Assignment due date 10/26/07 6 AM
Rules: No piggybacking! Grade based upon accuracy of response and 3 sources cited correctly in parentheticals.
Ponder and Research
When the Congressional profiles were completed in the lab, the culminating picture of the USA HOR and Senate did not reflect the preponderance of the general population. Choose 2 segments of the USA population that are under represented. Present the number of that population in a percentage that are part of Congress ,in comparison w/ the segment they make up in the general population. Profile 2 candidates who have tried to break the political glass ceiling. Using synthesis and analysis give plausible explanations for their failed or successful challenge to the staus quo in congress.
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This is James, and America is realistically under-representing many groups that are not white or male. One of the groups that are much too under-represented is African Americans. African Americans are 10% of the US Population (http://www.census.gov), but they are only a measly 1% in the Senate, which means there is only one African American Senator today, Barack Obama. He managed to break the glass ceiling because of what he promised to Americans; Healthcare to all, the rates of unemployment will go down, and the belief that America is strong (http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/convention2004/barackobama2004dnc.htm). It can be agreed that almost any African American could slice out the same points and would’ve lost, but he managed to get in due to the fact of his great oration skills and his well-rounded amiability. Another group that is under-represented is women. Women are a whopping 50.7% of the general US population, but they are only represented by 16 in the Senate, and 16.1% of the HOR are female (http://www.census.gov). Hillary Clinton had managed to defeat the status quo of the Congress because of the people who believed her. She fought valiantly for the cause at 9/11; she is an inspiration to middle-class family with her successful upbringing and political career, the expansion of CHIP, the destruction of unemployment, and to protect social security. With all these things, she managed to inspire people and thus had people vote for her successful pathway into Congress. It is without a doubt that Clinton and Obama had defeated the status quo of Congress with their ideals and their inspiration.
There are many segments of the US population today that are misrepresented in Congress today. One large group of the population that is continuously growing and under represented are hispanics. While approxiamately 14.4% of the entire US population is hispanic, there are only 3% of them in the senate and 6% in the House(Hispanics in congress,http://www.loc.gov/rr/hispanic/congress/chron.html). One Hispanic senator that is very important in changing the status quo of congress today is senator Robert Menendez of New Jersey. In recent congressional debates, Menendez had been very influential in adressing healthcare, especially for the citizens of New Jersey. Although the CHIP bill had been vetoed, Menendez was quick to go against a portion of the bill that disallowed about 3000 children of NJ to not be allowed healthcare coverage. He debated strongly for the bill however, and continues to fight for the wellness of the children of NJ. He clearly states "It is unacceptable that 1.3 million New Jerseyans - and 46 million Americans - do not have coverage they can rely on."(Menendez,http://menendez.senate.gov/). He has been influential in most other aspects of politics also, ranging from homeland and economic security, to the all important affordability of college. Menendez is without a doubt leading the way for the people of his state, and for hispanics in Congress of today. An important, though often misunderstood portion of the US population, that being those foreign born, are also very under represented in Congress. While there are approxiamately 16% foreign born citizens of the US today, only 1% of the senate is such, and only 1.8% of the house is born overseas. One especially important US senator born overseas is Florida's own Mel Martinez. Senator Martinez has made it quite far in Congress, and at one point until recently had been General Chairman of the Republican Party. He is the first cuban American to serve in the senate, and has been outgoing on many issues. He had proposed a bill to allow more illegal immigrants become US residents, and would strengthen our borders. He stated once that "Immigration to this country must always be done through legal means"(Bio,http://martinez.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=AboutMartinez.Biography&CFID=22550996&CFTOKEN=62962215). Thus, he represents immigrants in congress, whilst others might not be inclined to have an opinion on the matter. Martinez is an avid republican, and takes the republican stand on most issues, including abortion. Through Martinez's hard work in the senate, he is challenging the status quo. Robert Menendez and Mel Martinez should be examples for future congressman wishing to represent certain groups, and those wishing to make a change.
It is evident that white, protestant, wealthy, educated men are considered the norm in our United States Congress. However, our nation is not only made up of this specific type of person. One huge group that is under represented in Congress is Women. In the Senate, 16% are women. In the HOR, 17% are also female. Women are actually a larger percentage of the population at 51.1%. (Women's Health, http://mchb.hrsa.gov/whusa04/pages/ch1.htm)
There is no reason that women should not make up half of Congress. They have the majority of the population, and our representation in Congress does not reflect that majority. One female who broke the mold is Speaker of the House of Representatives-Nancy Pelosi (D). For the past 20 years, Nancy has had a large influence in Congress by promoting educational opportunity and protecting workers. She has been a big promoter health care, especially the health care of women, and doubled the funding for the National Institute of Health. One of her very first victories was creating housing for people with AIDS/HIV and promoting funding towards AIDS/HIV research. She has served on committees dealing with environmental issues, and is a huge advocate of Human Rights. (Biography, http://www.house.gov/pelosi/biography/bio.html)
Nancy is one of the few women in Congress whose had the opportunity to voice the women’s views. It's necessary to have women like her in Congress so their voices are heard and equality is achieved in legislation.
