One Small Step for Humankind

I've been a little behind on news-watching lately, but I couldn't let the recent historical Congressional event pass without comment. In some ways it seems odd that the first female Speaker of the House was elected in 2007, which is 230 years after the founding of our "free" nation and 90 years after women first began serving in Congress. For a country that has gained global dominance over the last century, we certainly are behind the times in many ways. According to About.com, there have been 49 female presidents or prime ministers in the world since 1960, many in countries that we consider inferior to the U.S. economically and culturally.

In some ways Pelosi's moment is probably greater than that of Clinton's potential run for president. First of all, Pelosi is generally a less controversial figure than Clinton. Secondly, this moment in history will soon be overshadowed by Congressional politics, so that Pelosi has a real opportunity to be an effective leader, as opposed to a poster girl for women's rights. If Clinton were to win the presidency, I don't think she would have the same fortune. Nonetheless, at least the topic is on the table and people are talking about it. This is bound to be an interesting year for politics.