Right-wingers are LYING about Amendment 2 (gay marriage) in Florida

[Hugabear]

For those of you who aren't familiar, Florida is following the lead of some states, and putting an amendment on the ballot to define marriage as solely between a man and a woman.

Many supporters of this amendment try to 'justify' the amendment by saying stuff like "I don't support gay marriage, but if they want to enter into a civil union, that's okay" That seems to be a common refrain - gay marriage is bad, but civil unions are fine.

Let me read the text of the ballot initiative:

This amendment protects marriage as the legal union of only one man and one woman and provides that no other legal union that is treated as marriage or the substantial equivalent thereof shall be valid or recognized

So when these people tell you that they support civil unions to give homosexuals the same rights as heterosexuals, it's a LIE.

[leftofcool]

1. Is that all people or just the ones in Florida?

[flvegan]

2. Right wingers are lying? I'M SHOCKED!!!

I'm fearful that this will pass. Too many fucking moron knuckledragging Jesus freaks in my state.

[seafan]

3. This bill would adversely affect seniors of opposite sex who cohabit to conserve money resources.

For gays and lesbians and unmarried, cohabiting senior citizens or younger people alike, Amendment 2 will strip rights to visit partners in hospitals, share life insurance policies or to provide in other ways for each other financially via legal steps.


This is a very bad bill for not only gays and lesbians. Florida has a LARGE senior population, and we must make sure they know that this bill would harm them as well.


“Inasmuch as marriage is the legal union of only one man and one woman as husband and wife, no other legal union that is treated as marriage or the substantial equivalent thereof shall be valid or recognized.”



Republicans are an equal opportunity hate machine.


VOTE NO ON AMENDMENT 2.

[Jersey Devil]

4. People don't realize how important these rights are

Let me give you an example. In New Jersey, a primary residence is exempt from Medicaid reimbursement if it is also owned and occupied by a surviving spouse or civil union partner. Everyone is familiar with nursing homes and how they can soak up all of a person's life savings after a short period of time. In NJ a nursing home costs in excess of $7,000 per month so it doesn't take long. When the savings is exhausted the state, via Medicaid, takes over and pays the nursing home bill.

Well, that amount paid by Medicaid must be reimbursed to the state when the person dies. If he/she owns a home a lien is placed on it and it must be satisfied from the sale proceeds. However, if there is a spouse there is no lien and if the spouse sells the house is free and clear.

As a lawyer I have seen some pretty sad situations where same sex domestic partners (an unmarried partners of the opposite sex) were left paying half the value of their homes to Medicaid while others next door in the same situation but who were legal spouses paid nothing.

There are many other situations such as pension survivors, etc. where the same thing is true.