Accordingly, HRC is absolutely correct that there is no “defense” for not immediately providing legally married same-sex couples the same access to non-DOMA barred benefits as any other legally married couple. That one is a no-brainer and requires no study since the protocols are already in place and can be met with the same state government issued documentation currently accepted as proof of marriage.

Carney, was posturing and Obama should rightfully be taken to task for this. Not by those posers over at Log Cabin who have lost all standing as gay advocates with their endorsement of Mitt Romney and their defense of John Boehner, but by those of who helped put him into the White House four years and ago and those of us who put him back in residence again.

Asking if the President needed prodding, was cheeky but not very useful. I mean what did you really expect Carney to say, “yes?” The follow-up question should have been “when can we expect a decision?” And should continue to be so, until it is answered.

It isn't as if the President JUST learned of these issues. Not only did HRC and SLDN raise them in early 2011 and pre repeal implementation [however quickly they essentially gave up when they were ignored], but SIX YEARS AGO, when he was still a candidate for the Party’s nomination in 2007, Mr. Obama brought them up himself, saying:

“The eradication of [DADT] will require more than just eliminating one statute. It will require the implementation of anti-harassment policies and protocols for dealing with abusive or discriminatory behavior as we transition our armed forces away from a policy of discrimination. The military must be our active partners in developing those policies and protocols. That work should have started long ago. It will start when I take office.”.

Need we add he did NOT mean the SECOND time he took office?

Nor was it just since September of 2011 that the Pentagon has been studying benefits. Their “Report of the Comprehensive Review of the Issues Associated with a Repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” published in November 2010, explicitly admitted:

“Our Terms of Reference REQUIRED that we consider the issue of benefits for.
same-sex partners and the families of gay and lesbian Service members, in the event of repeal. This issue is itself large and complex, and is part of the ongoing national, political, and legal debate concerning same-sex relationships and gay marriage. WE STUDIED THE ISSUE CAREFULLY, AND NO OTHER POLICY RECOMMENDATION CAME CLOSE TO CONSUMING AS MUCH TIME AND EFFORT.” [Emphasis mine.]

They even made suggestions of HOW those not banned by DOMA could be extended:

“For benefits such as these [e.g., access to military family housing], the Department of Defense COULD legally direct the Services to revise their regulations to extend coverage to Service members’ same-sex partners. This could be accomplished in two ways: leave to the Service member the freedom to designate his or her ‘dependents’, ‘family members’, or similar term; or, revise these definitions to specifically mention a committed, same-sex relationship, and require some type of proof of that committed relationship. The latter is similar to the approach now being taken in Federal agencies for civilian employees.” [Emphasis THEIRS.]

BUT they recommended AGAINST doing either for a variety of transparently phony reasons one could only explain by recognizing that—just as racism in the military did not end with PHYSICAL integration—there remains a recalcitrant core of homophobes in the Department of Defense doing all they can to prevent gay and lesbian service members from being treated equally under the law. The only mystery is why this President continues in 2013 to let them get away with it—and why OUR paid advocates in Washington aren’t DEMANDING he stop.

It isn’t as if the President JUST learned of these issues. Not only did HRC and SLDN raise them in early 2011 [however quickly they essentially gave up], but SIX YEARS AGO, when he was still a candidate for the Party’s nomination, Mr. Obama brought them up himself, saying:

“The eradication of [DADT] will require more than just eliminating one statute. It will require the implementation of anti-harassment policies and protocols for dealing with abusive or discriminatory behavior as we transition our armed forces away from a policy of discrimination. The military must be our active partners in developing those policies and protocols. That work should have started long ago. It will start when I take office.”

Need we add he did NOT mean the SECOND time he took office?

Nor was it just since September of 2011 that the Pentagon has been studying benefits. Their “Report of the Comprehensive Review of the Issues Associated with a Repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” published in November 2010, explicitly admitted:

“Our Terms of Reference REQUIRED that we consider the issue of benefits for
same-sex partners and the families of gay and lesbian Service members, in the event of
repeal. This issue is itself large and complex, and is part of the ongoing national, political,
and legal debate concerning same-sex relationships and gay marriage. WE STUDIED THE ISSUE CAREFULLY, AND NO OTHER POLICY RECOMMENDATION CAME CLOSE TO CONSUMING AS MUCH TIME AND EFFORT.” [Emphasis mine.]

They even made suggestions of HOW those not banned by DOMA could be extended:

“For benefits such as these [e.g., access to military family housing], the Department of Defense COULD legally direct the Services to revise their regulations to extend coverage to Service members’ same-sex partners. This could be accomplished in two ways: leave to the Service member the freedom to designate his or her ‘dependents’, ‘family members’, or similar term; or, revise these definitions to specifically mention a committed, same-sex relationship, and require some type of proof of that committed relationship. The latter is similar to the approach now being taken in Federal agencies for civilian employees.” [Emphasis THEIRS.]

BUT they recommended AGAINST doing either for a variety of transparently phony reasons one could only explain by recognizing that—just as racism in the military did not end with PHYSICAL integration—there remains a recalcitrant core of homophobes in the Department of Defense doing all they can to prevent gay and lesbian service members from being treated equally under the law. The only mystery is why this President continues in 2013 to let them get away with it—and why OUR paid advocates in Washington aren’t DEMANDING he stop.