Changes

Several modern conveniences were introduced during the post-World War II Era including refrigerators, televisions, and many other household appliances we still use today.  America began to gain its status as one of the richest nations in the world.

Several modern conveniences were introduced during the post-World War II Era including refrigerators, televisions, and many other household appliances we still use today.  America began to gain its status as one of the richest nations in the world.

You might ask yourself whether the 1950s was a more ''conservative'' time than today.  Some, your teacher include, think that the nation is perpetually becoming more conservative as liberal ideas are perpetually demonstrated to be failures.  Like a young athlete or musician is perpetually improving from practice and growth, the nation might be constantly becoming more conservative.  Yet a glance at television shows from the 1950s suggest it was a more conservative time.  Was it really?  Consider all the issues, such as the tax rates (they were much higher in the 1950s), restrictions on freedoms (interest rates were fixed by the government then rather than by the free market today), the draft (it was required of young men then, but enlistment voluntary today), unions are less of a problem today, communism (there were far more American communists in the 1950s), and education (homeschooling was mostly prohibited then, unlike today).  Some of the post-World War II legislation, such as the Full Employment Act of 1946, which tried to guarantee employment for every citizen, seems like silly socialism today.  (Note, however, that the Council of Economic Advisers established by that law still exists to advise the president about the economy today.)

You might ask yourself whether the 1950s was a more ''conservative'' time than today.  Some, your teacher include, think that the nation is perpetually becoming more conservative as liberal ideas are perpetually demonstrated to be failures.  Like a young athlete or musician is perpetually improving from practice and growth, the nation might be constantly becoming more conservative.  Yet a glance at television shows from the 1950s suggest it was a more conservative time.  Was it really?  Consider all the issues, such as the tax rates (they were much higher in the 1950s), restrictions on freedoms (interest rates were fixed by the government then rather than by the free market today), the draft (it was required of young men then, but enlistment is voluntary today), unions are less of a problem today, communism (there were far more American communists in the 1950s), and education (homeschooling was mostly prohibited then, unlike today).  Some of the post-World War II legislation, such as the Full Employment Act of 1946, which tried to guarantee employment for every citizen, seems like silly socialism today.  (Note, however, that the Council of Economic Advisers established by that law still exists to advise the president about the economy today.)

'''Debate:  Was the 1950s more conservative than today?'''

'''Debate:  Was the 1950s more conservative than today?'''

The Supreme Court stunned the country by declaring abortion to be a constitutional right on January 22, 1973, in the case of ''Roe v. Wade''.  Even the women "Jane Roe" in that case, whose real name is Norma McCorvey, now says the ruling was wrong and abortion is a mistake.  But the Court ruled that the U.S. Constitution provides for a right to abortion even though it is never mentioned anywhere in the original document, or any amendments, or any statements by those who drafted anything in the Constitution.  The Supreme Court, by a 7-2 vote, ruled that abortion is in the "penumbra" (shadowy area) of the Bill of Rights.  First the Supreme Court had turned its back on God in the school prayer decision of ''Engel v. Vitale'' in 1962, and then it turned its back on the image of God by legalizing abortion in ''Roe v. Wade'' in 1973.

The Supreme Court stunned the country by declaring abortion to be a constitutional right on January 22, 1973, in the case of ''Roe v. Wade''.  Even the women "Jane Roe" in that case, whose real name is Norma McCorvey, now says the ruling was wrong and abortion is a mistake.  But the Court ruled that the U.S. Constitution provides for a right to abortion even though it is never mentioned anywhere in the original document, or any amendments, or any statements by those who drafted anything in the Constitution.  The Supreme Court, by a 7-2 vote, ruled that abortion is in the "penumbra" (shadowy area) of the Bill of Rights.  First the Supreme Court had turned its back on God in the school prayer decision of ''Engel v. Vitale'' in 1962, and then it turned its back on the image of God by legalizing abortion in ''Roe v. Wade'' in 1973.

