True, but even if repealed DOMA doesn't have any effect on whether a state can ban gay marriage or not, all DOMA does is prevent federal recogniton (and benefits) to gay couples in the states that do recognize it.
True..it will be up to the states completely and I don’t see most changing their stances anytime soon.
President Obama signed a memorandum today extending some federal benefits to same-sex partners of federal workers. The measure does not cover health care and retirement benefits.
“Many of our government’s hard-working and dedicated, patriotic public servants have long been denied basic rights that their colleagues enjoy, for one simple reason: The people they love are of the same sex,” Obama said at an Oval Office signing ceremony.
After what he described as a “long, thorough review,” Obama signed the measure that, among other things, grants employees’ same-sex partners access to a government insurance program that pays for long-term conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease. They also would be allowed to take sick leave to care for a sick partner or non-biological child.
“Extending equal benefits to the same-sex partners of Federal employees is the right thing to do, he said, noting that several top employers already offer benefits to same-sex partners.
“Those companies recognize that offering partner benefits helps them compete for and retain the brightest and most talented employees. The federal government is at a disadvantage on that score right now, and change is long overdue,” he said.
Still, Obama noted that by law, the government cannot grant gay couples the same range of benefits afforded to heterosexual couples. He said he supports the Domestic Partners Benefits and Obligations Act, which would further extend benefits to gay couples.
He also reiterated his opposition to the Defense of Marriage Act: “It’s discriminatory, it interferes with States’ rights, and it’s time we overturned it,” he said.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/federal-eye/2009/06/eye_opener_same-sex_partners_g.html
There are federal payments involved for SS survivor benefits. Federal pensions, federal health care for spouses. There are tax breaks for married couples.
If the Federal government wasn’t involved in cradle to grave oversight and involvement in our lives and pocketbooks, I would agree with you that the Federal government has no say in the matter.
If you got the Federal government out of all of these areas and make people buy/fund their own pensions and health care and get marriage out of the tax laws with the FairTax, we could tell them that it is none of their business.
Once the government starts shoving our own tax dollars and borrowed money to socially engineer America, they do call the tune.
The solution is to dismantle our over reaching government.