Has anyone posted on this side effect if the government gets out of the "marriage" business and

[hedgehog]

goes into the "civil union" business?

A lot of widows and widowers find themselves in the position of wanting to take a spouse, but faced with the problem of losing benefits if they "re-marry". Most clergy members won't perform a religious ceremony without a government issued marriage license. Right now, some elderly couples end up " living in sin". If they had the option of a religious ceremony sans civil union, their consciences could be clear and they could keep their benefits.

[liberal N proud]

1. The only reason the government is interested in marriage is...

so they can collect the marriage license and because the religious fanatics in this country interjected it into the laws.

Take it away from the government. If you want to be married, go find a preacher, the question is, even if you are married in a church would you still need to have a civil union license (formerly marriage license)?

[HockeyMom]

2. My mother-in-law would not have remarried

even for a civil union. Not just for the benefits she would have given up, but she would have also had to have given up being Mrs. XYZ. Yes, she was widowed and seeing someone who would have married her.