Do straight couples deserve special economic status?

Question

For being straight, since this is really the big issue with gay marriage. It's not about "morality" it's about legal protection under the law.

Fourteenth Amendment

Section. 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

Read this last part again:
nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws

Last time I looked Gay couples couldn't:

Recieve retirement/medical benefits
Get an "EIC" for being knocked up
Plead the 5th Amendment on account of Marriage
Recieve a tax break for being counted as a couple filing jointly.

You tell me.

Answer 1

Um, does this special economic status come with an actual tax break instead of a marriage penalty?

Okay:
1) Death/Living Will/Estate/Hospital benefits are easy enough to manage... simply fill out the paperwork. Even non-married hetero couples can do this. A lot of companies are now offering medical benefits to couples, regardless of marital status. As for "retirement" benefits, what century are you living in? No one gets a pension anymore, no one is going to see social security in 20 years, and you can easily will your 401k and IRAs to the person OF YOUR CHOICE without marriage.
2) How does a gay couple get "knocked up"? So no, they should not be eligible for EIC. Of course, this really isn't an issue since most gay couples earn way more than the median hetero couple income.
3) I don't recall getting a tax break for filing jointly. In fact, last time I checked, getting married actually gave the government more money for the various fees and name changes associated with the marriage.

Where do you draw the line for couples deserving special economic status? A guy with three "wives"? A guy with a wife and a "goat"? Personally, I find even the child tax breaks offensive. It isn't my fault I chose not to overpopulate the world.

Answer 2

Yes, yes and YES!