Marriage is on the rocks. And I'm not talking about the Supreme Court, acts of Congress, "civil union," or Miss America. By personal fiat, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton just sounded yet another death knell for what we must now categorize as "traditional marriage" by extending benefits reserved for the spouses of State Department employees "to all unmarried domestic partners -- both same-sex and heterosexual." 

These include, according to yesterday's A6 Washington Post story, "paid travel to and from overseas posts, shipments of household effects, visas and diplomatic passports, emergency travel to visit ill or injured partners, and evacuation in case of a security emergency or medical necessity."

Since when does the Secretary of State legislate domestic policy from her office in Foggy Bottom? Of course, if Prez Obama can take over capitalism, Secretary Hillary probably thinks she can grab at a pillar of society or two. How long are we going to take this kind of thing, people?

Quoth Hillary: 

"Historically, domestic partners of Foreign Service members have not been provided the same training, benefits, allowances, and protections that other family members receive. These inequities are unfair and must end," Clinton writes in the memo. "At bottom, the department will provide these benefits for both opposite-sex and same-sex domestic partners because it is the right thing to do."

And you probably thought getting married was "the right thing to do." Into the abyss with that bridal bouquet.