Obama: Defense of Marriage Issue Will Be Settled Soon

[jefferson_dem]

Obama: Defense of Marriage Issue Will Be Settled Soon

WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama said he thinks the courts will decide "fairly soon" whether to end the Defense of Marriage Act, hinting that he believes the courts will agree with his administration that the law is unconstitutional.

"The position that my administration has taken, I think, will have a significant influence on the court as it examines the constitutionality of this law," he said Wednesday at a roundtable with latino news outlets. "Once that law is put down -- and I don't know what the ruling would be -- addressing these bi-national issues could flow from that decision."

The president announced in February that his administration would no longer defend the Defense of Marriage Act, which bans gay marriage at a federal level, because he believes the law is unconstitutional.

<SNIP>

The law also bars gay and lesbian men and women from federal benefits for marriage and allows states to block them from getting married. Obama said he cannot comment on how the current cases against DOMA will be decided, but said he believes the law should be repealed.

"I can't comment on where the case is going to go, I can only say what I believe, and that is that DOMA doesn't make sense, it's unfair, I don't think it meets the demands of our constitution," he said.

<SNIP>

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/28/obama-defense-of-marriage-act_n_985283.html?1317228764

[SidDithers]

1. K&R...nt

Sid

[Fearless]

2. Hopefully sooner than later... we don't need this being an election issue too.

We don't need knee jerk Republicans trying to pass Amendments again.

[dembotoz]

3. if we loose this could be very bad

[The Doctor.]

4. And if we lose it would be even worse.

Letting go of things doesn't always mean a loss, but losing definitely does.

;)

[patrice]

5. My guess is that this IS costing PO & that's why Herman Caine is popular.

[Bluenorthwest]

6. Why would it benefit Caine? his position is no different from

the rest of the Republican 'contenders'. And Caine is popular? I guess I'm out of the whole Herman loop....

[patrice]

9. Cain just beat the other Republicans in Florida.

I know some people here in K.C. for whom DOMA is the deciding issue, though you'd expect that they would be with PO otherwise on Economic & Social Justice.

[jenmito]

7. K&R. I watched that roundtable today. I liked what he said. n/t

[Bluenorthwest]

8. Good to hear him talking like this again...

And I agree with him that his position will have influence on the court, not just because he is the President, but because back in the day when he used to say such things, he made some good arguments about the constitution and GLBT rights.
So it is refreshing. Hope it goes well.