Because that's what I propose -- a "household declaration" as opposed to a "marriage," and anyone can get one. Because you know what? I'm thinking just allowing gays the benefits of marriage isn't fair, either.
Take my cousin, for example. She's an orphan. She "adopted" my Aunt Betty, who had no children and who was a widow. I think she should've been able to extend insurance benefits and received tax benefits and been able to make health care decisions for Aunt Betty, and Aunt Betty for her. I think they should've been able to declare each other "next of kin." (Aunt Betty died years ago, so it's not germaine to the conversation now.)
I think nonsexual yet permanent partnerships such as that shouldn't be ignored, either. I think non-married heterosexual couples, homosexual couples, platonic roommates planning on living together more than one year, family members setting up a joint household (like my two uncles an aunt who lived together their entire lives) AND people planning to spend the rest of their lives together as a romantic could should ALL get this document, for legal reasons. Some great legal mind who has handled a bazillion divorces and/or probate and/or family law should write it up.
And when these partnerships dissolve, they can either be as simple as filling out a dissolution form, or go to court when conflicts arise.
I realized that this would re-legalize polygamy. Truthfully, (my family would be shocked) I don't give a shit. I really don't. To me, if people want to live all weird and crazy they should be able to. If something's "a sin," let God deal with it. Is He somehow incapable? And if I have to explain wacko situations to my kids, so be it. Amish people have to explain to their kids why everyone else gets to whiz by in a car while they're plodding along in a horse in buggy; I can explain my religion to my kids, too.
It doesn't matter whether I, personally, find the partnership morally correct or even practically workable. If my moral stance were translated into law, divorces would be a lot more difficult to come by. But I don't believe everybody has to follow my religion. (Nor do I think people who get divorced are immoral, by the way. Hey, I got one myself once.)
However, polygamy was outlawed for a reason. At least, I suppose it was. But I am having a hard time finding out why, other than trying to "normalize" the Mormons to the established British legal tradition (which our country mimicked, despite our "Revolution.")
I don't know, if it's going to take up so much precious time arguing about, I don't see any benefit to keeping "tradition" other than providing another political wedge between us, drawing our attention away from real problems.
I guess if I had to come up with a slogan to sum up my views on the subject, it would be, "I don't care; make it fair." If our country falls apart because of it, we can always change the laws back. That's the beauty of our government. We can try things out and change them back if they don't work.
