Come this Fourth of July, as our president spreads democracy all over the world, we here in DC say, what about us?

DC democracy advocates are mobilizing this weekend. There are as many flavors of DC democracy as there are members of the House of Representatives. It's a buffet of choices out there – just look at the "Act Locally" section in the right-hand sidebar of this page. See how many groups are doing DC democracy work? Some are working to get a single vote in the House. Some want budget autonomy. And some want nothing short of statehood.

I know this splintering isn't good for the movement, as it fragments the money, volunteers and energy. But I understand the positioning that these groups must do to be competitive for money and support, how each needs to carve out a slice to call its own. Yet I think that anything short of actual statehood doesn't make sense. If any less significant measure passes, it will put off other changes forever.

Sure, if DC Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton is granted a vote in the House, I'm sure her staff and a handful of "democracy" groups will party and call it a great victory. But it seems to me that the purse strings are where it's at – control of our budget, taxes and affairs should be left to our local government, and any other goal will defuse and fragment the movement.

Yes, I would love to have a vote in the House, but not at the cost of putting off budget autonomy for another 100 years. I can hear it now, when Statehood is proposed in 2070, "But we gave you a vote back in 2010!"

I'm going Green on this one – full statehood is the only way to equal rights for DC citizens. I want it all: one voting Representative, two voting Senators and budget autonomy. If DC gets a vote in the House, it won't be a cause for celebration; it will be a victory for the status quo. A few crumbs will only placate and further fragment the movement. I'll take the whole enchilada, please.

Team DC Democracy, a coalition of DC democracy groups, is holding a rally for DC voting rights as the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Parliamentary Assembly holds its annual session in Washington. The group will consider, among other things, a proposal to urge Congress to grant DC residents full representation on Capitol Hill. Join in on Friday, July 1, at noon, at Freedom Plaza (14th Street at Pennsylvania Avenue NW) to unveil a political art display featuring voting booths surrounded by barbed wire. Immediately after, rally outside the JW Marriott across the street to greet (read: heckle) Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert as they arrive to address the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly.

The DC Green Party released a statement saying:

"The presence of DC Statehood Greens will be a direct challenge – not just to the OSCE and to US officials, but also to other rally participants – to support full statehood for the District of Columbia, which would afford legislative and financial autonomy, full constitutional rights, and voting seats in both houses of Congress.

Statehood Greens Press Release

Voting-Rights Activists in a Blue Mood [WP]

The Coming Blue Revolution [DCist]