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Humanities Section => Political/Government General Discussion => Topic started by: Shiranu on December 04, 2017, 06:40:48 PM

Title: Supreme Court Upholds Texas Law Denying Same-Sex Couples Insurance Benefits
Post by: Shiranu on December 04, 2017, 06:40:48 PM

http://www.statesman.com/news/supreme-court-rejects-texas-case-gay-marriage-benefits/QWgUz5GV9ktKz1rTC3tIeI/ (http://www.statesman.com/news/supreme-court-rejects-texas-case-gay-marriage-benefits/QWgUz5GV9ktKz1rTC3tIeI/)
QuoteThe U.S. Supreme Court on Monday let stand a Texas ruling that said the right to a marriage license did not entitle same-sex couples to spousal benefits under employee insurance plans.

The city of Houston had asked the high court to overturn last June’s Texas Supreme Court decision, which determined that all marriage-related matters were not decided when the U.S. Supreme Court established a right to same-sex unions in 2015, leaving room for state courts to explore the limits of gay marriage.

The federal court’s decision, issued without comment, allowed the Texas ruling to stand.

Lawyers for Houston had argued that the Texas ruling was wrong, short-sighted and invited endless rounds of litigation from opponents determined to limit the impact of legalized same-sex marriage.

...

The Texas court merely said that the decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, while acknowledging the right of same-sex couples to marry, did not answer or resolve all marriage-related questions, including whether governments must provide the same benefits to same-sex couples that are provided to opposite-sex couples, they argued.

Title: Re: Supreme Court Upholds Texas Law Denying Same-Sex Couples Insurance Benefits
Post by: Baruch on December 04, 2017, 10:20:26 PM
Lawyers generating more work for themselves ;-(
Title: Re: Supreme Court Upholds Texas Law Denying Same-Sex Couples Insurance Benefits
Post by: SGOS on December 05, 2017, 07:14:44 AM
I'd like to ignore laws that don't suit me.  I don't care if ignoring such laws harms other people, as long as I get my way.  I just don't give a shit.  But damn; I don't have a religion that gives me that right.

Secular society:  "Let's treat all people fairly."
Christian society:  "It's not fair to ask us to be fair."
Outsiders: "How come only Christians get to be assholes?"
Title: Re: Supreme Court Upholds Texas Law Denying Same-Sex Couples Insurance Benefits
Post by: Baruch on December 05, 2017, 07:17:28 AM
Quote from: SGOS on December 05, 2017, 07:14:44 AM
I'd like to ignore laws that don't suit me.  I don't care if ignoring such laws harms other people, as long as I get my way.  I just don't give a shit.  But damn; I don't have a religion that gives me that right.

Secular society:  "Let's treat all people fairly."
Christian society:  "It's not fair to ask us to be fair."
Outsiders: "How come only Christians get to be assholes?"

Secular society doesn't exist  The troll you voiced .. that is what real people are like.  Sorry.
Title: Re: Supreme Court Upholds Texas Law Denying Same-Sex Couples Insurance Benefits
Post by: SGOS on December 05, 2017, 07:47:49 AM
Quote from: Baruch on December 05, 2017, 07:17:28 AM
The troll you voiced .. that is what real people are like.  Sorry.
Some people are, but they stand out like a goat's ass, but it's a mistake to include everyone.  Yeah, I know.  To you, everyone is a selfish asshole, even yourself, so everyone should rightfully be Libertarian, I suppose.  But while everyone has biases and self interests, not everyone gets a place in the Asshole Hall of Fame.  They just don't carry it to such an extreme.  They don't try to make hypocrisy a life style, and they don't delight in seeing innocent people getting beaten up by the savages.  No matter how perceptive you are at finding fault with everyone else, you still might be the bigger asshole.  The faults of others don't justify doing harm to others... unless you think it does.  And if you think that, you are the problem.
Title: Re: Supreme Court Upholds Texas Law Denying Same-Sex Couples Insurance Benefits
Post by: Blackleaf on December 05, 2017, 10:28:32 AM
Quote from: Baruch on December 05, 2017, 07:17:28 AM
Secular society doesn't exist  The troll you voiced .. that is what real people are like.  Sorry.

