[JWBooth]

Yes.
Somewhere northeast of Pt. Barrow, Alaska.
Move those leeches as far from productive people as possible.

 

[initforme]

It would take 200 years to decide where to move it to.

 

[Mr Natural]

Move it back to NYC where it belongs.

 

[JWBooth]

Move it back to NYC where it belongs.

Good idea. That way one well placed nuke could eliminate the biggest threats to liberty in this continent.

 

[Polishprince]

Move it back to NYC where it belongs.

Building a new capital in the American interior in the Appalachian region would actually be a brilliant move, like the Tremendous Nation of Brazil did.

It would generate economic growth in someplace like southern West Virginia, and eliminate all of the partisan bickering in the District of Columbia.

It would also provide a relatively crime free area, not many drive bys happening and gangsters hanging out in places like War, West Virginia.

 

[JWBooth]

Building a new capital in the American interior in the Appalachian region would actually be a brilliant move, like the Tremendous Nation of Brazil did.

It would generate economic growth in someplace like southern West Virginia, and eliminate all of the partisan bickering in the District of Columbia.

It would also provide a relatively crime free area, not many drive bys happening and gangsters hanging out in places like War, West Virginia.

Why bring that level of ruination to those undeserving folk?

 

[Independent thinker]

If the capital of the United States cannot maintain a reasonable crime rate, then perhaps it's time to consider relocating it. A new capital—ideally in the central part of the country—could be designed with no permanent residents, only public servants and temporary staff. The land would be entirely government-owned, dedicated to the business of the people. The old district would be returned to its original owner, the state of Maryland. We, the American people, deserve a capital city we can be proud of—safe, functional, and worthy of its name.

Please vote and indicate whether you consider yourself a liberal, a moderate, a conservative, or something else. I'm curious how this idea would be accepted across the political spectrum.

Actually, with the ever growing threat of nuclear war and other huge similar possibilities, I have lately been in favor of taking action to mitigate the threat to our democracy by splitting the Capitol into several different areas and making it easier to conduct our affairs by not meeting all together in one place and in person for everything. Sounds like a disaster waiting to happen. Let's have multiple areas of the country doing federal government work. One well placed nuke wipes out everything all at once.

 

[CrusaderFrank]

If the capital of the United States cannot maintain a reasonable crime rate, then perhaps it's time to consider relocating it. A new capital—ideally in the central part of the country—could be designed with no permanent residents, only public servants and temporary staff. The land would be entirely government-owned, dedicated to the business of the people. The old district would be returned to its original owner, the state of Maryland. We, the American people, deserve a capital city we can be proud of—safe, functional, and worthy of its name.

Please vote and indicate whether you consider yourself a liberal, a moderate, a conservative, or something else. I'm curious how this idea would be accepted across the political spectrum.

How’s Barcelona?

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

The Constitution says nothing about moving the capital, returning the land to Maryland, or any provisions regarding the current location. The land was chosen by political compromise, not by constitutional mandate. Maryland and Virginia each willingly ceded territory to the federal government—it wasn’t taken. Now, you're probably right that the federal government could not simply take property from a state to establish a new capital. That would require the consent of any state involved, as well as an act of Congress and the president’s signature. However, it would require a constitutional amendment to make D.C. a state—it could not be done by an act of Congress, ordinary legislation, or anything short of a constitutional amendment.

No matter. It's not happening, either way. The Constitution does make restrictions on the national capitol.

 

[ThisIsMe]

If the capital of the United States cannot maintain a reasonable crime rate, then perhaps it's time to consider relocating it. A new capital—ideally in the central part of the country—could be designed with no permanent residents, only public servants and temporary staff. The land would be entirely government-owned, dedicated to the business of the people. The old district would be returned to its original owner, the state of Maryland. We, the American people, deserve a capital city we can be proud of—safe, functional, and worthy of its name.

Please vote and indicate whether you consider yourself a liberal, a moderate, a conservative, or something else. I'm curious how this idea would be accepted across the political spectrum.

you'd have to have states cede land in order to make a place for it. That wont happen.

 

[ThisIsMe]

Constitutional amendment required.

Would it though? I mean, im not for moving it, but cotus doesn't say WHERE it has to be. The only thing that would be required is for states to give up land, no?

 

[ThisIsMe]

Constitutional amendment required.

Would it though? I mean, im not for moving it, but cotus doesn't say WHERE it has to be. The only thing that would be required is for states to give up land, no?

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

Has no one yet commented on the stellar structure of that poll? At least someone mentioned the movie!

"Weather I will baby want a little bit OK"

WTF is that?

 

[longly]

Would it though? I mean, im not for moving it, but cotus doesn't say WHERE it has to be. The only thing that would be required is for states to give up land, no?

I've already admitted to that error, and I apologize for it. Either my machine glitched, or my brain did—I'm not sure which. Hey, what can I say? I'm getting—well, let's be honest—I am old. Hell, I can remember back in the '40s, so I think I'm doing pretty doggone good for my age. I have a hunch that I'm older than anyone on this site. I think I'm older than DS49, so expect me to screw up from time to time. Hopefully, my next one won't be that bad—or that obvious.

 

[longly]

Would it though? I mean, im not for moving it, but cotus doesn't say WHERE it has to be. The only thing that would be required is for states to give up land, no?

You're right—the Constitution says only two things in this regard: it has to be a district totally under the control of the federal government, and the land cannot be taken from a state.

Congress has the power: "to exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of particular States, and the Acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States"

 

[22lcidw]

Right lets start...

Washington DC is not the safest city in America but it isn't the Worst either... There is many Red State cities like Memphis which is way worse...

Washington DC has got rejected on policing budget increases from Congress, year on year... Add that to increases in social programs and Washington crime rate will plummet even further... This would be by far the cheapest way to fix the issue which is fixing itself generally over time.. The City is actually getting better and better if they just pay for it, way cheaper than a new City...

Also having a private exclusive city away from the people is absolutely against the founders wishes... That is so anti American it is dystopian. This is what dictators do...

Who would run this new city? Wouldn't be the ones that ran Washington DC? The only difference is that you want this city only to be inhabited by a ruling class... Only people allowed into the City(& Ruling Class) would be ones that hold a permit... Who decides who gets permits? See where this is going....

You best watch the Hunger Games again, you might thing it is a comedy...

We have got some bad ideas over the years, this one is right up there..

There are countless red counties in draconian blue states that are safer than their slum prog dominated cities. Minimum representation for them. People in Southern Illinois for example are schmucks paying for Chicago and Cook County and around it.

 

[longly]

I see only two liberal posters on this forum; I thought the number was higher than that on this site. I wonder what the actual proportion is.

 

[Crepitus]

And we all know that Congress never acts

Rarely, for sure