Good News For Michael and Spider... And All Same-Sex Couples

Michael Ely met James Taylor—not the singer—at a Sunset Beach bar in 1971, where Taylor, known as “Spider” to his friends, played guitar in a band. After Ely got involved as a singer, the two men quickly became a couple, living in California until the AIDS epidemic became too great, and they relocated to Tucson, Arizona, where Taylor worked as a jet mechanic for Bombardier and Ely took care of their home.

In 2007, the two had a commitment ceremony but could not be legally married in Arizona until November 2014 when, shortly after the state legalized same-sex marriage, and 43 years after they first met, Michael and James married.

Six months later, Taylor succumbed to cancer.

Michael Ely applied for spousal benefits from the Social Security Administration and was denied because the couple had not been married for the requisite nine months. You know, because they couldn’t legally get married.

Long story short, this week the LGBTQ advocacy group Lambda Legal won a class-action lawsuit, Ely v. Saul, on behalf of same-sex couples denied Social Security Administration benefits because of gay marriage bans, and Michael was able to receive his husband’s social security benefits.

Good news, except that it appears that the government, under the Racist-Homophobe-Transphobe-in-Chief, may seek to overturn the ruling.

All the more reason to vote Blue to keep same-sex couples, who were denied benefits because they hadn’t been married long enough because they couldn’t get married, equal under the law.

NBC News

ISBL Asshat of the Week: Oklahomophobic Governor Mary Fallin

Earlier this month, Oklahoma Republican — of course — Governor Mary Fallin announced that state-owned National Guard facilities will no longer allow any married couples to apply for spousal benefits, regardless of whether they are same-sex or opposite-sex.

Yes, even though the Supreme Court dumped DOMA, meaning that servicemembers with same-sex spouses are now eligible for federal benefit, Mary Fallin, asshat extraordinaire, changed her own rules to circumvent the law. See, if the law says you have to give same-sex couples spousal benefits and, well, that’s the law, Mary decided that no one gets spousal benefits, gay or straight.

“Oklahoma law is clear. The state of Oklahoma does not recognize same-sex marriages, nor does it confer marriage benefits to same-sex couples. The decision reached today allows the National Guard to obey Oklahoma law without violating federal rules or policies. It protects the integrity of our state constitution and sends a message to the federal government that they cannot simply ignore our laws or the will of the people.” — Mary Fallin

She thinks she’s so smart, but then most bigots and homophobes do; she’s probably sitting in her office cackling like a hen at her switcheroo, punishing all married couples so she doesn’t have to recognize the same-sex couples.

Punish everyone because you don’t like someone? Eh, Mary?

Fallin and Oklahomophbia are not alone; the Texas Military Force says it will not allow same-sex couples to apply for a housing allowance at state-run National Guard facilities; Mississippi, Louisiana and Georgia have also refused to comply, while other states that previously had balked have begun complying, like West Virginia.

But let’s get back to Oklahomophobia and Homophobe-in-Chief Mary Fallin. She thinks she’s pulled a fast one on the US Guv’mint, but has she?

Her decision is a direct contradiction to an order by Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, which syas states must provide same-sex couples with the federal benefits they deserve under the law. But because Mary thinks she pulled a fast one, all married couples, opposite- and same-sex will have to travel to one of the five federal facilities in Oklahoma to apply for benefits.

Incidentally, Mary thinks it’s the state’s National Guard, but point of fact, the state’s facilities were built almost entirely with federal funds and 90% of the Oklahoma Military Department — including the National Guard — is funded by the federal government.

So, Mary Fallin, in an effort to deny same-sex couples with the rights that they are legally entitled to under the federal government, is breaking the law and deserves to be punished for it. 

I mean, how is that a way to govern? Punishing everyone because you don't like the fact that DOMA is dead? 

Ass.Hat.

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