Illinois Ratifies the Equal Rights Amendment -- 36 Years After the Deadline

[demmiblue]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by muriel_volestrangler (a host of the Latest Breaking News forum).

Source: Time

(SPRINGFIELD, Ill.) — Illinois on Wednesday became the 37th state to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment, putting the country only one state away from a landmark change to the U.S. Constitution guaranteeing equal rights for women.

The historic passage was nearly half a century in the making, and came 38 years after supporters staged hunger strikes and floor sit-ins in a futile attempt to persuade the Illinois Legislature to OK the proposal by what was a congressionally set deadline.

The Illinois House approved the amendment 72-45 Wednesday. The Senate approved it 43-12 in April.

Rep. Lou Lang, the Skokie Democrat who sponsored the proposal, called the vote a historic moment for lawmakers to make a difference for women across the nation.

Read more: http://time.com/5296572/illinois-ratify-equal-rights-amendment-women/?utm_medium=social&xid=time_socialflow_twitter&utm_campaign=time&utm_source=twitter.com

[Kilgore]

1. Help me understand

Is really just asymbolic vote? The article seems to imply it is since the ratification deadline was in the 1980`s

[FBaggins]

2. Likely symbolic

There are lots of theories about how ratification could still happen... but they're almost entirely wishful thinking.

[muriel_volestrangler]

3. Locking - duplicate thread

of https://www.democraticunderground.com/10142071631 . Please continued discussion there. Thanks.