Rock Kay Bailey Hutchison

Tomorrow, the 560,000 or so residents of the District of Columbia will get the chance to vote for their leaders. Most of them won't because the vast majority of their races were decided in September's primary.

The reason for that is the same reason all Republican congresses refuse to allow the District's citizens to select a voting member of the House of Representatives and two senators — 75 percent of the District's residents are registered Democrats. Only one of the 13 D.C. Council members is a Republican.

So it makes sense, especially at this moment, that voting to install three more Democratic Congressmen is not pragmatic for Republicans. Of course, because I am product of my country, I think principles should trump all that. But I am no spring chicken, so I get it.

What I can't stand is Texas Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison. Ms. Hutchison, who by the way tried to repeal the District's hand-gun ban last year, has said the District doesn't need votes in Congress because every District resident is represented by all 535 Congresspersons under the Constitution's District clause. Though Congress allows the District a lot of autonomy, it technically still has the last word on District laws. So, hmmm.

Now, I don't know what they teach in Texas about representative democracies. But where the rest of us come from, voting is kind of the thing that makes the whole representative part of the democracy idea work. My vote is the hostage I can hold if you don't do what I want. It is also the gift I will give you if I like what you've done. But D.C. residents can't vote for or against Kay Bailey Hutchison. If she decides to sponsor a bill allowing District citizens to carry concealed machine guns, all they can do is whine.

So, Ms. Hutchison, say you don't want more Democrats in Congress. Say you think District residents are stupid and don't deserve to vote. Say, "Hey, at least you get to vote for the president."

Just don't say you represent me. It's an outrage.