Same Sex Couples & Social Security Benefits
With all its anti gay marriage rhetoric, it's difficult to imagine the Bush administration doing anything pro same sex couples, but lo and behold it has.
Under DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act), social security benefits are denied to same sex couples so the question arose:
Can benefits be denied to the children?
According to the Washington Post, "The two women in the case, identified in the OLC (Justice Department Office of Legal Counsel) opinion only as Monique and Karen, entered into a civil union in Vermont in 2002, and Monique gave birth to a son, Elijah, in 2003. Because of the civil union, Karen was identified on the birth certificate as "second parent." When Karen became eligible for disability benefits in 2005, she asked that Elijah receive "child's insurance benefits" under Social Security to supplement their lost income. The Social Security Administration asked the OLC for guidance on whether the Defense of Marriage Act prohibited such benefits."
After making a reasonable non political examination of the case, Bush's Justice Department determined that Elijah was indeed eligible to receive benefits under the law.
I think a pig just flew out of an orifice and is headed to hell to build a snowman couple donning Fire Island or bust buttons.
What's next?
Ellen and Portia at a State dinner?
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