bityme
Jul 8, 2012, 6:17 PM
CAN TWO MEN CHANGE THE COURSE OF HISTORY?
Congressman Barney Frank (Mass) and Jim Ready (a Maine resident) finally tied the knot in Boston on July 7th. It will be interesting to see what the fallout is.
Under the Defense of Marriage Act, neither Maine, nor the District of Columbia, nor the federal government have to recognize the marriage. With Ready being 30 years younger than Frank, it will provide an interesting test case. Can they file a joint return with the IRS? Will Ready get dependent health care from the Congressional plan? How about when Frank passes on? Any survivorship benefits for Ready on the Congressional pension Frank will get when his current term is up? (over 30 years in Congress) Any spousal benefits for Ready from Social Security?
Of course, rational minds have to say the answers should be yes, but unfortunately, that's not the state of the law. An interesting problem, or did Congress exempt itself from the Defense of Marriage Act like it has so many other laws?
I can't wait to see the fireworks over this one!
Pappy
Congressman Barney Frank (Mass) and Jim Ready (a Maine resident) finally tied the knot in Boston on July 7th. It will be interesting to see what the fallout is.
Under the Defense of Marriage Act, neither Maine, nor the District of Columbia, nor the federal government have to recognize the marriage. With Ready being 30 years younger than Frank, it will provide an interesting test case. Can they file a joint return with the IRS? Will Ready get dependent health care from the Congressional plan? How about when Frank passes on? Any survivorship benefits for Ready on the Congressional pension Frank will get when his current term is up? (over 30 years in Congress) Any spousal benefits for Ready from Social Security?
Of course, rational minds have to say the answers should be yes, but unfortunately, that's not the state of the law. An interesting problem, or did Congress exempt itself from the Defense of Marriage Act like it has so many other laws?
I can't wait to see the fireworks over this one!
Pappy