According to Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), the real reason we cannot afford, literally, to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, which the Department of Justice has labeled unconstitutional, is because it simply costs too much.
“Repealing the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) would actually result in an expansion of federal benefits and spending at a time when we know that federal spending is way out of control and our entitlement programs are unsustainable,” he told the Senate Judiciary Committee Thursday.
“Repealing the Defense of Marriage Act would actually increase the cost of Social Security that is already insolvent,” he added. “No one has paid into the Social Security system expecting benefits to be paid to same sex partners.”
According to a 2004 analysis by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), repealing DOMA could actually save the federal government $100 to $200 million per year, which may be one reason why Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich declared this past Saturday that he would eliminate the CBO if he were president.
The Senate Judiciary Committee passed the repeal of DOMA 10-8 along party lines. Because both parties are the same. Or something.