If equal protection under the law means anything, then anyone can enter into a relationship with another person (or multiple people), call it a "marriage," and then tell the IRS to go "F#%& off!" when it comes time to pay an estate tax.
Mark my words on this, folks -- the legal and accounting professions are going to do wonders for their clients under this Supreme Court ruling.
I think you make very good points...but I also think you divert somewhat in the “estate” portion of your argument.
I do not know what the limitations are for estate taxes, I think they may be at $2 million. But they do not affect the overwhelming majority. The fact is that via powers of attorney, all those estate transfers that are eligible to escape estate taxation could be made very easily and economically.
The real demon in this, is that marriage is NOW officially complete as a 3-way deal between two who claim to love each other and wish to weld their lives together, before whatever deity they choose or lack thereof; and government. It is effectively a repudiation of religion and a ratification of the substitution of government into whatever place religion once might have occupied. As such...it’s in perfect alignment with all the other directives and energies of this junta.