Where y’at Mr. President?
(had to throw a little yat into the title — for a translation it means “what’s up”)
Today, the White House announced that same sex partners of federal employees will become eligible for certain spousal benefits. There are a few problems with this: For one thing, the administration has yet to say whether or not benefits will be equally extended to same sex partners (as in the same benefits given in the same amounts and manner given to straight partners). Another problem is that in most states same sex partnerships are illegal. Because federal eligibility for benefits are based on a recognized marriage (which is regulated at the state level), it means that only those GLBT federal employees married in, residing in, and employed in NY, CA, IA, MA, NH, & ME who have locally recognized unions will be eligible. Basically, the President is attempting to satiate a core constituency with an olive branch that doesn’t actually have any olives on it.
