Reason Morning Links

Radley Balko | June 17, 2009

• Third day of protests in Iran, as government clamps down on foreign media.

• White House announces that government will extend job benefits to same sex spouses of federal employees, but won't offer full health insurance.

• Obama administration also announces new plans to regulate the financial industry.

• More questions about the scope and legality of the National Security Agency's email monitoring program.

• Rhode Island legislature overrides governor's veto, opens the way to legal medical marijuana.

Comments

SpongePaul|6.17.09 @ 9:24AM|#

Funny, the feds will extend job benifits to same sex spouses, but not healthcare, the one thing they want everyone to have for free provided by the goverment, seems kinda 2-faced eh!

|6.17.09 @ 9:27AM|#

A couple of questions about benefits for same-sex "partners" (not "spouses", Radley).

(1) How do you qualify as a same-sex "partner". Is it just your say-so? Can you have more than one?

(2) Will opposite-sex "partners" who are not married be given the same treatment?

|6.17.09 @ 9:32AM|#

Love that Orwellian headline on the same-sex benefits article. Also, Obama promised gays "the moon" during the election? Where the hell was I?

|6.17.09 @ 9:35AM|#

I would just like to point out that Rhode Island will now have both legal medical marijuana and legal indoor prostitution. Set up some legal gambling and privatize the dope dispensaries--ridding them of that paternalistic "medical" requirement--and you'll have the full libertarian trinity of doobies, hoochies, and wagerin'.

And it's close to libertarian compound known colloquially as "New Hampshire."

To the Ocean State, comrades!

PANIC|6.17.09 @ 9:56AM|#

SO NOW
THEY GET
THE FUCKING
MOON!?!?!?!

|6.17.09 @ 10:03AM|#

I would just like to point out that Rhode Island will now have both legal medical marijuana and legal indoor prostitution.

I will not consider myself truly free until I can go around the world with a hooker under the beautiful firmament of the night sky.

No deal, Rhode Island.

|6.17.09 @ 10:37AM|#

As an employee in the private sector, full health insurance is the only benefit my spouse receives, except for being named the beneficiary on my life insurance and worthless 401k.

I'd like to know what other benefits he's talking about.

|6.17.09 @ 10:41AM|#

No use being able to bang a prostitute indoors if you have to go outside to smoke afterward.

|6.17.09 @ 11:01AM|#

White House announces that government will extend job benefits to same sex spouses of federal employees, but won't offer full health insurance.

See how tolerant (DADT), compassionate (DADT), understanding (DADT) and fair minded (DADT) The Chosen One is?

rascal|6.17.09 @ 11:39AM|#

RHODE ISLAND, FUCK YEAH!

Rhywun|6.17.09 @ 2:18PM|#

At first thought it seems to me you should be married in order to pick up your spouse's benefits, and all this talk about "partners" and "unions" is society's way of telling gays to fuck off about "marriage". But that isn't fair so now "partners" get bennies too. What a mess. Of course, fake-marriage for the purpose of benefits is available to straights, too...