--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We're half the people; we should be half…" description: "\"We're half the people; we should be half the Congress.\" — Jeannette Rankin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/057/jeannette-rankin-18701_congress_we-re-half-the-people-we-should-be-half_1315193.png" --- # We're half the people; we should be half the Congress. ![“We're half the people; we should be half the Congress.” quote by Jeannette Rankin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/057/jeannette-rankin-18701_congress_we-re-half-the-people-we-should-be-half_1315193.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/057/jeannette-rankin-18701_congress_we-re-half-the-people-we-should-be-half_1315193.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/057/jeannette-rankin-18701_congress_we-re-half-the-people-we-should-be-half_1315193.png) > “We're half the people; we should be half the Congress.” [Jeannette Rankin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-rankin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Political representation should reflect the population’s gender balance, advocating for equal congressional seats. **In simple terms:** Congress should be gender‑balanced. Key Takeaway Push for equal gender representation. Themes gender equality political representation fairness Mood determined hopeful Type activist motivational When to use this quote - elections - policy advocacy - legislative reform Key Concepts democratic theory social justice Questions to Reflect On - How can gender parity be legislated? - What obstacles hinder equal representation? A Different Perspective Achieving parity faces structural and cultural barriers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Congress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/congress/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [You can't snap your fingers, and suddenly half of Congress is women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geena-davis/you-can-t-snap-your-fingers-and-suddenly-half-of-congress-is-women/) [Geena Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geena-davis/) > [As I say, I can't wait until Congress - half of Congress can get pregnant so we can quit fighting about birth control and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecile-richards/as-i-say-i-can-t-wait-until-congress-half-of-congress-can-get/) [Cecile Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecile-richards/) > [If the Lord's people were only half as eager to be filled with the Spirit as they are to prove that they cannot be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/if-the-lord-s-people-were-only-half-as-eager-to-be-filled-with-the/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [No society can thrive when half its people are left behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/no-society-can-thrive-when-half-its-people-are-left-behind/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [Every time you blow the whistle, half the people are going to be mad at you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-cuccinelli/every-time-you-blow-the-whistle-half-the-people-are-going-to-be-mad/) [Ken Cuccinelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-cuccinelli/) > [I don't have a problem with black people - half my country is black people!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamedou-ould-slahi/i-don-t-have-a-problem-with-black-people-half-my-country-is-black/) [Mohamedou Ould Slahi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamedou-ould-slahi/) > [“The gross and net result of it is that people who spent most of their natural lives riding iron bicycles over the rocky roadsteads…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flann-o-brien/the-gross-and-net-result-of-it-is-that-people-who-spent-most-of-their/) [Flann O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flann-o-brien/) > [I wish people had half the honor of dragons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/i-wish-people-had-half-the-honor-of-dragons/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [We have three billion people, half the world's population today, living on less than two dollars a day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolfensohn/we-have-three-billion-people-half-the-world-s-population-today-living/) [James Wolfensohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolfensohn/) > [What kills me is when people only see the half of it but have the audacity to put in their whole opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-kills-me-is-when-people-only-see-the-half-of-it-but-have-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Most hard-boiled people are half-baked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilson-mizner/most-hard-boiled-people-are-half-baked/) [Wilson Mizner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilson-mizner/) > [It is not true that people are naturally equal for no two people can be together for even a half an hour without one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/it-is-not-true-that-people-are-naturally-equal-for-no-two-people-can/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [Some peiple see thr cup as half empty, some people see it as half full. I say either fill it up or dump it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jude-lee/some-peiple-see-thr-cup-as-half-empty-some-people-see-it-as-half-full/) Jude Lee > [When I get some time off, I don't even want to see people half the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curt-smith/when-i-get-some-time-off-i-don-t-even-want-to-see-people-half-the-time/) [Curt Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curt-smith/) > [The trouble with the publishing business is that too many people who have half a mind to write a book do so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-targ/the-trouble-with-the-publishing-business-is-that-too-many-people-who/) William Targ ## More by Jeannette Rankin > [Establish democracy at home, based on human rights as superior to property rights. . . .](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-rankin/establish-democracy-at-home-based-on-human-rights-as-superior-to/) [Jeannette Rankin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-rankin/) > [Might it not be that a great force that has always been thinking in terms of human needs, and that always will think in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-rankin/might-it-not-be-that-a-great-force-that-has-always-been-thinking-in/) [Jeannette Rankin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-rankin/) > [The individual woman is required . . . a thousand times a day to choose either to accept her appointed role and thereby rescue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-rankin/the-individual-woman-is-required-a-thousand-times-a-day-to-choose/) [Jeannette Rankin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-rankin/) > [You can no more win a war than you can win an earthquake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-rankin/you-can-no-more-win-a-war-than-you-can-win-an-earthquake/) [Jeannette Rankin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-rankin/) > [There can be no compromise with war; it cannot be reformed or controlled; cannot be disciplined into decency or codified into common sense; for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-rankin/there-can-be-no-compromise-with-war-it-cannot-be-reformed-or/) [Jeannette Rankin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-rankin/) > [I may be the first woman member of Congress, but I won’t be the last.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-rankin/i-may-be-the-first-woman-member-of-congress-but-i-won-t-be-the-last/) [Jeannette Rankin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-rankin/) > [Small use it will be to save democracy for the race if we cannot save the race for democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-rankin/small-use-it-will-be-to-save-democracy-for-the-race-if-we-cannot-save/) [Jeannette Rankin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-rankin/) > [There can be no compromise with war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-rankin/there-can-be-no-compromise-with-war/) [Jeannette Rankin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-rankin/) > [“We'd be the safest country in the world if the world knew we didn't have a gun. Men are not killed because they get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-rankin/we-d-be-the-safest-country-in-the-world-if-the-world-knew-we-didn-t/) [Jeannette Rankin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-rankin/) > [If you're against war, you're against war regardless of what happens. It's a wrong method of trying to settle a dispute.