Christians are significantly more likely to be assholes, especially in Texas.
Title: Re: Supreme Court Upholds Texas Law Denying Same-Sex Couples Insurance Benefits
Post by: Baruch on December 05, 2017, 12:50:30 PM
Quote from: SGOS on December 05, 2017, 07:47:49 AM
Some people are, but they stand out like a goat's ass, but it's a mistake to include everyone.  Yeah, I know.  To you, everyone is a selfish asshole, even yourself, so everyone should rightfully be Libertarian, I suppose.  But while everyone has biases and self interests, not everyone gets a place in the Asshole Hall of Fame.  They just don't carry it to such an extreme.  They don't try to make hypocrisy a life style, and they don't delight in seeing innocent people getting beaten up by the savages.  No matter how perceptive you are at finding fault with everyone else, you still might be the bigger asshole.  The faults of others don't justify doing harm to others... unless you think it does.  And if you think that, you are the problem.

There are people who are assholes, who know they are, and tell you so.

There are people who are assholes, who know they are, but lie about it.  They virtue signal.

There are people who are assholes, but who are deluded enough to think they aren't, and honestly think that screwing you over is a good thing.

The first extreme are Republicans.  The second extreme are Democrats.
Title: Re: Supreme Court Upholds Texas Law Denying Same-Sex Couples Insurance Benefits
Post by: Blackleaf on December 05, 2017, 05:57:07 PM
Quote from: Baruch on December 05, 2017, 12:50:30 PM
There are people who are assholes, who know they are, and tell you so.

There are people who are assholes, who know they are, but lie about it.  They virtue signal.

There are people who are assholes, but who are deluded enough to think they aren't, and honestly think that screwing you over is a good thing.

The first extreme are Republicans.  The second extreme are Democrats.

Honestly, the third extreme sounds more like Republicans to me.
Title: Re: Supreme Court Upholds Texas Law Denying Same-Sex Couples Insurance Benefits
Post by: Draconic Aiur on December 05, 2017, 06:46:20 PM
Quote from: Blackleaf on December 05, 2017, 10:28:32 AM
Christians are significantly more likely to be assholes, especially in Texas.

Indeed and I live there.
Title: Re: Supreme Court Upholds Texas Law Denying Same-Sex Couples Insurance Benefits
Post by: Baruch on December 05, 2017, 07:01:33 PM
Quote from: Blackleaf on December 05, 2017, 05:57:07 PM
Honestly, the third extreme sounds more like Republicans to me.

That is the goal of the good-cop/bad-cop political system.  You can choose Republicrats or Demopublicans ;-)

There is a 4th choice.  Don't validate a rigged game, by your participation.
Title: Re: Supreme Court Upholds Texas Law Denying Same-Sex Couples Insurance Benefits
Post by: Blackleaf on December 05, 2017, 10:48:14 PM
Quote from: Baruch on December 05, 2017, 07:01:33 PM
That is the goal of the good-cop/bad-cop political system.  You can choose Republicrats or Demopublicans ;-)

There is a 4th choice.  Don't validate a rigged game, by your participation.

If there's anything these last few months have proven, it's that the two sides are not equally bad. One side wants to turn the country into a theocracy, where discrimination based on sex, race, sexual orientation, and religion are legal, where people have to work several jobs just to stay afloat, and the rich pay no taxes, and the other side is the Democrats.
Title: Re: Supreme Court Upholds Texas Law Denying Same-Sex Couples Insurance Benefits
Post by: Baruch on December 06, 2017, 07:21:44 AM
Quote from: Blackleaf on December 05, 2017, 10:48:14 PM
If there's anything these last few months have proven, it's that the two sides are not equally bad. One side wants to turn the country into a theocracy, where discrimination based on sex, race, sexual orientation, and religion are legal, where people have to work several jobs just to stay afloat, and the rich pay no taxes, and the other side is the Democrats.

