How should we limit marriage?

[Narei Mooncatt]

The problem with that, Var, is marriage is constitutionally a state issue and would require an amendment to the US constitution to give the feds the power to handle any sort of civil union/marriage. Then again, the feds do a lot of stuff they shoulde, so... :/

Really, I don't think it should have to be too difficult to make changes for poly unions. Making a change for them, or even gay couples if needed just needs a simple change of the law saying a marriage is between any two or group of consenting adults. Group contracts exist in business all over, so I don't think it'd be too hard to pull off. What would make it difficult is all the debating and infighting that will go on before hand.

[Sky Striker]

One issue with polyamorous marriage that I could see is the issue of divorce. If one of the partners divorced, what portion of alimony would go to the divorced? Say there are four people in a relationship, persons w, x, y all married to person z. Under normal circumstances, if there was a divorce, the alimony would usually be split 50/50, but that isn't possible in this situation. It would have to be proportionate to the number of people contracted to one person, so people w, x and y would only get 25%.

Then comes the issue if contracts are between different people, say people w and x are married and x is married also to person z, and person z is also married to person y, while y is also married to person w. Yes, calculations can work it out evenly, but it would be a paperwork nightmare. Like said by Vararam, there would need to be a huge overhaul with how marriage is handled.

[redyoshi49q]

The problem with that, Var, is marriage is constitutionally a state issue and would require an amendment to the US constitution to give the feds the power to handle any sort of civil union/marriage. Then again, the feds do a lot of stuff they shoulde, so... :/

According to the Defense of Marriage Act (1996), “...the word ‘marriage’ means a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife, and the word ‘spouse’ refers to a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or a wife.” Therefore, same-sex unions are not considered marriages for federal purposes, including the FAFSA.

I stumbled upon this a few minutes ago.  It seems that the federal government is already involved with the legal scope of marriage...

[Yip]

The problem with that, Var, is marriage is constitutionally a state issue and would require an amendment to the US constitution to give the feds the power to handle any sort of civil union/marriage. Then again, the feds do a lot of stuff they shoulde, so... :/

The reason I suggested it be on a federal level is to avoid the issues of who is allowed to enter into such a contract differing from state to state. Perhaps there is a better way to ensure that. I don't know.

[Narei Mooncatt]

I'm not disagreeing with you, and I do see a benefit to it being handled on a federal level. Just saying that an amendment should be required I think. I am aware of DOMA, but not too familiar with how such acts work. I'm on the fence because on one hand, the feds are defining marriage. Traditionally a state issue. On the other hand, that in and of itself isn't the feds actually writing the licenses (though I do concede it does prevent them from having certain tax advantages and such from the feds). The states can still have gay marriage if they want, DOMA just says they aren't required to honor gay marriage by other states if they don't want to. So in a way, it's still leaving the actual marrying to the states.

[Fen-Fen]

The problem with that, Var, is marriage is constitutionally a state issue and would require an amendment to the US constitution to give the feds the power to handle any sort of civil union/marriage. Then again, the feds do a lot of stuff they shoulde, so... :/

According to the Defense of Marriage Act (1996), “...the word ‘marriage’ means a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife, and the word ‘spouse’ refers to a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or a wife.” Therefore, same-sex unions are not considered marriages for federal purposes, including the FAFSA.

I stumbled upon this a few minutes ago.  It seems that the federal government is already involved with the legal scope of marriage...

The legal scope of marriage only to deal out financial aid to spouses/children in college.