"ONE THOUSAND FEDERAL BENEFITS": Larry Kramer

[Not quite. --Eve]

...Solomon: The marriage issue stirs people--both those among us who long for it, and among those who hate us and rail against it--not so much because of the benefits--

Kramer: That's why I want it. There are over 1,000 economic benefits the government passes out to married couples. I want 'em.

Solomon: --but more around the symbolic power of the state recognizing our relationships.

Kramer: I'm hoping that the symbolic stuff is beginning to fade. I think it's sentimental. I have nothing against that, but I don't think we should hold out for sentiment if we can get cold hard cash. I think we were on our way to getting the more easily obtainable civil union when the Massachusetts thing passed and marriage took its course. Then we had no choice but to fight for it, when a lot of us would have been happy to have the civil union. So when at the last minute Bush seemed to offer civil union, we weren't in a negotiating position to say, OK, we'll take that instead.

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posted by Eve at 3:05 PM | link

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