In the past, politicians have fought desperately for elusive ideals, such as civil rights and suffrage. While these ideals are important, the pursuit of common ground and reasonable consensus is more effective in advancing society

While the pursuit of civil rights and suffrage has received its fair share of criticism in many regards, few would deny that the fight for these rights was integral to the passage of the 15th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The 15th Amendment, also known as the ‘suffrage amendment,’ guaranteed voting rights to all male U.S. citizens over 18. While the amendment represented a monumental advance in gender equality, it was not without its opponents. Opponents of the 15th Amendment argued that women should be granted the right to vote, but should not be allowed hold office. Some even went so far as to suggest that women only took up suffrage in order to gain the right to vote. This sentiment, however, is absurd in light of the women’s suffrage movement, which encompassed numerous groups, including female laborers, female business owners, and women activists, who all sought equal suffrage for themselves, and, subsequently, all across the country

The fight for suffrage was a long and arduous one. Not only did women’s groups need to petition Congress for the amendment to be passed, but, once passed, the amendment needed to be ratified by three-fourths of the states. The suffrage amendment, like all amendments, was subject to constitutional challenges. Some argued that the amendment violated the original intent of the Fourteenth Amendment, which guaranteed equal protection under the law. Others argued that since the amendment was aimed at granting voting rights to men, it violated Article V, which stated that all amendments to the Constitution had to be approved by Congress before they could be ratified by the states. Despite these challenges, the suffrage amendment was eventually ratified in 1920. It represented a monumental milestone for women, who, up until this point, had been denied the right to vote. The amendment was passed despite opposition from the Ku Klux Klan, which attempted to incite violence against African American women, and the Women’s Christian Temperance Union, the so-called ‘mothers’ organization’ of the prohibition movement. While the suffrage movement accomplished much, however, it ultimately failed in its ultimate goal, which was to gain women the right to vote and hold office. The movement was so successful that, in 1920, only 19 states still denied women the right to vote. The struggle for women’s suffrage was thus an early example of seeking common ground and reasonable consensus in order to effect social change. The suffrage movement, however, did not end here. The 19th Amendment, which guaranteed women the right to vote, was finally ratified in 1919, and, in 1920, women were allowed to vote

The suffrage movement was not the only example of seeking common ground and reasonable consensus to effect social change. In 1957, the Civil Rights Act was passed, which outlawed discrimination against African Americans and other racial minorities. The Civil Rights Act was passed by large bipartisan majorities in both houses of Congress and by an overwhelming majority of states. The Civil Rights Act was not, however, without controversy. Some opposed the bill because it permitted the federal government to intervene in states that did not have their own antidiscrimination statutes, while others opposed the bill because it allowed for the federal government to regulate private businesses. While opponents of the bill were able to stall the bill for years, the Civil Rights Act passed, and, as a result, millions of blacks and minorities were able to legally participate in society

The pursuit of common ground and reasonable consensus has also been important in enacting other federal laws, such as the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Each of these laws was passed by Congress after prolonged debate, with opponents arguing that they were too costly, too intrusive, or too restrictive of business interests. However, opponents could not sway public opinion against these landmark laws, which eventually passed. The Clean Air Act, for example, was the most comprehensive piece of environmental legislation ever passed by Congress. The Clean Water Act, however, was specifically designed to prevent the pollution of rivers and lakes. For instance, the law mandated that dangerous chemicals be kept out of sewers and that dangerous waste be disposed of properly. The Endangered Species Act was designed to protect threatened and endangered animals. The act, however, does not restrict the activities of humans, so certain industries and businesses have been exempt from the law. For example, the logging industry has been allowed to remove a certain number of trees per year in order to prevent the extinction of species. Despite these exemptions, however, these landmark laws have benefited the environment, and they have made progress in reducing pollution and preserving animal species

The pursuit of common ground and reasonable consensus has played a role in advancing the rights of women and minorities, but, despite the many benefits of pursuing this goal, the pursuit of a lofty ideal has often been more beneficial. For instance, the civil rights and suffrage movements were highly successful in advancing the rights of women and minorities, but they did not succeed in achieving their ultimate goal, which was for women to be granted equal political rights. Likewise, the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Endangered Species Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act were all passed despite opposition from special interests, but they have all had a lasting impact on the American way of life. On the other hand, the Patriot Act, which granted extensive powers to the federal government, was passed after heated political battles. The Patriot Act was, however,