Keith Ellison is the first Muslim elected to Congress. I don’t know much about Ellison, but at the very least I see this as a symbolically important at home and abroad. He demonstrates clearly to Americans that Muslim does not equal Arab and to the rest of the world that Americans are able to elect Muslims as well as Christians, Jews, and a Scientologist (a Republican who held on to her Florida district yesterday). Still no admitted atheists elected to national office, however.
Nancy Pelosi is the first woman Speaker of the House. So far she’s doing a kick-ass job of proving that the Dems are capable of leadership. She don’t need no stinkin’ “first 100 days” plan–she’s got a radical plan for the first 100 hours. I am especially looking forward to the return of real oversight when she appoints the chairs of various House committees.
If the Dems can pick up that Virginia Senate seat (and it’s looking good so far), I think that Harry Reid may very well be the first Mormon president pro tempore of the U.S. Senate. If you use presidential succession as a rough indicator of power in the U.S., this means that after President Bush and veep Cheney (our president’s insurance against ever being assassinated) next in line is a female and feminist Speaker of the House; after her may be a liberal democratic Mormon Senate majority leader (this might make for interesting reporting if conservative Republican Mormon Mitt Romney takes the Oval Office in ‘08); and #4 is the Secretary of State, an African American woman.
3 responses so far ↓
1 amelia // Nov 8, 2006 at 4:09 pm
when you put it that way, it makes me feel a hell of a lot better about the fact that so few women make it to congress. let alone racial, ethnic, and religious minorities.
but setting aside that it’s still largely a white male bastion of power, i must say i’m much more cheery about the world of american politics today than i have been in ages and ages. i even listened to w. during his press conference without wishing him dire ill will…
2 Miko // Nov 9, 2006 at 12:04 pm
There are some countries that require a certain percentage of women in politics. It seems like admitting defeat to suggest doing that here, but this has been too long coming.
3 Elise // Nov 9, 2006 at 1:42 pm
Ireland is on their third consecutive female president and thier economy is doing great (per my feminist Irish friend who is very excited about the U.S.’s female Speaker of the House and made sure to tell me that we are far behind Ireland in terms of feminism…..)
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