Gay Marriages Get Recognition From the I.R.S

Kaitlyn Johnson
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/30/us/politics/irs-to-recognize-all-gay-marriages-regardless-of-state.html?hp

This article discusses the new tax benefits that gay couples have just recently received as a result of the June Supreme Court decision. It has just been decided that legally married gay couples can now file for tax returns as “married filing separately” or “married filing jointly” just as a straight couple would do. Personally, I really enjoyed this article. Being someone who supports gay marriage, this shows me that there is a future for these couples. This shows that our country is moving that much closer to fully accepting gay marriage and treating gay couples equally. Though it may only be a small step forward, I believe that it is still a step in the right direction. What I think is so great is the fact that this may be the trigger to more benefits to gay couples in the United States. What I also like about this article is the fact that it shows how all three branches of the government works as a whole, and also how they work with the state governments as well. The new policy originates from the Supreme Court (Judicial Branch) ruling on a law passed by Congress (Legislative Branch). From there, it moves onto the Executive Branch, which enforces the Supreme Court’s ruling in agencies, such as the I.R.S and the Treasury Department. From there, each state has to decide how they will respond to what has just been passed. In some ways, this is an example of the government doing something that will hopefully create the path to acceptance.