Women in Politics

Barbara Boxer

First Women:

1. Rebecca Felton (D-GA), was the first woman in the office, but she was appointed instead of elected on November 21, 1922.

2. Hattie Caraway (D-AR) the first woman elected on January 12, 1932. She was also first woman to chair a committee (Committee on Enrolled Bills 1933-1945)

Current Women:

There are only 13 women senators in the U.S. currently. This is only 13% and it is about the same percentage in the House. Both of California's senators are women, Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer.  Nancy Pelosi is the House Minority Whip.

Even though the percentage is small, progress is being made. 50 years ago, there were no women in the Senate and only 15 in the House. But if this trend is continued, more states will continue to appoint women to serve our nation. 

Women in the Presidential Cabinet

Condoleeza Rice

First Woman:

Frances Perkins: appointed by Franklin D. Roosevelt Secretary of Labor

Current:

1. Ann M. Veneman- Secretary of Agriculture

2. Gale Norton- Secretary of the Interior

3. Elaine Chao- Secretary of Labor

4. Condoleeza Rice- National Security Advisor, technically not   a member of the Cabinet, but still very influential

Women in the Supreme Court

Sandra Day O'Connor

First Woman:

Sandra Day O'Connor was born in March 1930 in El Paso, Texas. Sandra went to Stanford for undergrad and law school. President Reagan appointed her in June 1981. Sandra is a conservative and strictly interprets the Constitution. But she also favors a woman's right to choose.

Current women justices:

Ruth Bader Ginsburg was born in March 1933 in Brooklyn, New York. She went to Cornell and majored in government. Then she went to Harvard Law School. Ruth taught law at Columbia and then got tenured. She was finally appointed to the Supreme Court in 1993 by President Clinton. Ruth has voted both conservatively and more liberally.

Page by Betsey Zeiger!

No Women in the White House???

The White House

228 years and 43 presidents later, the United States still has never had a woman in the role of president or vice president.

In 1984, Geraldine Ferraro was chosen for Walter Mondale's Vice-President. She became both the first woman candidate and the first candidate of Italian descent. But they were both defeated by Reagan and Bush.

Betsey's Thoughts on Why We Should Have a Woman President:

4. The "First Gentlemen" would be in charge of decorating the White House (probably creating a beer room, nap room,  and football room)

3. There would be a monthly holiday for menstruation purposes.

2. All the feminist ideology that Carondelet shoved on us finally came true.

1. Boys are just not as much fun.