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Warren Pease · Nov 18, 2009, 07:07 PM

Texas' gay marriage ban may have banned all marriages | McClatchy

Barbara Ann Radnofsky, a Houston lawyer and Democratic candidate for attorney general, says that a 22-word clause in a 2005 constitutional amendment designed to ban gay marriages erroneously endangers the legal status of all marriages in the state.

The amendment, approved by the Legislature and overwhelmingly ratified by voters, declares that "marriage in this state shall consist only of the union of one man and one woman." But the troublemaking phrase, as Radnofsky sees it, is Subsection B, which declares:

"This state or a political subdivision of this state may not create or recognize any legal status identical or similar to marriage."

or in other words:

This state or a political subdivision of this state may not create or recognize any legal status identical or similar to the union of one man and one woman.

It's there plain as day. The unfortunate thing is that Texans won't be able to get married (even to their heterosexual partners) until the law is rewritten.

Chuckit · Nov 18, 2009, 07:12 PM

How odd. I'm told gay marriage is a totally different thing from heterosexual marriage, so it should be impossible to accidentally ban one when you mean to ban the other. Or is it really just pointless discrimination?

Doofy · Nov 18, 2009, 07:17 PM

And you peeps wonder why I think all politicians should be taken out back and shot.

TheoCryst · Nov 18, 2009, 08:00 PM

Ha!

OAW · Nov 19, 2009, 01:06 PM

It appears that they got a little "overambitious" down there in Texas.

OAW

smacintush · Nov 19, 2009, 01:21 PM

It's about time someone got around to banning marriage altogether.

Warren Pease · Nov 19, 2009, 02:51 PM

Originally Posted by smacintush

It's about time someone got around to banning marriage altogether.

In a way, it's like taking a toy from two kids who are fighting over who gets to play with it. If they can't play nice, they don't get to play at all.

But in this case, for illogical reasons, one kid never got to play with the toy in the first place.

Shaddim · Nov 19, 2009, 06:25 PM

State sanctioned marriage should be banned.

turtle777 · Nov 19, 2009, 06:39 PM

Originally Posted by Shaddim

State sanctioned marriage should be banned.

Are you saying that State banned marriage should be sanctioned ?

-t

Shaddim · Nov 19, 2009, 06:45 PM

Originally Posted by turtle777

Are you saying that State banned marriage should be sanctioned ?

-t

The state has no business being in the marriage, umm, business. Just setup civil unions, let everyone be able to get one, and call it a day.

OldManMac · Nov 19, 2009, 08:03 PM

Originally Posted by Shaddim

State sanctioned marriage should be banned.

You're right, of course, and it may happen someday down the road, when people become enlightened enough to realize that the only reason the state gets involved is to collect taxes. It will also occur when more and more people realize the fairy tales they were fed as a child are just that, and there is no need for a religious marriage, as no one is coming to save them, and their forebears have been had. It's going to take a long time yet, but it will happen eventually.

Shaddim · Nov 19, 2009, 10:08 PM

Originally Posted by OldManMac

You're right, of course, and it may happen someday down the road, when people become enlightened enough to realize that the only reason the state gets involved is to collect taxes. It will also occur when more and more people realize the fairy tales they were fed as a child are just that, and there is no need for a religious marriage, as no one is coming to save them, and their forebears have been had. It's going to take a long time yet, but it will happen eventually.

This ****ing record is broken, anyone have anything new?

OldManMac · Nov 19, 2009, 10:49 PM

Originally Posted by Shaddim

This ****ing record is broken, anyone have anything new?

Reality isn't always pleasant to digest is, it?

Shaddim · Nov 19, 2009, 11:12 PM

Originally Posted by OldManMac

Reality isn't always pleasant to digest is, it?

Not when a person sees what you've been eating all these years.

OldManMac · Nov 19, 2009, 11:44 PM

Actually, I ate from the same bowl of fairy tales as you apparently do, until relatively recently.

Shaddim · Nov 20, 2009, 01:33 AM

Moved my comment out of this thread.

Rumor · Nov 20, 2009, 02:09 AM

Originally Posted by OldManMac

You're right, of course, and it may happen someday down the road, when people become enlightened enough to realize that the only reason the state gets involved is to collect taxes. It will also occur when more and more people realize the fairy tales they were fed as a child are just that, and there is no need for a religious marriage, as no one is coming to save them, and their forebears have been had. It's going to take a long time yet, but it will happen eventually.

Don't states collect less taxes on married couples?

nonhuman · Nov 20, 2009, 08:02 AM

Originally Posted by Rumor

Don't states collect less taxes on married couples?

It depends on your situation and how you file. Basically, if one spouse makes significantly more money than the other, then it's possible to save money on taxes. If both make closer to the same amount you might actually end up paying more than if you filed separately (in which case each just pays individual taxes). There's other factors, of course, so the answer is really just: sometimes.

analogue SPRINKLES · Nov 20, 2009, 03:31 PM

Wonder how much money and time this is going to waste on something so clearly important.