Gay congressman’s spouse denied benefits (1 Viewer)

[FallingPianos]

Gay congressman’s spouse denied benefits
After Studds died, Defense of Marriage Act blocked spouse from pension
Updated: 6:06 a.m. MT Oct 18, 2006

BOSTON - When same-sex marriage became legal in Massachusetts, among those who tied the knot were former Rep. Gerry Studds and Dean Hara.

But getting married didn’t protect them under federal law: Hara has learned he is not eligible for any portion of Studds’ estimated annual $114,337 pension following his partner’s death last week.

The 1996 federal Defense of Marriage Act blocks the federal government from recognizing the 2004 marriage between Studds and Hara or other same-sex couples.

Link to Article

The DoM needs to be repealed. Ideally, the government should get out of marriage entirely.

 

[Navy Pride]

In the eyes of the Federal Government thry were not married.Maybe he can get a pension from Mass.........That is the state that married them....

 

[Deegan]

Well that's a shame, was there no way to legally prepare for that?

 

[Navy Pride]

Well that's a shame, was there no way to legally prepare for that?

Nope not for a federal pension..........The Defense of Marraige Act which was almost unanimously approved by the Senate and the house and Signed by Clinton took care of that.......

 

[Befuddled_Stoner]

Bah, if I was gay and wanted my monogamous lover to get spousal benefits, I'd go looking on the black market for a fake certificate that says he got a sex change. Easy loophole around those stupid "marriage is only between a man and a woman" DoM acts.

How many people do you think would ask you to prove it? It'd make for some interesting conversations too.

 

[aps]

What's disappointing is that the spouse cannot get pension benefits, but Duke Cunningham and Robert Ney will be able to get their pension benefits. Lovely. Not only was I assisting in paying their salary as they accepted bribes, I get to help pay their pension.

 

[Navy Pride]

What's disappointing is that the spouse cannot get pension benefits, but Duke Cunningham and Robert Ney will be able to get their pension benefits. Lovely. Not only was I assisting in paying their salary as they accepted bribes, I get to help pay their pension.

Yeah and Bill Clinton, Cynthia McKinney and Jefferson..........To bad there is not some way to take all their pensions.....

 

[shuamort]

Bah, if I was gay and wanted my monogamous lover to get spousal benefits, I'd go looking on the black market for a fake certificate that says he got a sex change. Easy loophole around those stupid "marriage is only between a man and a woman" DoM acts.

How many people do you think would ask you to prove it? It'd make for some interesting conversations too.

Oddly enough, some states, like Kansas, do not recognize sex changes. So if there were a guy and a gal and one of them had a sex change so they're the same sex, they could still get married under Kansas law. (In re Estate of Gardiner, touches on this).

 

[aps]

Yeah and Bill Clinton, Cynthia McKinney and Jefferson..........To bad there is not some way to take all their pensions.....

I agree with Jefferson. Accepting MULTIPLE bribes is not equivalent to cheating on one's spouse and lying under oath one time or hitting a police officer.

 

[Deegan]

This is sad, and this is why I want recognition for these folks, but not by including them in the definition of marriage. Let's call it a same sex union, and make laws that will allow them these privileges.

 

[ProudAmerican]

What's disappointing is that the spouse cannot get pension benefits, but Duke Cunningham and Robert Ney will be able to get their pension benefits. Lovely. Not only was I assisting in paying their salary as they accepted bribes, I get to help pay their pension.

I agree. NONE OF THEM should get a dime.

including the person this thread is about.

 

[ProudAmerican]

I agree with Jefferson. Accepting MULTIPLE bribes is not equivalent to cheating on one's spouse and lying under oath one time or hitting a police officer.

though IMPEACHMENT should maybe keep someone from getting a pension.

 

[aps]

though IMPEACHMENT should maybe keep someone from getting a pension.

LOL! You have a point. :shock:

 

[talloulou]

I guess that's one of the problems that crops up when certain states allow same sex marriage and one of the reasons that the issue must be combated on a federal level so people are protected across the board.

 

[Jerry]

Link to Article

The DoM needs to be repealed. Ideally, the government should get out of marriage entirely.

Those who do not comply with the norms of marriage are not entitled to it's benefits.

Perhaps you could sway me with a heart felt story of a man being denied visitation to a significant other while dying, but you will find no sympathy from me using a story of :violin how some poor guy doesn't get hundreds of thousands of tax dollars for nothing :violin Cry me a river.