African American's are also under-represented in Congress. The U.S. Census acknowledges African Americans to make up 12% of the total population. 1% of the Senate is made up of African Americans and only 9.2% in the HOR. One Representative that has influenced African American vote in the House is Congressman John Lewis from Georgia's 5th district. Lewis has sponsored many bills in the 110th Congress. A few include investigations of unsolved civil rights (HR 923), improving Social Security (HR 1193), improving Medicare (HR 1193), and the exclusion from gross income amounts acquired on claims based on unlawful discrimination (HR 1540). (John Lewis, http://johnlewis.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=17&Itemid=31) Lewis has voiced his African American views in Congress and has minimized discrimination through bills. It is necessary for both genders and multiple races to be represented proportionally to their percent in the U.S. population. If this is not achieved, equality will be lost in Congress and results in the contradiction of one of our greatest American values.
Two groups in America that seem to be under represented in Congress due to their percentage of the population of Americans that they make up are African Americans and Women. For African Americans, they make up about a total of 11% of the representatives in both the House and Senate, yet they make up around 13% of the US population. As for women, they have a combined representation of 32.1% in both houses of Congress; however, women make up 51% of the American population. (Percents of Groups, “Government-Congress worksheet”). One Senator from Wisconsin that, although is not a candidate, I hold in high esteem for what she has accomplished. Gwen Moore had a large barrier to overcome, not only is Moore a female, but she is also an African American, and she was able to overcome the status quo of Congress and become elected as a senator. (Gwen Moore, http://www.house.gov/gwenmoore/). And Moore has not taken her position lightly; she has had many ideas and voice in many key issues, including on women rights. An example is on October 10, 2007 Moore spoke out about the face that women need better understanding about finances. Moore stated, “Financial know-how is one of the next battlegrounds in the fight for equal rights. We must continue to work so that women have access to the same financial tools and achieve a higher level of financial literacy.” (Gwen Moore, http://www.house.gov/gwenmoore/). Although Moore spoke out about the rights and literacy of women, her strong presence in Congress benefits both women and African Americans. Nancy Pelosi is also a strong woman in Congress. In fact, Pelosi holds the highest position in the House of Reps. which is the Speaker of the House. (Nancy Pelosi, http://www.house.gov/pelosi/). And since Congress’s seats are mainly held by white males, for a woman to be in a higher position in a specific area then a white male is a triumph in itself. But Pelosi has also accomplished a lot, including getting passed a Bill that allowed for housing for people who are unfortunate enough to have AIDS, which was one of her first legislations even passed in Congress.
When looking at the demographics of congress it is very clear that women and many ethic groups are under represented. The Senate and House of Representatives (HOR) mostly consist of the highly educated, rich, white male. However, there have been many men and women that have broken this mold. Women make up 51.1% of our population, (Population Charactersistics, http://mchb.hrsa.gov/whusa04/pages/ch1.htm) but in the Senate only 16% are women and out of the 435 members in the HOR 16.1% are women. (Women Officeholders Fact Sheets and Summaries http://www.CAWP.rutgers.edu/facts.html). If women make up more than half the population of the United States then why aren’t half the members of Congress women? Women deserve as much representation as men, our government is supposed to be the voice of the citizens, but how can it perform its job correctly if everyone isn’t represented? An example of a congressional member that has broken these standards is U.S. Representative Betty Sutton from Ohio. She has worked extremely hard to be where she is today and in the process there were many obstacles that she had to overcome. “Betty has never been afraid to take on tough fights and to do what is right, even in the face of unbeatable odds.” (Betty Sutton Biography, http://sutton.house.gov/about/?id=21&story=biography) She has been successful because she is not afraid to speak her mind and do what she believes is right for her constituents and the United States. In 1996 while serving in the Ohio State House she was the only one to vote against a bill that contained a perk for a multimillionaire developer, and because of her this bill was removed by the senate even though it was very popular amongst the House. She too is fighting to make sure that all people are equally represented, recently she helped to lead the effort on ethics reform so that there will be policies that benefit all Americans, not just special interests and the privileged.(http://sutton.house.gov/about/?id=21&story=biography) She strongly believes in affordable health care for children and seniors and has played a large role in trying to pass legislation on this issue. Her hard work is definitely paying off and she has overcome the status quo of congress and proved that women are just as capable as men, recently in the state of Ohio she received Legislator of the Year by the Ohio Academy of Trial Lawyers. (Betty Sutton Biography, http://sutton.house.gov/about/?id=21&story=biography)
Like women, African Americans are also under represented in Congress. Currently they make up 12.8% of the US population,(US Population(Population 2000 Census, http://quickfacts.census.gov/gfd/states/00000.html). In the Senate there is only one African American, Barack Obama (http://www.senate.gov/artsandhistory/history/common/briefing/minority_senators.com) and the percentage of African Americans in the HOR is only 10%. Congressmen Lacy Clay from Missouri has been an extremely successful African American representative and he continues to do so today. He is chairman on the House Subcommittee on Information Policy, Census, and National Archives. His main goal as chairman is to make sure that in the 2010 census African Americans, Hispanics, and other minorities are not undercounted and represented accurately. Representative Clay has not only overcome the status quo but he is also helping other Americans do the same. One of his most prominent successes was a bill that led to the settlement of a 27 year long battle over desegregating the public schools in the city of St. Louis. (Biography of Lacy Clay, http://lacyclay.house.gov/biography.htm) Prior to his election in the HOR he served 17 years in both chambers of the Missouri Legislature, and another one of his major accomplishments was the founding of the Missouri’s Hate Crimes Law which covers crimes committed on the basis of race, gender, religion, ethnic origin, disabilities and sexual orientation. It is very important that all classes of Americans are represented and Congressmen Clay is making this happen, he has become a national recognized leader in helping minority and low-income families create wealth through home ownership. He would also like to see an improvement in our nation’s healthcare, “"President Bush and Republican extremists have abandoned 10 million American children and the hard-working parents who love them. The overwhelming majority of Democrats, Republicans and independents support SCHIP because it is pro-family, pro-work, and pays for itself. Just like my two children, I want every child in this country to have healthcare coverage. I am certain that the American people will remember who stood with our children today, and who did not." (Biography of Lacy Clay http://lacyclay.house.gov/)
Representatives Betty Sutton and Lacy Clay are making a difference, they are fighting for equal representation and they are overcoming status quos daily, proving that they are just as capable as the white, rich congressmen. Hopefully one day Congress will portray an accurate image of American demographics.
