Only full statehood for D.C. will do

Re: “Absence of debate dimmed spotlight on lack of voting rights for District,” Feb. 12

I was deeply disappointed with the terminology used in this article. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, Sen. Barack Obama, and Mayor Adrian Fenty are all on record supporting D.C. statehood - which includes budget, judicial and legislative autonomy as well as full congressional voting rights (two senators and at least one representative).

But reporter Michael Neibauer focused only on the legislation that would give D.C. one (possibly temporary) vote in the House that isn’t even constitutionally protected, promoting the least justifiable option in this debate.

When will D.C. residents demand equal rights? Negotiating by requesting the lowest common denominator is no bargain. If District residents want to achieve self-determination, they will have to reach much higher and declare their desire for D.C. statehood.

Karen A. Szulgit

Washington

Illegal immigrants deserve government benefits

Re: “Immigration questions for presidential contenders,” editorial, Feb. 20

Your editorial claims that candidates must be asked whether

“state and local governments [should] be viewed as cookie jars handing out tax-paid government benefits to people who are here illegally?” To which any candidate with any sense of moral responsibility would have to answer a definite “yes”.

You seem to justify your claim that illegal immigrants should not get government benefits because they are not American citizen and don’t pay taxes. Most illegal immigrants don’t make enough money to pay non-sales taxes even if their pay was increased to minimum wage.

Because most are paid less than minimum wage, their employers make more money - which is taxed. So despite the “common knowledge” that illegal immigrants are a drain on society, they actually may be a boost to the economy.

That leaves the fact that they aren’t American citizens. Although many believe that only Americans deserve freedom and prosperity, I respectfully disagree.

Nicholas Holsen-Smith

Silver Spring

The lure — and danger — of street racing

My heart goes out to the family and friends of those who died at the recent street race in Prince George’s County.

In 1995, I started racing a ’65 GTO at the 75 & 80 raceway. I would try to qualify for the “street car” class - meaning your car had to be street legal. The 16 fastest cars would then compete against each other for first place. Once I got lucky enough to win the trophy.

On a Friday night in 2002, I took my truck to 75 & 80 to see how it would run. The place was packed with kids, some in their parents’ cars, waiting to race their friends and have a good time. I was glad to see all these young drivers choosing a safe and controlled racing environment. Unfortunately, it has since closed.

I admit I street raced a few times. Friends used to hang out at a shopping center near my house on Friday and Saturday nights, and once I was on my way home when another guy followed me out of the parking lot and motioned to race. No one was around, so I said “OK” and we took off.

We were pretty even when his car started inching closer to mine. With a row of trees on my right and his door handle about five inches on my left, I was getting boxed in. When our door handles almost touched, I decided it was time to turn off at the next road. He kept racing. When I got home, I was still shaking.

Of course, the other driver won the right to brag. But realizing how easily my life, and possibly the life of an innocent person, could have ended in an instant, I made that my last street race.

Ed Hinkle

Silver Spring

Signs of growing financial crisis in District

Re: “Gandhi: D.C. to face slowdown in 2009,” Feb. 4

Thanks for your expanding part in helping taxpayers and others begin to see the oncoming signs of a financial crisis in the District. Please continue to “follow the (on- and off-record) money” - a very substantive pattern begins in 1998 and leads up to the present.

Jack Evans, Tony Williams, Adrian Fenty, Peter Nickles, Dan Tangherlini and Natwar Gandhi all know more than they dare say currently - the federal hounds have a stronger scent than your own. There are more and bigger worms under this rock.

Dennis Moore

Chairperson

DC Independents for Citizen Control