I used to think that too.  The Matrix started to malfunction in 1996, and has pretty much gone dead for me now.  Democrats virtue signal, so they must be virtuous ;-)  Wish it were so, but it isn't.  And "the other side" isn't monsters either, that is hysteria.  There is no Justice League ... it is Loki all the way down.
Title: Re: Supreme Court Upholds Texas Law Denying Same-Sex Couples Insurance Benefits
Post by: Blackleaf on December 06, 2017, 01:12:30 PM
Quote from: Baruch on December 06, 2017, 07:21:44 AM
I used to think that too.  The Matrix started to malfunction in 1996, and has pretty much gone dead for me now.  Democrats virtue signal, so they must be virtuous ;-)  Wish it were so, but it isn't.  And "the other side" isn't monsters either, that is hysteria.  There is no Justice League ... it is Loki all the way down.

What exactly has the Democratic party done that is compatible to the disaster that is the Trump Presidency?
Title: Re: Supreme Court Upholds Texas Law Denying Same-Sex Couples Insurance Benefits
Post by: Baruch on December 06, 2017, 08:08:04 PM
Quote from: Blackleaf on December 06, 2017, 01:12:30 PM
What exactly has the Democratic party done that is compatible to the disaster that is the Trump Presidency?

Wilson, FDR, Truman, Kennedy, LBJ, Carter, Clinton ... need I say more?  And that is just the 20th century.  And don't ask about the scabrous Republicans ;-(

Since ... a party = your President in office ... then the Democrat party must not exist right now?  I don't think the Republicans are all of one mind ... not that I like what any of them are thinking.  Who literally took the Democrat party to broke, before Hillary got her liver spot hands on it?  Obama.  Concentrate on Congress ... or don't bother with politics.  And those Democrats?  Seen plenty of their crappy ideas since 2009 ... and more before that.  See ... the US isn't a monarchy yet ... it is an oligarchy ... not an autocracy yet.  Get there, and make sure the king is a Democrat ... and you can faint from physical pleasure ... your utopia will have arrived.
Title: Re: Supreme Court Upholds Texas Law Denying Same-Sex Couples Insurance Benefits
Post by: Hakurei Reimu on December 06, 2017, 09:02:35 PM
Baruch, that doesn't answer the question. What did those Democratic presidents do that parallels the Trump Shit Machine?
Title: Re: Supreme Court Upholds Texas Law Denying Same-Sex Couples Insurance Benefits
Post by: Blackleaf on December 06, 2017, 11:43:43 PM
Quote from: Baruch on December 06, 2017, 08:08:04 PMWilson, FDR, Truman, Kennedy, LBJ, Carter, Clinton ... need I say more?

Yes. Yes you do. Not one of those people are comparable to the Idiot-in-Chief we have now, and the policies of Democrats are not even a tenth of a percent as destructive to our economy and our freedoms as the policies of the Christian-led Republican party of fascists in denial.

Quote from: Baruch on December 06, 2017, 08:08:04 PMSince ... a party = your President in office ... then the Democrat party must not exist right now?

Strawman argument.

Quote from: Baruch on December 06, 2017, 08:08:04 PMI don't think the Republicans are all of one mind ... not that I like what any of them are thinking.

Considering how amazingly few of them can find a single fault with Donald Dump, I don't think it could be said that they are very good at thinking for themselves. Especially considering a large majority of them regularly sit in church, allowing a preacher or pastor to tell them what to think, based loosely on an old book of fairytales.

Quote from: Baruch on December 06, 2017, 08:08:04 PMWho literally took the Democrat party to broke, before Hillary got her liver spot hands on it?  Obama.

You mean the intelligent first black President of the United States? You can't just name a person and expect me to agree with you.

"You know what's wrong with this country? Jeff Bridges?" ...Okay? What about him?