This is Marc. There are many underrepresented groups in the United States Congress. The First group that I would like to detail is the young people of America. The requirements for U.S. Senator include the need to be 30 years of age to serve. This requirement is not the source of the problem. The average age of a U.S. Senator is 61.7 years old (A Numerical Profile of the new Congress, http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,241441,00.html), while the total population of the United States is only 12.4% over 65. (The 65 years and older population, http://www.census.gov/prod/2001pubs/c2kbr01-10.pdf) . This leaves the middle aged people of the United States and the young people underrepresented. A prime example of the lack of young people iin congress in the fact that John Sununu (R. New Hampshire) is the youngest U.S. senator, he was born September 10, 1964, making him 43 years old. (http://www.census.gov/prod/2001pubs/c2kbr01-10.pdf) He was 38 at the time of his election. He has done multiple things to try to break the glass ceiling, and a prime example of this is his asking for aid for fisherman that are struggling to stay on their feet after new regulations were imposed. This was a bold move, because it declared the fisheries in New Hampshire and Maine a failure and asked for a large sum of money. He has had neither success nor failure. But he has been ignored on this issue. I believe this is a failure because he is so young, and he could be viewed as immature or stupid.
The second group that I would like to detail is women. Women are estimated to make up 50.7% of the U.S. population (ACS Demographic and Housing estimates, 2006, http://www.census.gov/prod/2001pubs/c2kbr01-10.pdf) , while only 16% of the House of Representatives is made up of women. One woman who has made it into the 110th congress is Rosa DeLauro, from Connecticut. She has tried to break the mold in many ways. She teamed up with Hillary Clinton to introduce a healthcare bill on the 17th of October. (CLINTON, DELAURO INTRODUCE BILL TO STRENGTHEN AMERICA ’S CHILD CARE WORKFORCE, http://www.house.gov/delauro/press/2007/October/Child_Care_10_17_07.html) This bill supports the continued support for workers in the childcare field. This is a large bill and introducing legislation definitely would help break the mold of a subversive woman. These two have had success in introducing this legislation by their use of a provocative topic that all must support. They will have success, and I would wager that this legislation will be passed.
Our country is currently represented in Congress by white, Protestant, wealthy males. They make up approximately 68% of the United States Congress. Although our country has a mix of ethnicities, many of those are under represented in our Congress. One group that is largely misrepresented are the African Americans. They make up about 12.8% of our countries population, yet only make up 1% of the Senate and 9.2% of the H.O.R. (Government-Congress worksheet) One person who is trying to break this stereotypical mold, is U.S. Representative Al Green from Texas’ 9th district. As a veteran civil rights advocate, he has dedicated his life to fighting for those in society whose voices, too often, are not heard. (Biography of Congressman Al Green, http://www.house.gov/algreen/bio.shtml) Congressman Green serves on the Homeland Security Committee and is dedicated to increasing security at our U.S. ports and borders and he also is dedicated to reducing chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats. Also, he serves on the Financial Services Committee. In addition, Congressman Green remains committed to increasing the amount of affordable housing and ensuring that every American achieves the dream of homeownership. Another group that also largely under represented in Congress are the Native Americans. Although they only make up 1% of the United States, (US Population 2000 Census,
http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/00000.html) I still believe there should be more than just 1 person representing the Native Americans in Congress. One person who has defiantly broken the glass for Native American people is Congressman Tom Cole who currently Represents Oklahoma’s 4th District in the H.O.R. (About Tom Cole, http://www.cole.house.gov/biography.html) He is currently the only Native American member of Congress. Congressman Cole is promoter for a strong national defense, a defender of the interests of small business and taxpayers, and a leader on issues dealing with Native Americans and tribal governments. Representative Tom Cole currently serves on the Committee on Armed Services and the National Resources Committee along with serving as the Deputy Whip in the U.S. House of Representatives. During the 108th Congress, he worked to include provisions to The All American Tax Relief Act. The provisions extended tax incentives for businesses that locate or expand on former Indian lands and provide a tax credit for businesses that hire Native Americans and their spouses. Both Al Green and Tom Cole, along with many other minorities, are working hard to change the way our United States Congress is viewed and to make all things more equal and balanced within the government. Not only are Native Americans and African Americans misrepresented, but many other groups are as well. This needs to change for our Congress to be more effective and for our countries values to be shown within Congress.
