Gay Marriage/Civil Unions in 10 years

[Marokai Backbeat]

All I can say to that is:

Post of the year.

[Lunar]

Obama defended DOMA today, said it was constitutional and marriage is not a fundemantal right. And banning same-sex marriage benefits the federal goverment.

source, plz

http://www.americablog.com/2009/06/obama-justice-department-defends-doma.html


wow

[Associate Justice PiT]

All I can say to that is:

Post of the year.

[Marokai Backbeat]

Obama defended DOMA today, said it was constitutional and marriage is not a fundemantal right. And banning same-sex marriage benefits the federal goverment.

source, plz

http://www.americablog.com/2009/06/obama-justice-department-defends-doma.html


wow

Well, now I officially regret my vote.

[Holmes]

It's a good thing we're doing a march in in DC in October when there are 3 other huge events planned by other causes in the same weekend and Congress is in recess so no one will be there to see it.

[Nutmeg]

That is surprising.

So what hand does Obama have in this?

[Brittain33]

Obama couldn't give two craps about fighting for gays, fighting for whether or not they have rights, or whether or not they can enjoy the simple right to marry someone they love.

I agree... up to a point. Obama's lack of concern for gay rights was clear during the primaries, and it's one reason I voted for Hillary. I knew she'd throw us overboard, too, but at least she'd do it with grace and I trusted her to be more effective as President. (I was probably wrong, but that's a good thing, anyway; I've been pleased with Obama as President.)

Obama isn't going to overturn DOMA. Even if he wanted to, Congress won't do it. They are never out front on any contentious issue, so why this one? Anyone who thought Obama was going to fight against DOMA in this term was guilty of wishful thinking. He's choosing his battles and we're not in the top five. He didn't go into public office to serve gay rights and many, many people were quick to project their own priorities onto his agenda.

That said, I think people go too far in reading too much into this defense, or in assuming Obama will do NOTHING for gays. On the first count, as long as the government is defending DOMA, it's going to make the strongest arguments it can; that's professionalism and the role of the administration's lawyers. Does anyone think Obama drafted this brief himself or directed people to? On the second count, there are a million things Obama and his appointees can and will do below the radar that will make our lives easier. Issues involving immigration rights, benefits, treatment of federal employees, directing enforcement of rules with discretion, and the old stand-by, appointing judges like Sotomayor instead of those like Priscilla Owen and Antonin Scalia who see us as enemies in the culture war and non-persons.

The federal government will be behind the liberal states in making changes, and also behind the courts. But is there a big difference between a Republican and a Democratic administration? On balance, yes.

[Holmes]

White House reply.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Congress will never repeal DOMA. And Obama knows it.

[Verily]

Obama defended DOMA today, said it was constitutional and marriage is not a fundemantal right. And banning same-sex marriage benefits the federal goverment.

source, plz

Their defense to Politico was that it is government policy to defend its laws in court, and to repeal laws they oppose through legislation.

I disagree that Congress will never repeal DOMA, but it certainly won't happen soon.

[Lunar]

justice departments don't have to do that


obamafail

[Lunar]

"Where do you stand? Honoring love as precious and true wherever you find it, or with those who would demean or deny it? I urge you: Stand where you can be proud. Stand with service and truth. Stand with love. Stand for liberty and justice for all," - John Berry, Obama's head of the Office of Personnel Management, last Wednesday.

"DOMA does not discriminate against homosexuals in the provision of federal benefits .... Section 3 of DOMA does not distinguish among persons of different sexual orientations, but rather it limits federal benefits to those who have entered into the traditional form of marriage," - the Obama administration's brief, urging gay people to marry someone of the opposite sex if they want to exercize their civil rights.


http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2009/06/quote-for-the-day-iii-2.html


(asshole)

[Lunar]

http://lawdork.wordpress.com/2009/06/12/obamas-doj-did-not-have-to-go-this-far/

Someone political made this decision, they REALLY don't want DOMA to be declared Unconstitutional during this administration.

[Holmes]

Perhaps they're also afraid of the upcoming Prop 8 case. Might as well go all out now in preparation for it.

Mmm, I guess it's gonna that much more difficult to trust a federal presidential candidate who says they'll be an ally now. Sucks for the ones who probably would be.

[Lunar]

I still expect DADT to be repealed before Obama's term is up, but that's all the progress I really expect to see in the next eight years coming out of this administration.  Hell, a decent Republican might to more -- just like Nixon could go to China without being called a communist sympathizer.


If he doesn't bother to repeal DADT, despite his constant handwritten promises and the repeal's 70% approval rate [and majority approval across every demographic and regional group], I doubt he could earn my vote a second time around.  When national security and individual rights go hand in hand it's just...

[True Federalist (진정한 연방 주의자)]

Whether one agrees or disagrees with the desirability of DOMA has not one whit to do with the constitutionality of DOMA.  Federal benefits are not civil rights.  And if they were, why should single people be discriminated against?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Note this: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=221&topic_id=137808&mesg_id=137808

[Holmes]

Well, anyway. Aside from that fiasco, I'd like to share a report that Columbia University did on public opinion.


http://www.columbia.edu/~jrl2124/Lax_Phillips_Gay_Policy_Responsiveness_2009.pdf

There's a bigger version of the graph on the last page. And Utah is a mistake, should be at 25%.

Missouri really acts like a southern state on this issue. And it's neat to see how Oregon was pretty conservative on this, and now it wouldn't be a big deal to see them vote to overturn their amendment on it. And West Virginia moved a lot too, although support is still low. Oh, and support in Pennsylvania is higher than I expected. Outlier?

And support in Colorado is good, I heard they're gonna try put it on the ballot every election until they get it. Hur.

[Associate Justice PiT]

     Missouri is odd because of the lack of progress it has made in the last 10 years compared to other states. It went from having the same amount of support as in Oregon to the same amount of support as in Georgia.

[Holmes]

I guess being around Kansas, Kentucky and Arkansas wasn't good for Missouri, compared to being around California and Washington was good for Oregon.

[bgwah]

Hasn't Obama "opposed" gay marriage for years now?

[Brittain33]

Note this: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=221&topic_id=137808&mesg_id=137808

(Conservative Bush administration holdover is behind this.)

As I expected. I trust Obama's administration to defend DOMA, but I would not expect them to do it this way.

[Landslide Lyndon]

Note this: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=221&topic_id=137808&mesg_id=137808

(Conservative Bush administration holdover is behind this.)

As I expected. I trust Obama's administration to defend DOMA, but I would not expect them to do it this way.

I think Kos mentioned that the conservatives were equally furious with the Bush administration when some years ago they defended vigorously at federal court some affirmative action federal programs.

[Smash255]

I also made its own thread for this because of the rumors that Nassau County Exec might make another run for Gov next year, but Tom Suozzi who faced Spitzer in a Dem Primary for Gov of NY in 2006, has now come out in support of Gay Marriage

You must be logged in to read this quote.

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/nassau/ny-lisuoz1512879391jun14,0,4588771.story

[Smash255]

The op-ed piece in the NY Times

You must be logged in to read this quote.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/13/opinion/13suozzi.html?_r=1&scp=7&sq=tom%20suozzi&st=cse

[Holmes]

Apparently Monserrate has stayed with the coalition. Gay marriage bill to possibly appear on the floor today maybe?

So many things happening today. Iran, physics exam, and this. Ooh.