On Sunday's Last Week Tonight on HBO, host John Oliver spent nearly 20 minutes arguing for Washington D.C. statehood. To help him do this, he invited a choir of children to sing an updated, rather profane version of the "50 States" song.
But before he concluded his program with this lyrical exchange, Oliver spent time breaking down his argument. He pointed to the added clause in the Constitution in the late 1700s that gave Congress the ability to "exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases whatsoever, over such District" as they declared the territory to be the capital of the nation. Oliver likened this power given to Congress over D.C. residents to Christian Grey's contract signed by Anastasia Steel to allow sexual domination over her in 50 Shades of Grey.
And though there were plenty of knocks aimed at congressional Republicans for exercising their power over others, Oliver took aim at President Obama for agreeing to stop funding abortions for women in D.C.:
The award for the most depressingly cynical thing that has ever been said about D.C. actually goes to our current president, who in 2011, avoided a government shutdown by striking a deal with John Boehner that included prohibiting D.C. from spending its own money on abortions for low-income women, saying, and I quote, "John, I will give you D.C. abortion. I am not happy about it…"
Oliver continued arguing for D.C.'s residents saying it is time they have a voice in their own affairs rather than Congress using riders and deciding for the lot. His suggestion? Change the Constitution: "The whole point of amendments is to fix things that no longer make any sense. It's happened 27 times and counting."
The American flag, then, would also have to change. An idea Oliver has no problem with as he revealed that the American flag graphic that has popped up throughout the segment actually had 51 stars on it and nobody noticed... or cared.
Finally, he joins a group of children to sing a new version of the "50 States" song, and kicks Florida to the curb in the process (video below):
Alabama and Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas,
California, Colorado, Connecticut and more
There are 50 states in total and we'll sing their names with glee
But there's one place that gets shafted and it's Washington D.C.All the rest of us can choose a path that we think is best
But any choice that D.C. makes is easily suppressed
'Cause some asshole with a rider who might live in Tennessee
Can destroy a needle program for preventing HIVLet them have gun laws!
Let them have weed!
Let them decide the things that they need!
And if you're totally convinced that there should be just 50 states
Well then let's all kick out Florida 'cause no one thinks they're great
