Posted in News, Wisconsin

440 apply for domestic partnership benefits, world still hasn’t come to an end

   August 10, 2009

Last week I wrote that despite the enactment of a domestic partnership law in Wisconsin, the world didn’t come to an end. It’s been a week, and I haven’t heard of a rash of sudden divorces due to the new domestic partnership law, despite the fact that 440 same sex couples applied for domestic partnership benefits, according to a preliminary state survey. With 58 of 72 counties responding to the Department of Health Services’ request for the number of applicants, the number could certainly rise, but I’d be interested in a survey of the number of divorce proceedings that have been initiated since the domestic partnership law went into effect, to see if there’s been a dramatic increase in the number of traditional families being broken up in the week since Wisconsin’s domestic partnership law began.

After all, if domestic partnership laws – and by the same token same-sex marriage – lead to a breakdown in traditional family values, then shouldn’t we expect to see a dramatic increase in the number of divorces that have been started since Wisconsin’s domestic partnership law went into effect?

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13 thoughts on “440 apply for domestic partnership benefits, world still hasn’t come to an end”

  1. Zach, I am surprised that you have not noticed. The world did come to an end. The problem, according to my right wing source, is that the liberal press has not written about it.

    1. PB, I saw at least two stories in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel about the domestic partnership law, and I’m willing to bet each of the major TV stations also did stories on it.

  2. 1st time visitor…guess I will come back.

    Didn’t WI voters defeat this in a state wide referendum? Then how does our Gov. get to sneak this in…oh, I know executive power. Does this sound familiar? “If we wanted a king , we would have it in our state or federal constitutions. Where are the statesmen this country needs to advocate true solutions instead of hooey?”

    1. Awaterboy, Wisconsin voters voted to approve a ban on same-sex marriage. This is most definitely not same-sex marriage; in fact, it’s not even civil unions. What’s more, even supporters of the gay marriage amendment are on record back in 2005-2006 as saying that amendment shouldn’t impact the ability of the state to allow domestic partner benefits.

      It’s also important to keep in mind these domestic partner benefits don’t just apply to same-sex couples; it could just as easily be applied to a heterosexual couple that isn’t married.

      By the way, welcome to Blogging Blue…I’m glad you found us!

  3. Soooo why would WI give domestic partner benefits? What Article in the WI constitution does that fit under? Article 13 section 13 reads, “A legal status identical or substantially similar to that of marriage for unmarried individuals shall not be valid or recognized in this state.”

    I ain’t the smartest dude in Wisconsin, but when I read the article and section I quoted above, it just sounds like civil union is just substituted for marriage. Slick Doyle.

    1. Awaterboy, the domestic partnership law provides roughly 40 of the 200-plus benefits to domestic partners (whether same-sex or heterosexual) that are afforded married couples. Providing forty out of two hundred rights afforded to married couples hardly seems substantially similar to marriage.

  4. Still seems like trying to find a way around the WI constitution.

    So why do you need these 40 rights? If you aren’t married there should be no rights of married people you need to have afforded to you because no married rights are being infringed upon; and where can I find a list of these rights? My “Googler” must be off tonight.

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