The majority of people that represent this nation made up of minorities are white middle aged, rich, and Christian males. While this profile used to be the majority of America, is has been replaced by new cultures joining this nation through immigration and the opportunities this country offers. It is very surprising and unjust that many minorities are not justifiably represented through Congress. Age and religion seems to be attributes that have remained the same and gone along with the status quo in Congress.
Age is a huge factor in who will be elected to the U.S. Congress. Older representatives seem to be the trend over the past decades. The average age of the U.S. Congress is about fifty-four years according to the stats taken in 2006 (Government-Congress Statistics Worksheet). This is considerably higher than the average age of a person living in the United States, which is approximately thirty six years old (U.S. Census Bureau 2006). John Henry Eaton was the youngest man to ever hold a spot in the U.S. Congress. Eaton was not even of legal age to be in Congress according to the constitution but he was elected to the Senate at age thirty in 1818 (http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,765692-1,00.html). The current youngest member of Congress is Patrick McHenry, who was also thirty years old when elected to the Senate in 2005 (http://congress.indiana.edu/learn_about/feature/qa_members.html#age). Patrick McHenry feels strongly on controversial issues such as the right to bear arms, pro-life, and is against same sex marriage. McHenry has contributed a lot to the U.S. Congress with these views and represents his generation’s views accurately. Patrick McHenry may be the youngest in the U.S. Congress but he is a man with education and experience who has broken the status quo older men in Congress with success.
Religion although in the U.S. Constitution is stated as separation of church and state, plays a huge role in who is elected and is in the U.S. Congress. The majority of the U.S. practices Christianity but the largest religious group in the U.S. is Catholicism with 24.5% of the nation responding to being Catholic in 2006. The most common religious affiliation in Congress now is Catholicism with 28.8% of Congressmen practicing Catholicism. While Judaism is not as big a religion in the U.S. as Catholicism is, it still is in the top with 1.3%. Judaism is a religion practiced by many Americans that do not fall in the majority of practicing Christianity. 6.9% of Congress is Jewish. This has been a recent increase in the past few years. Representatives are stepping forward and not allowing their religion to determine their reputation in the U.S. Congress. One of these representatives is Connecticut’s own Joseph Lieberman. Lieberman has just entered his fourth term in the Senate. He is well known for his ardent beliefs on security issues. He worked to create the Department of Homeland Security with the intent to protect American from further terrorist attacks (http://lieberman.senate.gov/about/). Joe Lieberman may be a minority based on his religion but he does not let that interfere with his determination to serve and protect the U.S. people though his position in the Senate. There will always be minorities that are under-represented in the U.S. But there will also always be those people who step forward to break the status quo and prove that minorities can successfully represent their people whether it be based on age or religion.
One group that does not get enough representation in congress is women. Women consist of 51% of the population of the United States (Composite U.S. Demographics, http://adherents.com/adh_dem.html), yet the Senate and House only have about 16% each (Hill Demographic Goes Slightly More Female, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/08/AR2006110802171.html). One woman who is taking charge in the House of Representatives is Nancy Pelosi. As Speaker of the House, Pelosi has urged to reform the Bush Administration’s policies and spending. Although she has not pulled all of our troops out of Iraq, she has met/is meeting her goal in setting benchmarks for the war, in refocusing the war on terror in Afghanistan, and providing healthcare to veterans and soldiers (A New Direction, http://www.house.gov/pelosi). Another woman who is taking charge is Former Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton. Although she is not currently a congresswoman, Clinton has begun her campaign for the presidency, and seems to be leading a great reform in America. She is running her campaign using the issue of healthcare. She is promoting universal healthcare and other types of plans because she believes Americans need healthcare, and she think that it is a crucial issue. Right now it seems like many Americans are against the ideas of President Bush, and therefore, many are turning left –towards the democrats. America is looking for a change, and Clinton is bringing that with her characteristics of being a democrat and also being a woman. She could create history, and as far as the polls go, it is very likely that she could be the presidential nominee for the democratic party. Hillary Clinton is ahead in the Democratic poll with 48%. Her closest opponent is Barack Obama, who has 17%, leaving Clinton with a lead of 31% (Los Angeles Time/Bloomberg Poll, http://www.presidentpolls2008.com/). Clinton is trying to bring change to the United States, and right now it seems like that change could be her in office in 2008.