If you think Obama was a bad President, defend your claim. And if you think he is comparable to Trump, give me a break. What part didn't you like? When he tried to make insurance affordable to everyone? When he had the most infamous Islamic terrorist found and assassinated?

Quote from: Baruch on December 06, 2017, 08:08:04 PMConcentrate on Congress ... or don't bother with politics.  And those Democrats?  Seen plenty of their crappy ideas since 2009 ... and more before that.

Such as...what? Respecting a woman's choice to have an abortion? Laying the foundation for equal rights for the LGBT+?

Quote from: Baruch on December 06, 2017, 08:08:04 PMSee ... the US isn't a monarchy yet ... it is an oligarchy ... not an autocracy yet.  Get there, and make sure the king is a Democrat ... and you can faint from physical pleasure ... your utopia will have arrived.

Okay?
Title: Re: Supreme Court Upholds Texas Law Denying Same-Sex Couples Insurance Benefits
Post by: Baruch on December 07, 2017, 07:23:48 AM
Quote from: Hakurei Reimu on December 06, 2017, 09:02:35 PM
Baruch, that doesn't answer the question. What did those Democratic presidents do that parallels the Trump Shit Machine?

Being a Democratic President = Satan.  I said so, it must be true ;-)

Actually I like Truman a lot, but then, I am totally evil.

After 2016/2017, I want to retroactively reverse every D vote I have ever made.  D candidates need to be euthanized ... right next to the R candidates.

D people = master race, bringers of utopia ... sure they are.
Title: Re: Supreme Court Upholds Texas Law Denying Same-Sex Couples Insurance Benefits
Post by: Hakurei Reimu on December 07, 2017, 09:11:07 AM
Well, that's dodging the question. Typical.
Title: Re: Supreme Court Upholds Texas Law Denying Same-Sex Couples Insurance Benefits
Post by: Baruch on December 07, 2017, 12:56:10 PM
Which questions?

Are only Democrats evil?  Of course not ... all Americans are evil (because all humans are evil).

But I would prefer my fellow Americans to get out of the duopoly ... and start voting for third party groups ... like civilized people do in Europe.  There are more than two false opinions in the body politic.  And with the duopoly ... you actually are represented by a single false opinion (narrative ... the people want X, not Y).
Title: Re: Supreme Court Upholds Texas Law Denying Same-Sex Couples Insurance Benefits
Post by: Blackleaf on December 07, 2017, 02:47:26 PM
Quote from: Baruch on December 07, 2017, 12:56:10 PM
Which questions?

Are only Democrats evil?  Of course not ... all Americans are evil (because all humans are evil).

But I would prefer my fellow Americans to get out of the duopoly ... and start voting for third party groups ... like civilized people do in Europe.  There are more than two false opinions in the body politic.  And with the duopoly ... you actually are represented by a single false opinion (narrative ... the people want X, not Y).

I investigated the third party options last major election. They weren't any better.
Title: Re: Supreme Court Upholds Texas Law Denying Same-Sex Couples Insurance Benefits
Post by: Hakurei Reimu on December 07, 2017, 06:12:09 PM
Quote from: Baruch on December 07, 2017, 12:56:10 PM
Which questions?
FFS...
Quote from: Blackleaf on December 06, 2017, 01:12:30 PM
What exactly has the Democratic party done that is compatible to the disaster that is the Trump Presidency?

Quote
But I would prefer my fellow Americans to get out of the duopoly ... and start voting for third party groups ... like civilized people do in Europe.
1. First-past-the-post/winner-takes-all voting naturally disadvantages third parties.
2. The third parties are drawn from the same source as major parties, and they show it.
Title: Re: Supreme Court Upholds Texas Law Denying Same-Sex Couples Insurance Benefits
Post by: Baruch on December 07, 2017, 11:22:02 PM
Quote from: Blackleaf on December 07, 2017, 02:47:26 PM
I investigated the third party options last major election. They weren't any better.

Did you run for office, even dog catcher?  If you don't participate by running for office, but expect Big Brother to run as candidate ... don't blame me.  Typical passive-aggressive voter.  Don't like the present anti-third-party system?  Have you proposed proportional representation like some other countries have?  And get a constitutional amendment to enact it?

