The ERA (that's
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equal_Rights_Amendment">Equal Rights Amendment for Obama supporters just now joining the grown-ups table at our political thanksgiving) was among the earliest political causes I supported.
As we continue to struggle with which political animals in our society are "more equal than others," much like the brayers and quackers in Animal Farm, let us pause to note that the
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Women%27s+Equality+Amendment+2007">ERA is back: new, improved, and with a fresh new name.
The history of the ERA's passage by Congress, but failed ratification by the states, was an early lesson that I took to heart: Americans can be very stupid.
It made perfect sense to me that women should have full equality. This amendment was a no-brainer to me. We shared a birth year. I was gonna see the U.S. Constitution amended.
*total, utter, and complete awe*Only something misfired.
Over time, I have come to better understand how the ERA's ratification process was poorly managed. I have come to understand that the manner in which it was marketed to the American people was - well, less than optimal.
But, Americans inside the Beltway can also be very stupid. Sometimes, they don't learn those lessons.
This has been a campaign of firsts. But there's something in me that keeps whispering: "The ERA got passed; it was the ratification out in the rest of America that didn't take. It set back subsequent efforts to even get similar measures out of the gate in Congress, which have been introduced every year since 1982."
There's a lesson in there for the primaries, and for those foaming at the mouth to badly market a flawed candidate. Visionary trailblazer, or scorched-earth trailburner?
- Dave
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