“Wyoming is smaller than Washington by population, but it has three times as many mining, logging, and construction workers, and 10 times as many manufacturing workers. In other words, Wyoming is a full working class state. A new Washington state it wouldn’t be, “said the Arkansas Republican in the Senate.
Proponents of DC statehood point to the fact that residents pay taxes to the federal government but have no representation in the United States Senate and only have one non-voting delegate representing them in the House of States. United. But Cotton argued that Democrats are only pushing for DC statehood so they can “have two new Democratic senators in perpetuity” and “manipulate the government of our democracy.”
Partisanship has long been a central reason for Republican opposition to DC statehood, as they often point to the likelihood that Democrats will pick up two additional American senators. But Cotton’s comments also underscore the economic, regional and racial divisions that increasingly shape both sides.
He said that DC as a state would be “nothing more than an appendix to the federal government.”
The senator also claimed that the largest group of workers in the District “by far” are “bureaucrats and other white-collar professionals.” It is true that almost a quarter of DC’s workforce is part of the federal government, according to statistics provided by the city’s Department of Employment Services, although the work forces of many other cities in the United States are predominantly “de White neck”.
CNN has reached out to DC Mayor Muriel Bowser’s office for comment.
Cotton specifically noted DC’s handling of vandalism and looting that occurred earlier this month during some of the protests, arguing that the destruction would be worse if federal authorities had not intervened.
“Would you trust Mayor Bowser to keep Washington safe if she were given the powers of a governor? Would you trust Marion Barry?” Cotton said of the current mayor and the late former mayor, both black Democratic politicians.
Democrats quickly criticized Cotton.
“DC residents are Americans who pay federal taxes and should not be screwed just because Tom Cotton doesn’t think they have the right jobs,” Democratic Sen. Brian Schatz of Hawaii wrote on Twitter.
Democratic Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut tweeted that Cotton’s statements amounted to “job embarrassment.”
“Awesome! I’m in. Great idea. This CANNOT go wrong. Let’s rank the virtue of each profession and if your state has too many workers in the bottom 20%, they kick you out of the United States,” Murphy tweeted.
However, the legislation is unlikely to gain traction in the Republican-controlled Senate, and the White House said this week that President Donald Trump would veto the bill if it were sent to his desk.
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