The BRILLIANT legal argument made by DOMA supporters in the Supreme Court today...

[brooklynite]

Last edited Wed Mar 27, 2013, 03:00 PM - Edit history (1)

Mr. Clement said the federal government has a particularly acute interest in couples being treated equally across state lines. That wouldn’t happen if same-sex couples in states with gay marriage could receive federal benefits, while same-sex couples in other states could not. It was rational, he said, for Congress to treat all same-sex couples the same.

http://stream.wsj.com/story/gay-marriage-supreme-court-hearings/SS-2-193664/

In other words, discriminate against all of them...equally

[Mika]

1. Yep. As Scalia said, straight people can't be married in a same sex marriage either...

.. so that is equal protection.

[sinkingfeeling]

2. I've got a better idea. Why don't we drop all federal benefits for

married couples? Then same-sex or not, they'd all be treated the same! (If same-sex marriages don't qualify for benefits, than neither should different-sex marriages.)

[OutNow]

3. Drop all federal benefits? - Bad Idea

Many married couples, like my wife and I, have developed a financial plan for retirement. One of the most important aspects of the plan is the right of survivorship given to the remaining spouse when the first spouse dies. For example, if I die first my wife inherits the family home without any tax liability. Of if I die first, my wife continues to get an annuity from my defined benefit pension. Both of these marriage "rights" are defined by federal law.

Without the right of survivorship my wife might lose the family home because she's have to pay a lot of taxes on the value of the inheritance.

You can think of many more examples. I believe that same sex couples should be able to claim the same benefits.

[BeeBee]

4. Yeah, I wish my husband and I had those benefits. n/t

[sinkingfeeling]

5. Same benefits for all should apply.