I'm way late on this, but it's such an outrage it really merits comment. I don't like my DC taxes going to fund abortions, but it seems to me this should be a debate for the inhabitants of Washington to resolve. I understand the strange historical contingencies that give the residents of the nations capital less representation in Congress than Mosul does in the Iraqi parliament. We are used to federal taxation without any representation, an outrage that seems strangely absent from Tea Party demands. But when a city council cannot even determine where its own funds are spent – because people from far away are playing culture war politics in a budget deal – it really does stick in one's throat.
Both sides are guilty of this. The way the Democrats smoothly traded away DC's autonomy to save Planned Parenthood is no less noxious than Republican non-residents dictating to us policies adult voters in a democratic society should be able to decide for themselves.
We are being used and abused. On tax day, especially, the core cause of the American revolution – being forced to pay taxes to a government that refuses to allow us any representation – remains unfulfilled. Since when were Americans colonial masters of their fellow citizens?
The Dish 