[ExI] Change of thought (was Just curious, it's not natural!)

[spike]

> bounces at lists.extropy.org] On Behalf Of Anna Taylor
> Subject: [ExI] Change of thought (was Just curious, it's not natural!)
> 
> I had the privilege last weekend to attend my first
> gay marriage. Before the wedding, I thought deeply
> about what my conviction was regarding gay marriage.
...
> Anna



I have some questions for the legal eagles of the group.  It would be even
more interesting if the Brits and Europeans comment.

If a spouse perishes, I understand that the surviving spouse gets the social
security payment that is the higher of the two.  So if the survivor made
more money longer, then no change in benefits.  But if the lower paid spouse
is the survivor, he or she gets a raise when the richer spouse perishes.

What a racket this could be, for high earners to marry a low earner when the
rich person has only months to live.  An old rich person could marry a young
low earner, and thus the social security system could be looted.  It isn't
clear to me what the rich terminal person could be given in exchange.

Questions:  

If gay marriage becomes legal, would that problem be worse?  Could a sick
rich person marry her grandson's girlfriend in order to provide them with a
generous pension while they are in their twenties?  Is it any different than
the kinds of abuses that could theoretically be pulled off now?  For
instance, an old sick person could marry her granddaughter's boyfriend in a
fake marriage, while the young couple still carries on as before.  So from a
social security pension point of view (the only reason I care about who is
allowed to marry) would gay marriage have any impact?  Does Europe have
similar issues?

spike