Another group that does not receive adequate representation in government is African Americans. African Americans only have one senator, and only about 10% representation in the House of Representatives (Hill Demographic Goes Slightly More Female, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/08/AR2006110802171.html). They are underrepresented because 12.3% of the population of the United States is African Americans (Composite U.S. Demographics, http://adherents.com/adh_dem.html). The lone senator is Barack Obama from Illinois. Barack Obama is “breaking the political glass ceiling” because he is running for president and because he is the only African American senator. I think that it is rather unfair to African Americans to only have one representative in the Senate. This means that this man is representing all of the African Americans when issues come to the Senate. He seems to be agreeable though. He is coming out with plans to get out of Iraq because the war poses “an occupation of undetermined length, at undetermined cost, with undetermined consequences.” (Plan to End the Iraq War, http://www.barackobama.com/issues/). Also, by running for president, Obama is gaining popularity and trying to bring America to change. Obama is trying to become the first African American president, and if he does so, (even if Hillary Clinton does so) he will break the political glass ceiling for sure. The general frustration with the Bush Administration and the war in Iraq is making the glass ceiling brittle, and I believe that either Hillary Rodham Clinton or Barack Obama may break it if nominated for the presidency.
It is quite obvious that white, wealthy, and well educated Anglo-Saxon protestant men hold an overwhelming and disproportionate majority of Congressional positions. One segment of the U.S. population that is under represented in our skewed Congress is individuals not born in the United States. While such individuals cannot run for the Presidential office, they are entitled to Congressional positions so long as they have been a citizen of the U.S. for nine years for the senate or seven years for the House of Representatives. Foreign-born citizens represent 11.7% of the United States population (Foreign-Born Population in the United States, http://www.census.gov/prod/2004pubs/p20-551.pdf). However, only five of the 435 representatives in the House are non-native, equivalent to about 1.15% of the House of Representatives, and only one out of the 100 United States senators is foreign-born, equivalent to 1% of the senate. (Senators Born Outside the United States, http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/reference/three_column_table/Foreign_born.htm)
One individual who is changing the status quo of this clearly inadequate representation is Florida senator Melquiades R. Martinez. Born in Cuba, "Mel" immigrated the United States at the age of 16. Rising from little wealth and years of living with foster families, he went to Florida State University, where he learned law. Following a long law career in Orlando, he became the secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and subsequently a U.S. senator. (Mel Martinez, http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=M001162) Although many would be inclined to view him as nothing more than a Cuban alien, his leadership and success show that foreign-born citizens are equals to all other citizens of America and deserve equal representation in Congress.
Another segment of the American population that is not receiving equal representation is the women of our nation. Currently, only 16% of the Senate and 16.1% of the House of Representatives are women, even though 51.1% of the U.S. population consists of women. (Population Characteristics, http://mchb.hrsa.gov/whusa_05/pages/0301uspop.htm) One woman working to change this status quo is Elizabeth Dole. As a senator from North Carolina, she is a strong and admired leader who pushes for improvements in everything from education, job security, and health care to national defense and military strength. Also, as the first woman to have served as a departmental head of a military branch, the U.S. Coast Guard, she disproves many stereotypes of the weaknesses of the "dainty" female gender that could discredit or tarnish the image of women in Congress. Ms. Dole also serves on the Armed Services, Banking, Small Business, and Aging Committees. (Elizabeth Dole, http://womenshistory.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http://dole.senate.gov/index.cfm%3FFuseAction=AboutElizabeth.Biography) Clearly Ms. Dole as well as Mr. Martinez are helping minorities break through the glass ceiling of Congress and alter the status quo of our nation legislature.
One group that is under-represented in Congress is Asians. In 2005, Asians made up 4.3% of the population of the United States (http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0762156.html). However, there are only 3 Asians in the House of Representatives, and 2 Asians in the Senate. Out of 435 representatives, and 100 senators, that is .7% representation in the House of Representatives, and 2% representation in the Senate (http://www.congresslink.org/print_basics_histmats_congprofile.htm)
Considered to be of Asian descent, senator Daniel Akaka, of Hawaii, has attempted to break the mold by being recognized as a senator who will promote education, children's care, nature, and economy. He has received awards for these categories previously, but currently he is working to create a Hawaiian governing body. On January 17th, Senator Akaka proposed the Akaka bill, which protects the rights of native Hawaiians, and prevents treatments such as those displayed towards the Native Americans and the Alaska Natives. This bill will create a native Hawaiian governing body to serve as a connection from the Hawaiian people to the United States government to negotiate any past grievances. Senator Akaka has succeeded in building his support of the bill. So far eight senators are cosponsors of the bill. He has gained support of minority groups all around the country, like the National Congress of American Indians, Alaska Federation of Natives, and Japanese American Citizen League.
http://akaka.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Issues.Home&issue=Akaka%20Bill&content_id=24#Akaka%20Bill
But his Hawaiian governing body might not work. It could be considered by some to be a secession, which would set a precedent for others to follow. A governing body in Hawaii separate from the United States would be unconstitutional, because non-Hawaiians that enter would be subject to a different set of laws. This precedent, if followed, would destroy the power that the national government has over the states, and the country would be as it was before the formation of the constitution, under the Articles of Confederation, without a strong economy, and without national unity. Therefore, I comment Senator Akaka for his efforts, but this bill must ensure that no special privileges are given to Hawaiian residents, or else it will fail.
Another group of people that are under-represented in Congress are Muslims. Muslims make up over 2% of the population of the nation.
(http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N07465488.htm)
However, the first and only Muslim in Congress was elected only recently, in 2006, making up .2% of the Congress. Accordingly, there should be 9 more Muslims in Congress to represent them fairly. Keith Ellison, of Missouri, gained the office of Representative despite much political friction against Muslims. In his time as representative, he supported bill number 2457, which allows people to register to vote on the same day as elections. With this bill, he became a more prominent member of Congress because this bill will provide more fair voting. Representatives that should be able to vote and still wish to will be able to vote because of the expanded registration period. This will create a more democratic society, being ruled by the voice of the people. Although many Americans choose not to vote, this bill will create a government that more fully represents the will of the people.
(http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/D?d110:3:./temp/~bdl0rl::|/bss/d110query.html|)
Although America is a melting pot of various cultures, its Congress is still dominated by white, middle-aged, Protestant males, leaving several segments of the population underrepresented in this institution. One of these segments is the Islamic population of America. Currently Muslims account for about 2% of the total population of the United States and is one of the fastest growing segments of the population, yet there is only one Islamic congressman in both the House of Representatives and the Senate combined. (Conference – Muslims in the United States, www.wilsoncenter.org) This is Representative Keith Ellison from Minnesota, who makes up .2% of the United States Congress. He is not only the only the only current Islamic congressman, but also the first ever Islamic congressman. By being in this position, Keith Ellison has broken the political glass ceiling, at least in part, that previously prevented Muslims from holding office in Congress. By being elected into office and then defending his religious affiliation by swearing into office on the Koran, Ellison has set a precedent that allows Muslims to hold office. (War on Terror – Those who kill don’t discriminate, www.courierpress.com) He was able to breach this barrier by supporting popular views such as an end to the Iraq War, increased funding for education, and anti-discrimination measures. (The Issues, www.ellison.house.gov)
Another severely underrepresented segment of the American population is the women. Women actually hold a slight majority in terms of population, accounting for 50.7% of the population of the United States. However, they only account for about 16% of the nation’s Congress. (USA Quickfacts, www.census.gov) This is more than three times less than what they should hold according to their population. One woman who has made an effort to break the political glass ceiling is Senator Maria Cantwell of Washington. Despite the longstanding tradition that men are the people that hold office in the government, she was able to overcome this limit and become elected into the Senate. She was able to accomplish this by advocating the measures that the people of her state supported, for example tax cuts, supporting the national guard, and defending the largely open northern border of Washington. (Getting results for Washington State, www.cantwell.senate.gov) These are two examples of segments of the American population that are underrepresented in Congress based on their populations in the country as a whole and revolutionaries from these groups that have defied tradition and gained office in Congress.
One minority that is substantially underrated is the Asian race. Asian Americans are estimated to number 13.5 million, and make up “one-fourth of the nation’s total foreign-born population.” (Facts for Features, http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/004522.html). In the House, they are not represented, and the Senate, out of 100 members, one man represents all 13.5 million. Senator Daniel K. Akaka is the one percent that represents Asians in the Senate, diligently working to “break the political glass ceiling.” Through representing Hawaii in the Senate since 1990, he clearly overcame racial boundaries that are status quo in the US. (About Senator Akaka,http://akaka.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Akaka.Home) He has succeeded in challenging the status quo in congress by supporting worthy causes and gathering supportive constituents. Before work in Congress, Akaka worked as a teacher and principals and is a strong advocate of education. Akaka was quoted, saying “I have witnessed how education opens doors, and I know that when sound instruction takes place, students experience the joys of new-found knowledge and the ability to excel.”(Daniel Akaka Quotes, http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/d/danielakak168662.html)
A veteran of WWII, Senator Akaka also serves as Chairman on the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs. Currently, he is in contact with the Department of Veterans’ Affairs to ensure Hawaii’s veterans aren’t without sufficient healthcare services.
Another minority that compromises 12% of adults nationwide is the group of citizens who disbelieve or doubt the existence of a god: atheism and agnostics. (How Many Atheists in America?,http://atheism.about.com/b/a/129492.htm) The 30 million or so in America are represented by one man in the senate, about .2% in congress. September 30th,2007, Congressman Pete Stark “spoke publicly for the first time about his atheism.”(First Atheist in Congress, http://allhiphop.com/forums/thread/18677590.aspx) Stark said, "When the Secular Coalition asked me to complete a survey on my religious beliefs, I indicated I am a Unitarian who does not believe in a supreme being."(California Lawmaker Becomes Highest-Ranking Official To Say He's a Nonbeliever, http://www.nysun.com/article/50312) In a poll taken, “More people (53%) would not be willing to vote for an atheist than virtually any other demographic.(Would You Vote For An Atheist?, http://teresacentric.com/2007/08/would-you-vote-for-an-atheist/) Stark has served in Congress since 1973, and his choice to divulge his atheism at this point in time shows his will to “break the political glass ceiling.” By being open with his lack of religious beliefs, other atheistic and agnostic citizens will be more comfortable running for office and with serving their country. Therefore, Stark will be able to succeed in changing the status quo in congress by the supporters he will begin to gain. Roy Speckhardt, the executive director of the American Humanist Association said, "With Stark's courageous public announcement of his atheism, it is our hope that he will become an inspiration for others who have hidden their conclusions for too long,"
Ally Powell
In America, there are many different types of people. Unfortunaty, not many are represented. Women are vastly under-represented even though they make up about 51.1% of the United States population. Only 32.1% are represented in Congress, about 16% in each the HOR and Senate. (http://www.census.gov)Women are slowly creeping their way to the top. For example, Hilary Clinton is trying to snatch away the role of President from the men. The woman that amazingly started the participation of women in Congress was Jeannette Rankin of Montana. She was elected in 1916 and opened the doors for 243 more women in the future. (http://womenincongress.house.gov/profiles/index.html?id=R000055)
Another group of individuals that are not being equally represented in the United States government are the Mormans. They make up 2% of the United States population and are the 3rd largest religion group in the United States. (http://www.adherents.com/rel_USA.html) The one individual that is attempting to represent them is Mitt Romney. He is running for the 2008 Presidental election and if elected will be the 2nd non-Protestant President. He is making an effort to represent the Mormans by announcing to the citizens that he is a Morman and also gaining attention from that. With that attention, I think that he used it to spread the issues he is concerned about, like the United States economy.
Mitt Romney is helping represent the under-represented and Jeannette Rankin helped the non-represented become aware that they can be represented.
In the United States congress many groups of individuals are underrepresented. Most of the representatives and senators are typically white males that are very well off in the economic field. A group that is highly underrepresented in senate is the impoverished living in America. In our population 12.5% are impoverished. ("Poverty Spreads", http://money.cnn.com/2004/08/26/news/economy/poverty_survey/) They have 0% representation in congress. As previously stated, congress is for the most part, wealthy, white males. One man in the past congress who defied all stereotypes was Booker T. Washington. He was very impoverished as a child and at the age of 16, had to walk 500 miles to attend the Hampton institute for African Americans interested in learning. He is best remembered for helping black Americans overcome economic slavery, and defying all odds himself. He is an amazing example of someone who broke the glass ceiling in many more ways than one. ("Up From Slavery", http://www.nps.gov/archive/bowa/btwbio.html)
Another group that is underrepresented in Congress is the Jewish population. Judaism is the third largest religion in the united states making up 1.3%of the population.("Top Ten organized religions in the United States", http://www.adherents.com/rel_USA.html#bodies)In senate only 13% are Jewish and in the House of Representatives only 6.9% are Jewish. "Diane Feinstein has demonstrated that Jewish women can achieve politically in a male dominated sexist society if they work hard at it."("Jewish Members of the 110th Congress", http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/US-Israel/jewcong110.html)Mrs. Feinstein is an example of a Jewish woman overcoming the stereotype of a senator. She has fought to strengthen the national security, battle cancer, to lessen the violence, and protect the natural resources her state of California has. She is a perfect example of someone who tried and succeeded to break the "political glass ceiling".
Booker T. Washington and Senator Diane Feinstein are two amazing people who defied the stereotype of a congressional representative in the United States.
This is Sravya, and I believe that America is really under- representing a key group in America, Women. Women are one of the groups in United States of America under represented. Women make up about 51% of the total population in the United States (U.S. Population Characteristics, http://www.mchb.hrsa.gov/whusa_06/popchar/0201usp.htm ), but women are only 16% in the Senate and 16% in the House of Representatives (Facts on women candidates and elected officials, http://www.cawp.rutgers.edu/Facts.html#congress). Even though women make up more than half of the United States population, they are not even one-fourth of the US HOR or the US Senate.
One of the women who dared and broke the political glass ceiling is Jane Harmon. Jane Harmon is a democrat from California. Harman emerged as a major influence on critical questions of intelligence, terrorism and homeland security. Harmon said, “Friends and colleagues often ask me why a middle-aged mother of four wants to serve in the U.S. Congress. To me, the answer is simple: to add value, to make a difference. To know, at the end of the day, that I’ve done everything I can to make our country and the world better, safer places”. An ambitious woman, Jane Harmon just made it into the 110th Congress and is working hard to make sure “that our government protects our national priorities, our homeland security and our civil liberties. I want to ensure that American foreign policy is reasoned, just and a force for peace” (Jane Harmon for U.S. Congress ’06, http://www.janeharmancongress.com/about.html). She also represented the views of the majority of women on abortion- that a woman should have the right to choose whether or not to have a child. She has also gained the support of National Abortion Rights Action League, National Women’s Political Committee, and National Organization for the Women Political Action Committee, California Abortion Rights Action League, etc.( Jane on the Issues, http://www.janeharmancongress.com/jane_issues/rep_choice.html)
Another woman who has broken the glass ceiling is Jo Ann Emerson and made it into 110th Congress, is a republican from Missouri. Emerson voiced her opinions on individual rights, National security and great deal of emphasis on Homeland Security and War on Iraq. She believes that secure borders are one of the first objectives that must be met for our security. She strongly believes that an end to illegal immigration would reduce our nation’s dangers. Jo Ann also worked to create the Department of Homeland Security, and she continues to balance the laws that guide law enforcement with the rights for privacy and freedoms of all law-abiding Americans. Jo Ann’s own stepdaughter is serving the U.S. Army in Iraq. She is in touch with military officials and liaisons to make sure the troops have the support they need to do the right job and return home soon. She is one the 4 republicans who voted to withdraw U.S. Troops from Iraq by April 2008. (Emerson on the Issues, http://www.joannemerson.com/issues.aspx).
I strongly believe that women are one the most under-represented groups in the United States. If the women step up and work for the government, they will be many more great women with influential ideas to make our country a better place to live in!
It is evident that the general populace of the United States Senate and House of Representatives is white, Protestant, wealthy-class men, however this so-called representation does not embody the true makeup of the citizens of the United States of America. Unfortunately, although the United States population is almost 4% Asian (We The People: Asians in the United States, http://www.census.gov/prod/2004pubs/censr-17.pdf), representation in the United States Congress is slightly over 1%. One example of an Asian politician who has broken the glass ceiling by being elected to the United States House of Representatives is Mazie Hirono (D-HI), a United States Congresswoman who was elected in the 2006 election and took office in January of 2007. She is currently serving in office and is a unique congressional representative because she was “the first immigrant woman of Asian ancestry to serve in Congress.” (Biography, http://hirono.house.gov/bio.shtml) She is one example of a congressional representative breaking the boundaries of the Congressional norm described above. She did this by appealing to the constituency of her state. Before her election, she served on the Hawaii State Legislature and was “one of the most effective members of the Legislature during her 7 terms.” (Biography, http://hirono.house.gov/bio.shtml) Thus, she demonstrated that she was fit to govern. Hirono supports woman’s rights by being pro-choice for abortion, while also promoting prevention of pregnancies for mothers before the hard decision has to be made. She also looks out for a healthy America by supporting stem-cell research and supporting the Children’s Health Insurance Program to aid six million children nationally.
Another underrepresented group in Congress is the Hispanic Americans. About 14.4% of the United States population is Hispanic, yet this population is, again, not represented in the Congress (about 6% Hispanics serve in the House while only 3% serve in Senate). Another example of a politician who has overcome this barrier is Senator Ken Salazar (D-CO), a Hispanic American. His stand on many issues is attractive to his constituents. Through his legislation, he looks out for the safety of the United States of America, specifically homeland security and the United States Military. In his term as Attorney General of Colorado, he demonstrated his responsibility to citizens by establishing the Attorney Fugitive Prosecutions Unit, Attorney General Gang Prosecution Unit, and Environmental Crimes Unit. (Biography of Senator Ken Salazar, http://salazar.senate.gov/bio/index.html) Thus, he is also eco-friendly. He promotes energy independence, the limit of dependence on foreign nations for natural resources such as crude oil, and other environmental issues. In conclusion, although minorities in the United States of America are even more of a minority amongst our representatives in the United States Congress, there are political candidates that have broken the stereotype and risen above the rest.
Chana Hoagland-
Based on the 2000 United States Census reported on April, 2000, the report showed that blacks or African-American represented 12.9 percent of the United States population. (US Census Bureau - U.S. Department of Commerce, http://www.census.gov/prod/2002/pubs). There is only one African-American senator; therefore the percentage of African-American senator is only a mere 1 percent. Of the 435 members in the House of Representatives, there are only 43 blacks or African Americans members. This translates into a 10% representation. In 2002, it also was determined that females represent 51.1 percent of the total United States (Women’s Health USA 2004, Health Resources and Service Administration, http://mchb.hrsa.gov/whusa04/pages/ch1.htm#labor_force) However of the 100 Senators who presently serve in the United State Senate, there are only sixteen (16) women in 110th Senate. This number translates into a sixteen percent (16%) representation. These two statistics showed how these two groups namely African-American and women are underrepresented. Since they are underrepresented, how effective are they in representing their constituents well as their selected group. Are they just members in Congress or do they play an important and vital roles. To address these concerns I examined the records of Charles Rangel and Barbara Boxer.
The term glass ceiling refers to situations where the advancement of a person within the hierarchy of an organization is limited. Since the purpose of government is to make laws, provide services, and keep order. (What is the Purpose of the Government? http://www.associatedcontent.com/pop_print.shtml?content_type=article&content_type_id=52050), how effective are they? As chairperson of the United States House Committee on Ways and Means (Committee on Ways & Means :: U.S. House of Representatives, http://waysandmeans.house.gov/) Representative, Charles Rangel chairs one of the most important committee in the House of Representatives. This committee is responsible for writing legislation concerning taxes, bonded debt, national social security programs, and tariffs. As chairman, he determines the order of the bills and the appropriate subcommittee. Recently as chairman Charles B. Rangel has introduced legislation to reduce taxes on working families and reform tax laws to eliminate loopholes. As a senior member of the House of Representative, he aware of the challenges that he will encounter and he has the experience to overcome them. While there are other women in the Senate, Barbara Boxer has the position of Chairwoman for the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee (biography – U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer, http://boxer.senate.gov/about/bio/index.cfm). She is the first woman to chair the Committee. She also has the distinction of being the Chief Deputy Whip, as the "right hand" of the Democratic Leader and Assistant Democratic Leader; she is instrumental in articulating, promoting and achieving the objectives of the Democratic Caucus. While she was unable to override the Presidential veto, she has been instrumental in pushing the needed for universal health coverage. With the changing of “guards” in this election, women and minorities are taking a more active role in changing our government.
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