102 Women In Congress, Nearly 90% Democrats: New Era In DC

"We Have 102 Women In Congress. It's Not Trump's Washington Any More." By Jill Abramson, The Guardian, Jan. 5, 2019. Thursday felt like the start of something truly new and important and it was clear that it rattled the president.

We knew that the 116th Congress was going to be the most diverse in history, with 102 women, many more openly gay members, more blacks, more Latinos, the first two female Native Americans, a Somali immigrant and the first ever Palestinian American woman elected to the House. But it was an altogether different thing to actually see that blazingly colorful diversity assembled under the portraits of the older white men who have lorded over the House of Representatives for so long.

As Nancy Pelosi made her way through the chamber to reclaim the speaker’s gavel, stopping after almost every step to receive a hug, it was a very emotional scene and the first time since Donald Trump’s election that I felt lightness and happiness radiating from the Capitol.



- US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi poses for photo with female Democratic Congress members on Capitol Hill.

*TIME, "Here Are All The Democratic Women Elected To The U.S. House In 2018, In One Photo," Jan. 4, 2019.
http://time.com/5494280/democratic-women-house-of-representatives/

And color. Deb Haaland of New Mexico, wearing a traditional Pueblo dress, was on the verge of tears as she embraced Sharice Davids of Kansas, a member of Ho-Chunk Nation. They are the first Native American women to serve in the House. Openly gay, Davids is also one of the record number of LGBTQ members of the chamber. Nearby, Ilhan Omar, a Somali immigrant from Minnesota, was resplendent in her white and gold hijab. Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, chose a copy of the Qu’ran to swear herself in as the first Palestinian American woman to serve in Congress. (The Qu’ran once belonged to Thomas Jefferson).

> When Pelosi joined the House in 1987, there were only 23 female members. As of Thursday, there are 102, nearly 90% of whom are Democrats. It was striking when Pelosi passed a row that included Democratic representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Barbara Lee, Jahana Hayes, Lauren Underwood and Sheila Jackson Lee, all women of color.
That rainbow was only visible on the left side of the dias – the Democratic side. On the right, where the Republicans sat, there was still the usual sea of suits worn by mainly older white men.

...Thursday felt like the start of something truly new and important. It was clear that it rattled the president, as he ranted about calling a national emergency to get his wall built and said he was willing to let the government showdown go on forever.
Pelosi is a great strategist and she’s already outmaneuvered the president on the wall. She has talked of working with rational Republicans and extending a hand of friendship. She knows exactly what she needs to put together a winning vote. It will be scintillating to watch her moves and how the White House reacts.

It’s a new day and it’s not Trump’s Washington any more.

MORE, https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/jan/05/women-in-congress-new-era-not-trump-washington