Should the Capital Bid DC Goodbye?
The Residence Act of 1790 made the creation of the capital possible. in 1791, the city of Washington, formally known as Washington, District of Colombia, in the present, became the national capital of the United States. Since then, it continues to be the seat of the three branches of the federal government. The Congress, the White House, and the Supreme Court are all located in Washington, DC. In 2018, it is the twentieth most populated city in the United States. Many historical landmarks, like monuments and museums, international embassies, headquarters of leading international organizations, among others, are located in DC. In short, the capital plays a vital role not only within the US federal system, but also in matters affecting the international community. Geographically, however, it is not the most accessible location for many Americans. Because the United States spans a huge area from the West Coast to the East Coast, then north and south, many everyday citizens find the location of the capital too difficult to access. A flight from any of the airports in California to DC, for example, totals over five hours, not including delays and check-in and check-out times. Driving from Louisiana to DC is even more unbelievable—almost 16 hours without traffic, stops, or delays. This goes to show that travelling to DC, if one has important business in the capital, can be time-consuming and expensive—something many Americans can do without. Is relocating the capital to a more central location possible at all in the future? In recent news, Indonesia announced the relocation of its capital from Jakarta to East Kalimantan, firing up speculations that Jakarta is sinking some inches per year. Indonesian spokespersons, however, insist on urbanization plans as the main reason. Whatever their reasons are, it only goes to show that it can be done during our time. With careful planning, a capital city may be relocated anywhere on the map. What are the cons for such a move? A relocation of that magnitude will require billions of dollars. It will horrendously set back the national budget and affect many departments and agencies and, consequentially, affect thousands, if not millions, of Americans. Furthermore, will the two opposing powers—the right and the left—agree on a location, or will that set off another round of everlasting debates? At this point, we can only speculate. Read the full article