The US died in 1783-1787 with the coup against the Articles of Confederation.  The US died again in 1860-1865 with a premature attempt at secession (set into motion by the coup of 1787).  The US died again in 1914, when it became fully hostage to the BoE with the creation of the Federal Reserve (set into motion by the original central banks of 1782 ... 1791 ... 1816-1836).  The US died again in 1963 with the replacement of JFK by a CIA/FBI junta.  It is perhaps  getting ready to die again ...
Title: Re: Supreme Court Upholds Texas Law Denying Same-Sex Couples Insurance Benefits
Post by: Cavebear on December 09, 2017, 03:45:55 AM
Quote from: Baruch on December 07, 2017, 11:22:02 PM
Did you run for office, even dog catcher?  If you don't participate by running for office, but expect Big Brother to run as candidate ... don't blame me.  Typical passive-aggressive voter.  Don't like the present anti-third-party system?  Have you proposed proportional representation like some other countries have?  And get a constitutional amendment to enact it?

The US died in 1783-1787 with the coup against the Articles of Confederation.  The US died again in 1860-1865 with a premature attempt at secession (set into motion by the coup of 1787).  The US died again in 1914, when it became fully hostage to the BoE with the creation of the Federal Reserve (set into motion by the original central banks of 1782 ... 1791 ... 1816-1836).  The US died again in 1963 with the replacement of JFK by a CIA/FBI junta.  It is perhaps  getting ready to die again ...

Your bizarre claims of US government death many times and the conspiracy theories that followed is troublesome.  And I don't mean that your claims trouble me; they are easily falsifiable.  It is your belief that they are true trouble me.  You might actually out-conspiracy Trump...
Title: Re: Supreme Court Upholds Texas Law Denying Same-Sex Couples Insurance Benefits
Post by: Baruch on December 09, 2017, 04:54:02 AM
Quote from: Cavebear on December 09, 2017, 03:45:55 AM
Your bizarre claims of US government death many times and the conspiracy theories that followed is troublesome.  And I don't mean that your claims trouble me; they are easily falsifiable.  It is your belief that they are true trouble me.  You might actually out-conspiracy Trump...

Do you know what a Central Bank is?  Do you think we still operate under the Articles of Confederation?  Are you opposed to proportional representation?  Your response was just ad hominem.  Almost all of us, only know the US government post 1963 ... it seems normal to us.  Confirmation bias.
Title: Re: Supreme Court Upholds Texas Law Denying Same-Sex Couples Insurance Benefits
Post by: Cavebear on December 09, 2017, 06:10:52 AM
Quote from: Baruch on December 09, 2017, 04:54:02 AM
Do you know what a Central Bank is?  Do you think we still operate under the Articles of Confederation?  Are you opposed to proportional representation?  Your response was just ad hominem.  Almost all of us, only know the US government post 1963 ... it seems normal to us.  Confirmation bias.

You claimed "The US died in 1783-1787 with the coup against the Articles of Confederation."  And now you ask if I "think we still operate under the Articles of Confederation"?  You are being contradictory.

I am for proportional representation.  If it wasn't Gerrymandered.  When one party wins 70% of a statewide vote yet gets 40% of the Congressmen, there is something rotten in the halls of Denmark.

I know what a Central Bank is.  It is what keeps us from regular Boom Bust cycles every couple of years.  The other years are when Republicans give the store away to the rich and raise the national debt.  No one but Republicans can stop that.

You stated "Almost all of us, only know the US government post 1963", and yet posted all that nonsense about previous scores of years before then.

And you do that without the LEAST hint of embarrassment?  You are laughable.
Title: Re: Supreme Court Upholds Texas Law Denying Same-Sex Couples Insurance Benefits
Post by: Baruch on December 09, 2017, 09:53:41 AM
Your civic knowledge is both conventional and naive.  Enjoy your pill.