BOSTON -- A U.S. judge ruled Thursday that a federal ban on same-sex marriages is unconstitutional because it interferes with a state's right to define marriage.
U.S. District Judge Joseph Tauro's ruling came in two challenges to the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, known as DOMA.
Massachusetts said the law denied benefits such as Medicaid to gay married couples in the state, where same-sex unions have been legal since 2004.
Tauro agreed, saying the act forces Massachusetts to discriminate against its citizens. The act "plainly encroaches" upon the right of the state to determine marriage, the judge said.
In a separate case, Tauro ruled that the act violates the equal protection clause of the U.S. Constitution.
It's nice to see a federal judge reinforce states' rights. Now could he also look at the national healthcare debacle, TARP, government spending and some other problems this administration is foisting upon us?
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It's nice to see a federal judge reinforce states' rights. Now could he also look at the national healthcare debacle, TARP, government spending and some other problems this administration is foisting upon us?
seems like the massachussetts skunks want states' rights only when their purposes are met...otherwise let the feds dictate. I wonder how many challenges to that ruling there will be....this will go to the supreme court, i'm sure of it. In every case I can remember, referendum votes for same-sex marriages deny same-sex marriage. And in every case I can remember, where there IS a same-sex marriage allowance, it was 'granted' by elected libs voting...there has yet to be a positive public referendum on the matter.
This is a quicksand issue... Theres far more important fish to fry. The politicians like to use meaningless issues like this as a smokescreen for the issues that really matter...
In every case I can remember, referendum votes for same-sex marriages deny same-sex marriage. And in every case I can remember, where there IS a same-sex marriage allowance, it was 'granted' by elected libs voting...there has yet to be a positive public referendum on the matter.
Like interracial marriage, huh? That's why we have a Supreme Court.
Government has no business what so ever regulating marriage in the first place. Who decides to get married to who should be decided by their churches.
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US Judge Tosses Federal Marriage Act
