Obama Orders End to Defense of Federal Gay Marriage Law

Yipee!

I'm not sure how it impacts the court cases already in progress, but having the DOJ say that even parts of DOMA are unconstitutional, and shouldn't be defended, is a huge step in the right direction.

Oh happy day!

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Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. sent a letter to Congress on Wednesday saying that the Justice Department will now take the position in court that the Defense of Marriage Act should be struck down as a violation of gay couples’ rights to equal protection under the law.

“The President and I have concluded that classifications based on sexual orientation warrant heightened scrutiny and that, as applied to same-sex couples legally married under state law,” a crucial provision of the act is unconstitutional, Mr. Holder wrote.

The move is sure to be welcomed by gay-rights advocates, who had often criticized Mr. Obama for moving too slowly in his first two years in office to address issues that concern them. Coming after the administration successfully pushed late last year for repeal of the military’s ban on gay men and women serving openly, the change of policy on the marriage law could intensify the long-running political and ideological clash over gay marriage as the 2012 presidential campaign approaches.
NY Times

Yes Brain- but the scope is larger than that even- As much as I agree that DOMA is an indefensible proposition, The President shouldn't be in the business of deciding what to defend and what not to. This sets precedent- if a future president doesn't like the health care law, he can decide not to defend it, for example.

Instead of tossing out that base accusation for a third time, just type REPUBLICAN TALKING POINT #456 and we'll know what you mean.

This is great news. Ari Ezra Waldman on towleroad explains what it does and doesn't mean:

http://www.towleroad.com/2011/02/the-end-of-doma.html

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Roscoe you must be thirsty since your glass is always half empty.

I'm genuinely curious: When Fox gets something pretty much exactly backward (like these poll numbers, or putting a "D" by the name of a sex-scandal-ridden Republican senator), do they ever correct it?

Or do they, like Goth, just pretend it never happened?

Roscoe, I had breathlessly anticipated your response. It did not disappoint.

Heh, heh, heh....SO! You fell into my marriage trap, did you?? You will never escape alive!

Seriously, this was a beyond ballsy move. And righteous. And terribly exciting to watch.

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Again, the Republicans tell the big lie: Their focus is on the economy and jobs, jobs, jobs. except...they have not introduced a single jobs bill and instead have spent the last two months dealing with such pressing issues as reading the constitution aloud, de-funding planned parenthood and redefining rape.

Not only the Non-Partisan Congressional Budget Office....
Goldamn-Sachs thinks so too