 

[Navy Pride]

I guess that's one of the problems that crops up when certain states allow same sex marriage and one of the reasons that the issue must be combated on a federal level so people are protected across the board.

Agreed and that can be accomplished by Civil Unions......

 

[Jerry]

I guess that's one of the problems that crops up when certain states allow same sex marriage and one of the reasons that the issue must be combated on a federal level so people are protected across the board.

Agreed and that can be accomplished by Civil Unions......

The Gay-"community" will never stand for 'second class status'. In their eyes "equal" means that even the name will be the same. Gay ‘marriage will not be called “civil union“. Gay ‘marriage will be called “marriage”.

Was interracial marriage ever called "civil union"? Not that I've ever heard.

By giving in to civil unions you give them enough legal wiggle room to get more then what you proffer.

It’s an all or nothing deal and you have given in to the ‘all‘.

 

[ALiberalModerate]

Agreed and that can be accomplished by Civil Unions......

The Amendments proposed that Ban Same Sex Marriage also ban Civil Unions.

 

[Binary_Digit]

Those who do not comply with the norms of marriage are not entitled to it's benefits.

So people who have an affair should also be denied their marriage benefits? What do you mean by "norms of marriage" anyway? Nevermind, I think I already know. The norms of marriage have nothing to do with love and companionship between two people, the only thing that matters is that they're of the opposite sex, right?

Perhaps you could sway me with a heart felt story of a man being denied visitation to a significant other while dying, but you will find no sympathy from me using a story of :violin how some poor guy doesn't get hundreds of thousands of tax dollars for nothing :violin Cry me a river.

The current law says he's not eligible, so that's what should happen IMO. Even though I think the law is wrong.

The Gay-"community" will never stand for 'second class status'. In their eyes "equal" means that even the name will be the same. Gay ‘marriage will not be called “civil union“. Gay ‘marriage will be called “marriage”.

I think most people in the "gay community" are reasonable, and they don't care what it's called as long as they have the same legal rights as everyone else. As far as federal law is concerned, I think every mention of the word "marriage" should be replaced with "civil union" and it should not distinguish between homo and hetero in any way. Let the churches argue over what the word "marriage" means, since they're the ones staking a claim on it.

 

[26 X World Champs]

In the eyes of the Federal Government thry were not married.Maybe he can get a pension from Mass.........That is the state that married them....

The real shame is that Congressmen Bob Ney & Duke Cunningham are going to jail but will still collect their full pensions! How fuc ked up is that?

It is an outrage and an insult to every tax paying American!

 

[26 X World Champs]

Yeah and Bill Clinton, Cynthia McKinney and Jefferson..........To bad there is not some way to take all their pensions.....

Do you ever not write a partisan post? Ever? None of the three people you attacked are convicted and going to jail, now are they...Oh, I forgot "innocent until proven guilty" only applies to Republicans in your world...

 

[26 X World Champs]

though IMPEACHMENT should maybe keep someone from getting a pension.

Again, in the partisan world of ProudAmerican's Republicans being acquitted in a trial doesn't count...it's the indictment that matters...in this incident according to ProudAmerican it's "Guilty When Proven Innocent".

 

[26 X World Champs]

Was interracial marriage ever called "civil union"? Not that I've ever heard.

Huh? What does this mean? How is it at all relevant? Are you saying that interracial marriages are not the same as "white" marriages? That's how it reads! :shock:

 

[Rosalie]

Bah, if I was gay and wanted my monogamous lover to get spousal benefits, I'd go looking on the black market for a fake certificate that says he got a sex change. Easy loophole around those stupid "marriage is only between a man and a woman" DoM acts.

How many people do you think would ask you to prove it? It'd make for some interesting conversations too.

That's really out of the frying pan....

If same sex marriages aren't recognised, what makes you think transsexuals would be? As far as I know, a transsexuals' true gender isn't recognised in any states in the US. A Stark contrast to the UK where Sexual Reassignment Surgery is covered by health insurance.

Another person mislead by that atrocious episode of South Park that people defend because "It's FUnneh!"?

 

[26 X World Champs]

Another person mislead by that atrocious episode of South Park that people defend because "It's FUnneh!"?

What do you mean? Mrs. Garrison is one of my favorite characters (I like Butters the best).