In a nutshell, very little.
Let me sum it up this way: The Federal Government will compassionately offer leave so you can be by the bedside of dying lover but you have to pay the debts from the medical bills.
First, I am happy for those Federal employees who have had their lives made easier in some significant measure. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is especially to be applauded for obtaining for her employees at the State Department some similar major changes. And even though today's recipients did not get their healthcare nor retirement benefits, in no way do we want to belittle or make insignificant the lives that have been impacted.
However, these changes apply to a very low percentage of the entire LGBT population The rest of us got zilch, excepting for a vague promise that in the coming months/years Obama will work to repeal DOMA.
In the meantime, we are expected to use our lobbying resources on Capital Hill to pass legislation that would allow Federal employees get the health insurance that DOMA denies them. Instead of making an all out drive on the Hill to pass legislation that affects so few, shouldn't we instead focus our efforts for the total repeal of DOMA? After all, that will help everyone in the LGBT community. If DOMA is repealed then the Federal employees get their benefits and all of us are closer to freedom. Why use up important contacts, access and lobbyists on an issue that is not hate crimes, ENDA, DADT or DOMA? It just doesn't make sense.
In his remarks, the President did not even mention the recently filed Department of Justice brief supporting DOMA. He did not correct the record that the execrable brief contains. He didn't even say that the 'sloppy language of the brief' is not reflective of his values, principals or beliefs. He did not mention DADT. Finally after some initial indications that he would include the word "transgender", I did not hear it in his remarks.
Don't foget that LGBT taxes are still paying for all those straight federal employees healthcare benefits!
In many ways it is like the California Supreme Court decision: we are happy for the couples that were able to put that "Just Married" sign on their car, but unfortunately, the rest of us have been run over by a bus.
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