John Oliver devoted a large chunk of his show last night to urging one more state ("not Florida!") to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment.
He talked about why we need the ERA as much now as ever.
“It’s because laws can be rolled back by a simple act of Congress, and policy guidelines can go away based on who’s in charge — that is happening right now,” said Oliver. “Congress recently let the Violence Against Women Act expire, and the Trump administration has rescinded more than 20 policy guidelines on Title IX anti-discrimination laws. A constitutional amendment like the ERA is more stable because constitutional amendments are safe from Donald Trump.”
Oliver said a lot of people assumed it's already been passed. He compared equal rights for women to baking soda -- something you assume you already have in the cupboard, but get upset when you need it and you don't have it.
“Equality for women should be a basic principle of our society — and if you think that it is already is, great, all the more reason to write it down. And if you think it isn’t, then we badly need the ERA.”
He challenged one of the remaining states to change the way history views their states.
"Any one of these thirteen states has a huge opportunity that's taking this country almost a hundred years to make. It's not every time you get a chance like this and all I can say is, somebody please do it before Florida-- because I do not want to give them credit for this."
