http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/17/AR2006101701263_pf.html

No Death Benefits for Studds’s Spouse
Wednesday, October 18, 2006; A19

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BOSTON, Oct. 17 — The federal government has refused to pay death benefits to the spouse of former congressman Gerry E. Studds (D-Mass.), the first openly gay member of Congress.

Studds married Dean Hara in 2004 after same-sex marriage was legalized in Massachusetts. But Hara will not be eligible to receive any portion of Studds’s estimated $114,337 annual pension because the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act bars the federal government from recognizing Studds’s marriage.

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Watch how fast this gets changed now.

My question would be: Why is the gubamint involved in pensions anyway? Why is it involved in marriage — gay or straight? Why are they involved in all sorts of things, other than defending the States and maintaining order among the States (It’s supposed to be the United STATES of America!)?

There should be ZERO federal employees! Zero pensions! And, zero taxes!