It's economic interdependence, not marriage, that should afford benefits to partner of deceased state trooper

Missouri highway patrol officer Dennis Engelhard died in the line of duty on Christmas day. His surviving partner of 15 years, Kelly Glossip, is not entitled to a lifetime benefit of $28,000 a year. That benefit is reserved for spouses (and children). Defenders of the system point out that unmarried different-sex partners also do not get the benefit. I discuss many examples like this in my 2008