From One Thing To Another

There has been much trumpeting and bewailing of the Obama administration's decision to cease defending the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act. What so many people don't seem to understand is that this does not mean the administration will stop enforcing the law. It simply means that if the law is challenged in court the administration will not defend it. So don't go looking for changes in how the federal government does business, e.g., changes to tax forms to allow for civil unions and same-sex marriages, just because the administration has decided Section 3 of DOMA is unconstitutional.

You can read the technical details in Attorney General Holder's letter here.

I can't help but enjoy the irony in Speaker Boehner's reaction to the letter:

"While Americans want Washington to focus on creating jobs and cutting spending, the President will have to explain why he thinks now is the appropriate time to stir up a controversial issue that sharply divides the nation."

I'd like to point out what the Speaker and his fellow Republicans in the House have done to create jobs and not stir up controversial issues. The most important issues the Republicans have worked on for the past month are attacking health care reform, attacking health care reform, attacking health care reform, and withholding federal funds for Planned Parenthood out of spite.

Although their actions dictate otherwise, they try to make us believe that unlike President Obama they're all about creating jobs and not being controversial.