Okay, it's great and I'm thrilled. But let's not overplay it. They have not overturned DOMA, which can only be done by Congress or SCOTUS. it's still the law, and it's still enforced.
This is a chink in the wall, a welcome one, but there's a way to go.
As with all other roads, it leads straight to the incompetents and demagogues on Capitol Hill.
Whether he has actually been wrong is a different matter Agatha as to whether he could be with any pronouncement. This we all, including MP, realize could occur at any moment.
I think it is great news even though it is just one step along the road. What I like is that the President and his legal advisers have just decided to state the obvious and let the chips fall where they may. DOMA is indefensible on constitutional grounds.
Mostly irony, agatha. But I don't rule out the possibility that one day I will be wrong about something. However, whether I would admit my error is a different matter.
The thing is, Chelliah, we don't expect much so we are rarely disappointed. Americans, on the other hand, have this strange habit of believing what their politicians say and then end up all disappointed very quickly. In our eyes Obama is brilliant as he has done some of the things he promised to do, which is considerably better than most of our politicians ever achieve.
Speaking of the incompetents and demagogues on Capitol Hill, our former finance writer, Scott Burns, wrote a column Sunday that said Congress owes American taxpayers $2.6 trillion, the amount they stole from the Social Security trust fund over the past 27 years by not putting the money into the trust fund but using it to pay for other things so their phony budgets would look more balanced. The average taxpayer is owed $17,000. But of course the IOUs Congress put into the SS trust fund instead of the money are now due, and there's no money to pay them. So now they want to reduce our benefits after stealing our retirement in the first place.
I'm celebrating. I think that a lot of Americans subscribe to the magic wand theory of politics. If you are president, you must own a magic wand, right? Well, why haven't you waved that magic wand yet?
Change takes time and the right pushed back like many on the left naively did not anticipate. Little by little things will change. One day my partner and I will actually marry. Until then it is step by step.
Okay, it's great and I'm thrilled. But let's not overplay it. They have not overturned DOMA, which can only be done by Congress or SCOTUS. it's still the law, and it's still enforced.
But will they, really?
Now, I'm not going to tell you and BP what to do. But if you were to file "Married" on your 10-40 come 15 April, do you REALLY think the IRS is going to refuse it, knowing you could sue, and they'd have no defense in court?
[And if you and BP don't, I bet there are other "Gay Married Californians" (Massachusans, Iowans, New Hampshirites, Connecticutters, Vermonters---and very soon Marylanders! And maybe Rhode Islanders!) who'll try it! :-)]
Again, without meaning to piss in your Pepsi, what Obama deemed unconstitutional is only one of the eight parts of DOMA, and perhaps the least egregious part at that.
And Eric Holder deserves a BUTTLOAD of credit for this "revelation," not My President.
Here in Massachusetts we have a case pending before The Supremes which WE'RE GOING TO WIN, and THAT will sink the whole damned thing.
Raise a glass to this small victory, but keep your eyes on the real prize!
This was something important and yet didn't really do a whole lot. The President was able to boost his standing with gays and liberals while handing over a wonderful soundbite to the tea partisan fundies - and yet DOMA stays on the books. The only difference is that the Feds won't send in the lawyers to defend the consitutionality of the law when one section is being challenged. Doesn't mean that someone else can't send in lawyers to make the very same arguments.
Plus they tripped all overthemselves to underscore that this doesn't reflect his personal issues with gay marriage.
Where's my bailout check?
ReplyDeleteWhere's my single-payer health care?
ReplyDeleteSorry, but I still don't view Barack as God or some kind of savior of the American people. He's still too capitalist for my taste.
I did not vote for the guy, but I love this action! It is about freaking time!!!
ReplyDeleteFWIW
jimB
Okay, it's great and I'm thrilled. But let's not overplay it. They have not overturned DOMA, which can only be done by Congress or SCOTUS. it's still the law, and it's still enforced.
ReplyDeleteThis is a chink in the wall, a welcome one, but there's a way to go.
