For years whenver I read some technical/legal stuff concerning the US I read things similar to this; ".... in any state of the United States, or the District of Columbia, and any place in a territory or possesion of the United States ...."
Just what is the District of Columbia and why is it singled out? What makes it different to any other place in the US? Why must it be written like this to be legal?

 

I believe that when the decision was made to move the capitol to Washington, the peolple did not want to put it in any state, thereby making that state seem more important than any other, so the District of Columbia was created.

~Rob

 

More info here:
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0108620.html

 

Hotdram is dead on. When our forefathers set up a nationalized government, they established D.C. as an independant place for government for all of the states to be performed on non biased soil. It is a soverign city which has no ties to any particular state governing body, has its own police force and "city" government. It also boasted a crack smoking mayor at one time, Marion Berry, and used to have the highest crime rate and poorest low income residents of any City in the states..... Go figure.....

Gary

 

Right, land was taken from Maryland, Virginia and the best part from West Virginia to make the District of Columbia so the Capital was not in any one State.

At least that is what I recall from my school days back at Flintrock Elementary

 

By making the seat of government it's own entity (not part of any state), it can not be taxed by that state. The Consitution provides for this by prohibiting the taxation of federal property by a state.

This is why we have the District of Columbia. While federal tax laws do come from Washington DC, it, in turn cannot be taxed by a state because it's considered a Federal District and not part of any state.

 

So are you guys saying that the District of Columbia is similar to the Vatican?

 

No, the vatican serves a purpose.

 

Oh - the sarcasm. Keep this up and we will have to move this to the political forum.
DC does serve a purpose, it sucks money out of your pocket, think the correct word is "taxes".

 

Yeah, it's kinda like the Vatican,...but with more potholes, burned out buildings, kids with guns, hookers, pimps, thugs, drug dealers, people who refuse to work, people who can't drive, corrupt Government officials, graft, bribes, oh,...... and federal politicians.

 

It's also a good place to be murdered.

 

I would say more like OZ...

 

You cannot own a firearm in DC but they have the highest per capita murder rate in the country.

Fortunately, I don't live in DC, and have plenty of guns .

 

Actually you can own a rifle or a shotgun in DC. (or a handgun that was registered before the cutoff date in 1976).
But you can't have an assembled & loaded rifle or shotgun or handgun in your home for protection.
You have to hope you get robbed by a very patient or very dumb burglar.

Sign that should be posted at the entry points into DC

Attention Criminals
All Victims Past This Point
Have Been Disarmed For Your Safety And Convenience.
Happy Hunting
Make sure you stop in and watch a baseball game

 

Don't even get me started on gun regulations.