Earlier this year, comedian John Oliver took on the curious status of U.S. territories. But now he has found an part of the U.S. that is even more puzzling to him– Washington D.C. — and wants to fight for its right to become the 51st state.
“We’re the only democracy in the world who does this,” Oliver said on Sunday’s Last Week Tonight as he explained the meaning of D.C.’s “Taxation without Representation” license plates.
D.C. residents pay federal taxes, fight in wars, and help contribute to a GDP that’s higher than 16 other states, Oliver pointed out. But despite that, they are not represented by a member of Congress who can actually vote on their behalf.
Instead they have a delegate, currently Eleanor Holmes Norton, but she only has “pretend power, like a child watching Dora the Explorer.” She can only vote in committee, not on the House floor.
“With that level of restriction, the mayor of D.C. gets to run the city the way a student council president gets to run her high school,” Oliver joked. “Sure Kelsey. Pick the theme for prom, but we’ll control the budget and Eyes Wide Shut is not an acceptable theme.”
Watch the clip below:
