'TX Supreme Court forced to rule married gay couples have no rights to spousal benefits' & other Fri midday news briefs

If you don't think threats from government officials like Lt. Gov. Patrick (left) and AG Paxton (right) didn't have a hand in today's ruling, you are naive.

 
Texas Supreme Court: No inherent right to gay marriage benefits - Your eyes aren't deceiving you. The Texas Supreme Court just ruled that same-sex couples having a legal right to marry doesn't mean that they have a legal right to government sponsored spousal benefits. And just in case you are wondering what the hell just happened. Check out this passage in the article: 

Two taxpayers, including Christian pastor Jack Pidgeon, next turned to the all-Republican Texas Supreme Court, which initially rejected their appeal in September, with only one member, Justice John Devine, dissenting. A campaign by social and religious conservatives produced a barrage of emails asking the eight other justices to reconsider or risk a backlash in the next GOP primary. Leading Republicans — including Gov. Greg Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Attorney General Ken Paxton — joined the call, and in January the court issued a rarely granted motion to rehear the case and set oral arguments for March 1. 

Yep. A fix was in via the fact that judges in TX are ELECTED. If you think for one instant that this isn't the first part of an attempt to roll back the SCOTUS ruling for marriage equality, you have been asleep. The religious right don't care about rules or fairness. When the rules don't go their way they try to change the rules. They think God gives them the play for their every move, no matter how dirty, unprincipled, or unscrupulous it may be.  

The Texas Supreme Court just gave a big, fat middle finger to same-sex couples - More details.

North Carolina Magistrates Can Go Right On Refusing To Perform Gay Marriages - Be careful of a false "the momentum is now against marriage equality" talking point this may bring. The court didn't rule on the merits of the case. They simply said the plaintiffs didn't have standing to challenge.  

Gloria Carter, Jay-Z’s Mom, Comes Out As Lesbian In New Duet On Rapper’s ‘4:44’ Album - WOW!

The Trump Administration Has Been a Disaster for LGBT Americans - Ya think? 


photo taken from Progress Texas.