| | 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. | | 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. |
| − | 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. | + | 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 the losing side in a basketball game adding another period to the game clock so it would have extra chance to catch up and win. The deadline finally passed in 1982, and ERA had failed to be ratified; 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 and won the election in November 1980. | + | 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 then rebutted Carter's arguments and won the election in November 1980. |