The last 12 months may have been the most volatile for the District of Columbia since the Civil War.

But as activists seek statehood for the nation’s capital, they’re showing a preference for partisanship over democratic values. Put another way, push for statehood is merely about securing a Democratic Party stronghold in Congress, rather than securing democratic autonomy or home rule for D.C. residents.

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What you need to know about DC statehood

Washington, DC, is unfit to ever become a state