Women's Suffrage 95 Years Ago

95 years ago today, women's suffrage failed to pass the House on a vote of 174 in favor and 204 against. It took five more years for the 19th Amendment to get the 2/3 majority it needed to become law.

95 years ago, Mrs. Arthur M. Dodge, President of the National Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage, bragged after the vote was taken:

"The deliberations of the House of Representatives today were, of course, of the greatest importance because the final vote was such as to persuade the country forever that the National Congress will not undertake to dictate to the various States what they shall do in the regulation of their franchise.

"In my opinion today's work in the House demonstrated that from now on the wave of hysteria in which the suffragists have indulged or of which they have been the victims will be on the wane."

I don't think it's too surprising that women were on both sides of the issue of women's rights, afterall, isn't it the same today? Wonder if Palin would be leading the charge against Woman's suffrage? Probably along with most of our elected representatives.

Record numbers of women have won races for the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives in the last election but that record points to our inequality. In the US Senate we hold a record of 17 seats (one fifth of the total). In the US House we hold 74 seats out of a possible 435....still a ways to go if you consider we are 55% of the population....these baby steps are killing me...

US Senate
17 women total
13 Democrats, 4 Republicans

US House of Representatives
74 women total
57 Democrats, 17 Republicans
21 are women of color
12 African-Americans (12D)
7 Latinas (6D, 1R)
2 Asian-Americans (2D)