As with all other roads, it leads straight to the incompetents and demagogues on Capitol Hill.
Don't you go getting all American, IT. This is good news. Celebrate!
ReplyDeleteI don't know. If any of you lot won a million dollars the first thing you would do is start complaining about the tax you would have to pay on it.
Why do you call your blog "Of Course I could be wrong" then?
ReplyDeleteWhether he has actually been wrong is a different matter Agatha as to whether he could be with any pronouncement. This we all, including MP, realize could occur at any moment.
ReplyDeleteI thought being American was about being positive and go-getting. Aren't we British meant to be the pessimistic lot?
ReplyDeleteI think it is great news even though it is just one step along the road. What I like is that the President and his legal advisers have just decided to state the obvious and let the chips fall where they may. DOMA is indefensible on constitutional grounds.
ReplyDeleteThere was that time that he said David had a spotty bum.
ReplyDeleteMostly irony, agatha. But I don't rule out the possibility that one day I will be wrong about something. However, whether I would admit my error is a different matter.
ReplyDeleteThe thing is, Chelliah, we don't expect much so we are rarely disappointed. Americans, on the other hand, have this strange habit of believing what their politicians say and then end up all disappointed very quickly. In our eyes Obama is brilliant as he has done some of the things he promised to do, which is considerably better than most of our politicians ever achieve.
ReplyDeleteI've just remembered. I have been wrong about something.
ReplyDeleteMimi.
When I first made her acquaintance, all those years ago, I thought she was such a sweet, old lady.
KJ, that makes twice today that subject has come up.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of the incompetents and demagogues on Capitol Hill, our former finance writer, Scott Burns, wrote a column Sunday that said Congress owes American taxpayers $2.6 trillion, the amount they stole from the Social Security trust fund over the past 27 years by not putting the money into the trust fund but using it to pay for other things so their phony budgets would look more balanced. The average taxpayer is owed $17,000. But of course the IOUs Congress put into the SS trust fund instead of the money are now due, and there's no money to pay them. So now they want to reduce our benefits after stealing our retirement in the first place.
ReplyDeleteI'm celebrating. I think that a lot of Americans subscribe to the magic wand theory of politics. If you are president, you must own a magic wand, right? Well, why haven't you waved that magic wand yet?
ReplyDeleteChange takes time and the right pushed back like many on the left naively did not anticipate. Little by little things will change. One day my partner and I will actually marry. Until then it is step by step.
Okay, it's great and I'm thrilled. But let's not overplay it. They have not overturned DOMA, which can only be done by Congress or SCOTUS. it's still the law, and it's still enforced.
ReplyDeleteBut will they, really?
Now, I'm not going to tell you and BP what to do. But if you were to file "Married" on your 10-40 come 15 April, do you REALLY think the IRS is going to refuse it, knowing you could sue, and they'd have no defense in court?
[And if you and BP don't, I bet there are other "Gay Married Californians" (Massachusans, Iowans, New Hampshirites, Connecticutters, Vermonters---and very soon Marylanders! And maybe Rhode Islanders!) who'll try it! :-)]
Again, without meaning to piss in your Pepsi, what Obama deemed unconstitutional is only one of the eight parts of DOMA, and perhaps the least egregious part at that.
ReplyDeleteAnd Eric Holder deserves a BUTTLOAD of credit for this "revelation," not My President.
Here in Massachusetts we have a case pending before The Supremes which WE'RE GOING TO WIN, and THAT will sink the whole damned thing.
Raise a glass to this small victory, but keep your eyes on the real prize!
This was something important and yet didn't really do a whole lot. The President was able to boost his standing with gays and liberals while handing over a wonderful soundbite to the tea partisan fundies - and yet DOMA stays on the books. The only difference is that the Feds won't send in the lawyers to defend the consitutionality of the law when one section is being challenged. Doesn't mean that someone else can't send in lawyers to make the very same arguments.
ReplyDeletePlus they tripped all overthemselves to underscore that this doesn't reflect his personal issues with gay marriage.