Same-sex partners to get fed benefits

[Beanstalk]

President Barack Obama</SPAN>, under growing criticism for not seeking to end the ban on openly gay men and women in the military, is extending benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees. Obama plans to announce his decision on Wednesday in the Oval Office, a White House official said Tuesday. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because the president hadn't yet signed the presidential memorandum.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090617/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_obama_gay_benefits_8

 

[Winnie]

Instead, Obama will use his signature instead of legislation to achieve the benefits parity sought by same-sex couples.

I wonder what will constitute a "same-sex couple?" Will they be required to have legal documents or the same physical address or just sign up? Isn't it biased against unmarried "opposite-sex couples" unless the same benefits are offered to them?

For petes sake, they should just make some type of same-sex union legal in all of the United States and be done with it. It's too complicated otherwise.

 

[Lynnie]

This is minor, but it should be 'Same Gender.' Not everyone enjoys the same sex.......

 

[jensieblue]

Prejudices against same sex partners and gay in general is a relic from our prejudiced past. Everyone assumed if your not like me, you are evil, bad, wrong...fill in the blank. Culture has historically excpressed this egocentric view of the world in many ways,,,It is wrong. Just becasue you can't understand does not make differences bad. Our American culture is a tapestry woven of many colors and it sure looks good to me.

 

[Miss Critter]

For petes sake, they should just make some type of same-sex union legal in all of the United States and be done with it. It's too complicated otherwise.

Yes, they should.

 

[hnooe]

I wonder what will constitute a "same-sex couple?" Will they be required to have legal documents or the same physical address or just sign up? Isn't it biased against unmarried "opposite-sex couples" unless the same benefits are offered to them?

For petes sake, they should just make some type of same-sex union legal in all of the United States and be done with it. It's too complicated otherwise.

Go Winnie, you tell 'em!! Yea!!

 

[Blair]

 

[poppy]

I wonder what will constitute a "same-sex couple?" Will they be required to have legal documents or the same physical address or just sign up? Isn't it biased against unmarried "opposite-sex couples" unless the same benefits are offered to them?

For petes sake, they should just make some type of same-sex union legal in all of the United States and be done with it. It's too complicated otherwise.

I wouldn't think so because opposite sex couples are allowed to marry unlike same sex couples.One day soon I hope we can stop discriminating against people based simply on the way they have sex with willing adult partners.

 

[Blair]

I wouldn't think so because opposite sex couples are allowed to marry unlike same sex couples.One day soon I hope we can stop discriminating against people based simply on the way they have sex with willing adult partners.

Or beating up on people who think it shouldn't be allowed.....:boxing:

 

[beachmouse]

Kind of an interesting political ju-jitsu move- you have a federal policy/executive order covering federal government and domestic partners that will be applied in states where there is no official recognition of domestic partnership, and where state law may specifically exclude state/local government employers from offering benefits to domestic partners.

From a future policy standpoint, it could be a beachhead move toward other things.