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-rankin/if-you-re-against-war-you-re-against-war-regardless-of-what-happens/) [Jeannette Rankin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-rankin/) > [It is important for people to be able to read all sides of every question; for a feeling of national unity does not come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-rankin/it-is-important-for-people-to-be-able-to-read-all-sides-of-every/) [Jeannette Rankin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-rankin/) > [I worked for suffrage for years, and got it. I've worked for peace for 55 years and haven't come close.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-rankin/i-worked-for-suffrage-for-years-and-got-it-i-ve-worked-for-peace-for/) [Jeannette Rankin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-rankin/) > [Men and women are like right and left hands: it doesn't make sense not to use both.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-rankin/men-and-women-are-like-right-and-left-hands-it-doesn-t-make-sense-not/) [Jeannette Rankin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-rankin/) > [You take people as far as they will go, not as far as you would like them to go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-rankin/you-take-people-as-far-as-they-will-go-not-as-far-as-you-would-like/) [Jeannette Rankin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-rankin/) > [I want to stand by my country, but I cannot vote for war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-rankin/i-want-to-stand-by-my-country-but-i-cannot-vote-for-war/) [Jeannette Rankin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-rankin/) [Explore all 34 Jeannette Rankin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-rankin/) ## More Congress quotes > [Well, my wife, Cathy Gillespie, worked for Joe Barton, who was running for Congress in 1984.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-gillespie/well-my-wife-cathy-gillespie-worked-for-joe-barton-who-was-running/) [Ed Gillespie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-gillespie/) > [We will make sure our troops have all that is necessary to complete their missions. That's why I went to the Congress last September…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/we-will-make-sure-our-troops-have-all-that-is-necessary-to-complete/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [ I can't imagine that I would be asked that by the president-elect \[Donald Trump\], or then-president \[Barack Obama\]. But it's - I'm very clear.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/i-can-t-imagine-that-i-would-be-asked-that-by-the-president-elect/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [So our focus has to be on the things that we can control, which is to take the necessary measures working with Congress to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-carney/so-our-focus-has-to-be-on-the-things-that-we-can-control-which-is-to/) [Jay Carney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-carney/) > [It's disgraceful that year after year, Congress has bowed to the tobacco lobby and refused to act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-kennedy/it-s-disgraceful-that-year-after-year-congress-has-bowed-to-the/) [Edward Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/) > [The Constitution is very clear on the - on the declaration of war or reacting to international crimes - crimes against nations. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-pitts/the-constitution-is-very-clear-on-the-on-the-declaration-of-war-or/) Joe Pitts > [Can you understand why the Congress, most states and most cities refuse to pass legislation requiring the registration and licensing of any and all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/can-you-understand-why-the-congress-most-states-and-most-cities/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [“ Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/united-states-congress/congress-shall-make-no-law-respecting-an-establishment-of-religion-or/) United States Congress > [As the longest serving Independent in the history of the United States Congress, as somebody who came into office by defeating an incumbent Democratic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/as-the-longest-serving-independent-in-the-history-of-the-united/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [As the first Member of Congress from western Washington to serve on the House Agriculture Committee in over 50 years, I am proud to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-larsen/as-the-first-member-of-congress-from-western-washington-to-serve-on/) [Rick Larsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-larsen/) > [About one-half of the members of Congress are seekers for office at the nomination of the President. Of the remainder, at least one-half have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/about-one-half-of-the-members-of-congress-are-seekers-for-office-at/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [My younger self could not imagine standing on the floor of Congress as a member of Congress voting on legislation that, if enacted, would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritchie-torres/my-younger-self-could-not-imagine-standing-on-the-floor-of-congress/) [Ritchie Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritchie-torres/) > [Rahul Gandhi cannot be a prime minister because he is a citizen of Britain, and his Indian citizenship will be cancelled; he won't even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subramanian-swamy/rahul-gandhi-cannot-be-a-prime-minister-because-he-is-a-citizen-of/) [Subramanian Swamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subramanian-swamy/) > [We need less travelling by jet plaes from congress to congress... but more kneeling and praying and pleading to God to have mercy on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martyn-lloyd-jones/we-need-less-travelling-by-jet-plaes-from-congress-to-congress-but/) [Martyn Lloyd-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martyn-lloyd-jones/) > [Well I think that what we're seeing now is that the people feel like they, the people in Congress don't have their consent to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-ingraham/well-i-think-that-what-we-re-seeing-now-is-that-the-people-feel-like/) [Laura Ingraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-ingraham/) [Browse all 3,400 Congress quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/congress/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We're half the people; we should be half the Congress.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jeannette Rankin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-rankin/we-re-half-the-people-we-should-be-half-the-congress/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Congress" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-rankin/we-re-half-the-people-we-should-be-half-the-congress/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/057/jeannette-rankin-18701_congress_we-re-half-the-people-we-should-be-half_1315193.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/057/jeannette-rankin-18701_congress_we-re-half-the-people-we-should-be-half_1315193.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/057/jeannette-rankin-18701_congress_we-re-half-the-people-we-should-be-half_1315193.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We're half the people; we should be half the Congress.” — Jeannette Rankin", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jeannette Rankin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-rankin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We're half the people; we should...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-rankin/we-re-half-the-people-we-should-be-half-the-congress/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-rankin/we-re-half-the-people-we-should-be-half-the-congress/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```