After the final debate last week, Gina writes of the 1049 Rights afforded to straight married couples that are denied to Gay and lesbian couples who would seek to marry, if only it were “allowed”.

http://scribbling.net/1049-federal-rights-depend-on-marital-status

She mentions the Government Accounting Office Jan 1997 Letter from Henry Hyde listing the specific rights that marriage brings. http://www.gao.gov/archive/1997/og97016.pdf

Her story is so close to home! Emma and I moved in together over the Thanksgiving weekend, 8 years ago. We bought a home together August 1, 2000. We would share insurance, car registrations and all the rest, if it wasn’t denied to us. We have gotten our wills done, had all kinds of external legal documents done, just in case one of us has an accident or dies. Yet we still won’t be able to share social security benefits and many of the other “priviledges” granted to couples that are “approved by the state”.