No matter what one's position is on same-sex marriage, the fact that the executive branch of the US government has decided to ignore a law passed by the legislative branch is worthy of discussion. The Canadian equivalent would be for the Prime Minister's Office instructing the civil service to ignore a law passed by Parliament. This is a dangerous step to take as it moves a society away from a democratic process and closer to governance by executive fiat. As I said, it's something to ponder irrespective of the particulars of the gay marriage issue. Must Presidents Defend Laws They Don’t Like? - NYTimes.com