An editorial titled
Gay Lessons ran in the Monday, Nov. 15 issue of the Wall Street
Journal (online for WSJ subscribers only). The Journal editorial
page is a bastion of conservatism, so it is, I think, significant
when the editors opine:
The lesson here for gay rights activists is to trust the democratic process, rather than use the courts to circumvent it. Public attitudes toward homosexuality are much different than they were even 20 years ago, with (for example) many companies already offering benefits to gay partners. Letting voters reach a democratic consensus on their own schedule is also a good way to avoid a repeat of the endless cultural warfare that has stemmed from that monument to judicial activism known as Roe v. Wade.
The editors then add this worthwhile suggestion:
In the meantime, if liberals really care about discriminatory legal protections and benefits, they might consider agitating for a repeal of the death tax, which puts gay couples at a disadvantage. Married couples are allowed an unlimited transfer of assets to a spouse before death, a tax benefit denied gay couples. And only heterosexual spouses can inherit each other's assets without paying estate taxes.
They might also have added that private social security accounts also serve the interest of gays, for the same reason (they'd be transferable to any designated beneficiary).
Active support for such measures would an opportunity for Log
Cabin's leadership to take a stand that serves gay interests while
building bridges with the GOP, if they have the foresight to do
so.
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