The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) needs only one more state to ratify it before it can become an amendment to the US Constitution. Although State Senator Sandra Day O’Connor and Arizona State Rep. Sister Claire Dunn proposed ratification, Arizona is one of the laggard states that never ratified the ERA in the 1970s.
Both Senator Victoria Steele and I proposed ERA ratification in 2019 and in past years. Now, HBO Commentator John Oliver has jumped on the ERA bandwagon. Below, you can watch his segment on the history of the ERA and why it should be ratified. Steele has a cameo appearance talking about Arizona’s opportunity to move out of laggard status and move into the history books as the 38th and final state to ratify the ERA.
Also, here are a few stories about the ERA ratification efforts in Arizona. If you want to get involved, check out ERA TaskForceAZ on social media. ERA TaskForceAZ will be fanning out across Republican Legislative Districts during the interim; expect to see them at the Capitol again this year. As our high school football coach used to say, “It ain’t over ’til it’s over.”
#AZHouse Democrats Force Vote on #ERA
#AZHouse Republicans Shut Down Women’s History Tributes
#AZHouse Republicans Censor Dems to Block Speech on #ERA, Women’s Rights (video)
Today! 38 Miles for the Equal Rights Amendment
The Tucson Progressive: Pamela J. Powers
I stand on the side of Love. I believe in kindness to all creatures on Earth and the inherent self-worth of all individuals–not just people who agree with me or look like me.
Widespread economic and social injustice prompted me to become a candidate for the Arizona House, representing Legislative District 9 in the 2016 election.
My platform focused on economic reforms to grow Arizona’s economy, establish a state-based public bank, fix our infrastructure, fully fund public education, grow local small businesses and community banks, and put people back to work at good-paying jobs.
In the Arizona House, I was a strong voice for fiscal responsibility a moratorium on corporate tax breaks until the schools were fully funded, increased cash assistance to the poor, expansion of maternal healthcare benefits, equal rights, choice, unions, education at all levels and protecting our water supply.
After three terms, I retired from the Arizona Legislature in January 2023 but will continue to blog and produce my podcast “A View from the Left Side.”