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President Must Choose: 'Lose the Gays, or Lose the House'
By Sahil Kapur 7/13/10 6:00 AM The Washington Independent
The gay community caught a huge break last Thursday when a District Court judge in Boston ruled unconstitutional parts of the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, which defines marriage as between a man and a woman. Gay rights activists who had been frustrated with the Obama administration’s halting approach to its promised repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” finally saw tangible progress, as Judge Joseph L. Tauro declared that same-sex couples are entitled to the same federal benefits as heterosexual couples.
“Congress undertook this classification for the one purpose that lies entirely outside of legislative bounds, to disadvantage a group of which it disapproves,” Tauro argued. “And such a classification the Constitution clearly will not permit.” Gay rights groups like the Human Rights Campaign hailed the decision as an important step toward equality, while social-conservative interests like the Family Research Council slammed it as an affront to traditional values.
But the Obama administration could be setting up same-sex marriage advocates for another disappointment as it weighs an appeal of Tauro’s ruling. And both options for the administration come with risks: Challenging the ruling would be perceived as a major snub by the gay community, whereas standing behind it would give Republicans a powerful political weapon to use against Democrats in the November elections.
Full story here: http://washingtonindependent.com/91299/on-same-sex-marriage-ruling-obama-risks-alienating-his-base
So, I guess this is where the rubber meets the road. Will Obama do what's expedient for his party or will he back up his promises to the gay community?
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