Hillary Clinton announces support for gay marriage

[Deleted]

How much do the state legislation mean until it becomes federal? e.g. If a same sex couple who are married in a state where it's legal, are their rights the same in the next state if it's not legal there? I am guessing too there is no way a same sex couple will be able to immigrate as a married couple until it becomes legal federally?

www.heraldsun.com.au/news/world/hillary-clinton-announces-support-for-gay-marriage/story-fnd134gw-1226600211263

FORMER US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has announced her support for gay marriage.

The announcement put her in line with other potential Democratic presidential candidates on a social issue that is rapidly gaining public approval.

Mrs Clinton made the announcement in an online video released Monday morning by the gay rights advocacy group Human Rights Campaign. She says in the six-minute video that gays and lesbians are "full and equal citizens and deserve the rights of citizenship."

"That includes marriage," she says, adding that she backs gay marriage both "personally and as a matter of policy and law."

Mrs Clinton's announcement is certain to further fuel the already rampant speculation that she is considering another run for president in 2016. Other possible Democratic contenders - including Vice President Joe Biden, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley - all back the right of same-sex couples to marry.

Polls show that public opinion on gay marriage has shifted perhaps more rapidly than on any other major issue in recent times. In Gallup polling last November, 53 percent of adult Americans said same-sex marriages should be granted the same status as traditional marriages, while 46 percent felt they should not be valid.

In 1996, when Gallup first asked about gay marriages, 27 per cent felt they should be valid.

The shift among the major political parties has been equally swift. During the 2008 presidential campaign, Mrs Clinton and rival Barack Obama both backed civil unions for gay couples, but not same-sex marriage. In the lead-up to the 2012 election, Mr Obama announced his support for gay marriage and Democrats backed the right of same-sex couples to wed in their party's official platform.

The Republican Party officially opposes gay marriage, though several high profile Republicans have publicly backed the right of same-sex couples to wed. On Friday, Ohio Senator Rob Portman became the first Republican senator to announce his support for gay marriage, saying he had a change of heart after learning that his son is gay.

More than 100 Republicans also submitted a "friend of the court" brief to the Supreme Court asking the justices to overturn California's ban on same-sex marriage. The court will hear oral arguments on California's Proposition 8 measure next week.

Justices will also hear arguments in a related case concerning the constitutionality of a provision in the Defence of Marriage Act, which defines marriage as between one man and one woman. President Bill Clinton signed the act into law in 1996, but said earlier this month that he now believes it is unconstitutional and should be overturned.

Despite holding back in supporting same-sex marriage, Hillary Clinton was a strong support of gay rights, both in the US and abroad, during her tenure at the State Department. Under her watch, the US government made it official policy to promote gay rights around the world.

[sushi]

Mar 18, 2013 20:13:56 GMT -5 @maggie78 said:

How much do the state legislation mean until it becomes federal? e.g. If a same sex couple who are married in a state where it's legal, are their rights the same in the next state if it's not legal there? I am guessing too there is no way a same sex couple will be able to immigrate as a married couple until it becomes legal federally?

It's really a complex issue. There are some states that will recognize a same sex marriage performed out of state, and others that will not. It depends, generally, on if a state is neutral toward same sex marriage (as in, doesn't allow, but doesn't ban) or if there's an actual constitutional prohibition.

Federally, of course, is another major issue. So, your state might recognize your legal marriage, but you'll still have to file federal taxes separately, for instance. It's just a huge clusterfuck. 

This actually gets pretty interesting (sad) when it comes to military couples. My marriage in a state was federally recognized, so I get an ID card and all sorts of military privileges, like access to base, housing, insurance. A recent change allowed legally married (in their state) same sex couples to get some limited privileges. I think, for now, it's limited to base access and commissary. They don't get dependent rate pay, insurance, and they aren't classified as a family when it comes to housing. Until DOMA is repealed there will be no recourse.

[SusanBAnthony]

I hope this is a sign that she is going to run.

[kmpls]

Mar 18, 2013 20:57:47 GMT -5 SusanBAnthony said:

I hope this is a sign that she is going to run.

Me too!

[jillboston]

This is a clear sign she is running. Yay!!!!

[Velar Fricative]

Mar 19, 2013 7:09:29 GMT -5 @barefootbarista said:

Clinton/Booker 2016.

Oh goodness. And if Christie is the GOP candidate, he would need to pick a running mate from NY and then the rest of the country outside of NY and NJ would explode. Or at least secede because most of the rest of the country won't want to be run by NY liberals (let's face it, NY/NJ Republicans are still pretty liberal compared to the Bible Belt).

[jillboston]

Mar 19, 2013 7:25:12 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

Mar 19, 2013 7:09:29 GMT -5 @barefootbarista said:

Clinton/Booker 2016.

Oh goodness. And if Christie is the GOP candidate, he would need to pick a running mate from NY and then the rest of the country outside of NY and NJ would explode. Or at least secede because most of the rest of the country won't want to be run by NY liberals (let's face it, NY/NJ Republicans are still pretty liberal compared to the Bible Belt).

Christie won't be able to get the nomination if the GOP base who turns out for primaries doesn't do a 180.

[SusanBAnthony]

Not to totally derail the thread, but actually can we? Who is this Booker character and why should I like him/her? And why doesn't the R base dislike Christie- other than his support of Obama handling Sandy. Is he not religious enough?

[teflep]

Mar 19, 2013 7:09:29 GMT -5 @barefootbarista said:

Clinton/Booker 2016.

I'd be really surprised by this (2 liberal New England candidates)?

[jillboston]

Susan B - Cory Booker is the young AA mayor of Newark NJ (Rhodes scholar, Yale law etc). He is a rising star in the Democratic party. He is very hands on in Newark, lived on equivalent of food stamp subsidy, very dynamic - is running for Senate in 2014.
Christie is suspect with the base because he is from the Northeast, was nice to Pres. Obama and snubbed Romney and loves Bruce Springsteen who is Obama's BFF. (I am sure I am missing alot in this summation)

[SusanBAnthony]

Good summary!

[soozy87]

Did we not already know this?

[stargirl]

DH told me this when I got home last night and my reply was "Don't even tell me she's not going to run". I think it's definitely something only a person considering running would do, or at the very least someone who is testing the waters/wants to keep the door open.

[twotrue]

Mar 18, 2013 20:13:56 GMT -5 @maggie78 said:

How much do the state legislation mean until it becomes federal? e.g. If a same sex couple who are married in a state where it's legal, are their rights the same in the next state if it's not legal there? I am guessing too there is no way a same sex couple will be able to immigrate as a married couple until it becomes legal federally?

To answer your question my marriage is legal here (NY) but as soon as I step into a state with a mini-DOMA on the books, I am not married in that state. When it was just DW and I, I had concern about what states we traveled to and knowing our rights prior to entering those states but I'm even more hyper aware since having DD.  Even though DW has adopted DD and that is recognized by the feds I don't really want to travel to any state that might take issue in recognizing that adoption (because if I was hurt or killed I want to know DW has our kids without any issue). And you're also correct about the immigration issue.  The only thing that will clear up all of the gray issues is if something happens on the federal level.