By Rep. Oye Owolewa and Leah Bogan
The Washington Informer
https://www.washingtoninformer.com/
After 43 days, the longest government shutdown in U.S. history is over. But D.C.’s wounds remain. President Biden and Senate Democrats once had the chance to end the filibuster — unlocking a path to minimum wage increases and historic expansions like statehood for D.C. and Puerto Rico, solidifying Democratic leadership. Instead, the present Democratic establishment conceded without gaining a single protection after weeks of negotiations.
Why do Democrats keep giving away their leverage for nothing? Why do they cut deals with extremists and corporate donors instead of uplifting the constituents who bring cities like D.C. to life? The answer is clear: the Democratic establishment does not work for us. Over and over, they’ve chosen donor comfort and political clout over the relief and protection our city needs.
This Thanksgiving, wealthy Congress members ended the historic shutdown to rush home and celebrate with their loved ones. Meanwhile D.C.’s families continue to grapple with lost jobs, stagnant wages, inflation, and a million-dollar-a-day military occupation. Violence against our youth continues, ICE harassment is routine, and the power to govern ourselves remains out of reach. Black and brown Washingtonians, who built this city, are the first to feel these blows and the last to receive justice.
We need leaders who demand more than photo ops and empty promises. D.C.’s budget isn’t shaped by local priorities, it remains subject to federal interference and congressional review, even after our elected officials pass it locally. This is fiscal colonialism, plain and simple, and it keeps Washingtonians under a heel of injustice.
Our city is among the nation’s wealthiest, yet thousands of Black and brown community members go without living wages, fair housing, or basic social safety nets. The establishment would have us believe donor checks and gilded ballrooms solve everything, but Washington, D.C., is not a playground for the rich. It is home to families, teachers, nurses, and service workers who deserve dignity, self-determination and relief.
Let’s call out these corporate players to pay their fair share and fight for true D.C. sovereignty. No more running on promises with no delivery. The federal government should no longer use D.C. as a political experiment, treating our city like a ping-pong ball while our people freeze in the cold.
Black and brown Washingtonians built this city and we deserve control, respect, and the right to make decisions for our future. This fight isn’t just about budgets. It’s about justice. It’s about holding power to account, establishing statehood and building a D.C. where no one is left behind.
Let’s keep the pressure on. The time for accountability is now.
