The august solons of the Republican House caucus apparently think the State of the Union is so good, they have the time to involve themselves in D.C.’s traffic laws (boldface mine):
House Republicans are trying to prevent D.C. from using automated traffic enforcement, including speed cameras, and want to restrict District enforcement to prevent motorists from turning right on red at certain intersections.
Of course, this sort of assholery is par for the course for House Republicans, as they’ve also proposed to:
- Maintain an existing rider that prohibits D.C. from spending local funds on abortions for low-income women.
- Prohibit D.C. from using local funds to commercialize adult-use marijuana.
- Prohibit D.C. from using local funds to implement its Comprehensive Policing and Justice Reform Amendment Act of 2022.
- Reduce the maximum age of eligibility for D.C.’s Youth Rehabilitation Amendment Act of 1985.
- Prohibit D.C. from using local funds to implement its law that allows noncitizens to vote in local elections.
- Prohibit the of local funds to enforce any COVID-19 mask or vaccine mandate.
Republicans are also proposing a 50% cut in funding for the D.C. Tuition Assistance Grant program, which provides $10,000 for D.C. students who attend public universities outside of the District.
The latest legislation would provide $20 million for the program, which was started in 1999 to help make up the difference for out-of-state tuition, since D.C. doesn’t have a major public university.
I suppose Republicans are afraid if D.C. uses its own tax dollars to subsidize tuition at public universities, then other states might consider doing the same? (heaven forfend!)
Imagine having Marjorie Taylor Greene (aka Congresswoman Jewish Space Laser) deciding your suburb’s speeding enforcement rules. Now imagine that for everything.
D.C. needs statehood now.
mikethemadbiologist