At the same time, this new breed of feminists was demanding passage of the so-called Equal Rights Amendment.  It simply stated that:

At the same time, this new breed of feminists was demanding passage of the so-called Equal Rights Amendment (ERA).  It simply stated that:

:Section 1. Equality of Rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any state on account of sex.  

:Section 1. Equality of Rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or any state on account of sex.  

The House of Representatives had passed this Amendment by a 354-24 margin.  The Senate had passed it by a margin of 84-8.  Both political parties (Republican and Democratic) favored it; all presidents until Ronald Reagan supported it; and the media strongly backed it.  Its ratification by 3/4ths of the states (38 states), as required to amend the Constitution, seemed inevitable.

The House of Representatives had passed this Amendment by a 354-24 margin.  The Senate had passed it by a margin of 84-8.  Both political parties (Republican and Democratic) favored it; all presidents until Ronald Reagan supported it; and the media strongly backed it.  Its ratification by 3/4ths of the states (38 states), as required to amend the Constitution, seemed inevitable.

But a handful of conservative women met in a hotel near Chicago O’Hare airport on July 7, 1972, to discuss ways to stop the amendment.  One woman proposed naming the movement, “Stop Taking our Privileges” or simply “STOP ERA.” The name stuck.

The ERA would have required drafting women just like men; forcing taxpayer-funded abortion just like medical care for men; mandating same-sex marriage (can't discriminate "on account of sex"); ending special Social Security benefits enjoyed by widows; and eventually eliminating male and female restrooms in public facilities.  The courts could enforce ERA almost any way it liked due its open-ended and superficially appealing language.  ERA would shift the entire field of family law and marriage from state and local levels to the federal government, and to the federal courts where judges are not elected and are appointed for life.

Equal Rights Amendment "1972-82: STOP ERA movement, led by Phyllis Schlafly, defeated it; issue helped defeat Carter in reelection"

At the beginning, the momentum was too great to halt.  By the middle of 1973, 30 states had ratified the so-called "Equal Rights Amendment." But then some states began to hold legislative hearings to consider the pros and cons of the amendment, and the tide began to change when the arguments were out in the open.

By the middle of 1973, 30 states had ratified the so-called “Equal Rights Amendment.” This proposed amendment provided that:

After 30 states passed it in 1972 and 1973, only 3 passed ERA in 1974.  Just one passed it in 1975, none in 1976, and only one in 1977.  That brought the total to 35, just three shy of the 38 needed for ratification.  Meanwhile, the states of Idaho, Kentucky, Nebraska, Tennessee and South Dakota were persuaded they had made a mistake, and they passed laws nullifying or rescinding their acts.  Congress had set a deadline of 1979 for ERA to pass, but then changed its own deadline and reset it for 1982.  STOP ERA activists said this was as unfair as adding another period to a basketball game so the side would have an extra chance to catch up and win.  ERA finally failed in 1982, and the U.S. Supreme Court disposed of a legal case by saying the issue was now "moot" because the deadline passed.

 

The defeat of ERA helped elect a conservative president, Ronald Reagan.  In the one and only debate between Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter, held less than two weeks before the election, Jimmy Carter raised his support of the ERA at the end of the debate in his final attempt to embarrass Ronald Reagan, who opposed it.<ref>http://www.debates.org/pages/trans80b.html</ref>  Reagan rebutted Carter's arguments, less than two weeks later Reagan won the election.

 

 

 

The defeat of ERA helped elect a conservative president, Ronald Reagan.  In the one and only debate between Ronald Reagan and Jimmy Carter, held less than two weeks before the election, Jimmy Carter raised his support of the ERA at the end of the debate in his final attempt to embarrass Ronald Reagan, who opposed it.<ref>http://www.debates.org/pages/trans80b.html</ref>  Reagan rebutted Carter's arguments and won the election.

== References ==

== References ==