Is Presidents' Day really the time to start talking about killing Lincoln again? Poor Abe. But it's a slooooww holiday Monday (for many) and a back-to-the-grind-as-usual day for us, so we ponder the important stuff.

And since we do, we thought we'd look at the debate over the penny because it looks like the penny may actually be on its way out of circulation once and for all because President Obama thinks it's a good idea.

He's done it again, folks. Back in December we reported that House Republicans had secretly raised the defense budget for the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and new reports released today show that Republican House Speaker John Boehner has once again raised the DOMA budget without the knowledge of House Democrats.

Details after the jump.

As discussion continues surrounding the impending "fiscal cliff," it's good to know that House Republicans are prioritizing where they put the nation's financial resources. 

It was revealed yesterday that Republican's secretly increased their budget to defend the Defense of Marriage Act. 

More after the jump. 

It appears that the proposed $7 million in cuts to New York City's homeless youth services budget (60 percent of the program's budget) will be restored to next year's budget to match the previous year's funding.

As we previously reported, Mayor Michael Bloomberg's initial proposed budget would have resulted in the lost of 160 of 259 shelter beds.

The City Council will vote on the new budget later this week.

More after the jump.

We previously reported on New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s proposed budget cuts that would take $7 million from the 2013 budget for the city’s Runaway and Homeless Youth Services. This would directly impact LGBT youth, who make up 40% of the homeless youth population.

More than 150 advocates and homeless youth gathered, Thursday, in front of New York City Hall to protest the proposed budget cuts.

More after the jump.

New York City’s Mayor Bloomberg released the city’s new budget and it cuts a whopping $7 million from New York City’s Runaway and Homeless Youth Services. The budget calls for the elimination of 160 youth shelter beds.

We’re sorry, what?

Instinct Leading Man, Carl Siciliano¸ the executive director of the Ali Forney Center, the leading provider of shelter to homeless LGBT youth immediately released a statement contesting this move on the part of Bloomberg’s administration. More after the jump.

Though the controversial California bill mandating LGBT history be taught in public schools technically went into effect Jan. 1, you’d be hard pressed to find lessons being taught. Find out what the hold up is after the jump. 

In a bold andnecessary move, UK's International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell [pictured] gave African countries seeking aid an ultimatum. Details after the jump.

Like true right-wing conservatives, House Republican leaders plan on buying their legislative powers. After the jump, find out why the DOMA defense budget has tripled.

While we are sure that other council members were also very passionate about this, we can't help but feel grateful for openly gay and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn for getting the funds back to a sector of youth that is disproportionately LGBT—40 percent, to be exact. Details after the jump.

He might be streamlining the state for marriage equality in spring, but New York Governor Andrew Cuomo isn't ingratiating himself with all LGBT groups in the state. According to Carl Sicilliano, founder of the invaluable Ali Forney Center, Gov. Cuomo is set to cut all funding for homeless youth in the state. Unfortunately, New York City has the highest population of LGBT homeless youth in the country--unsettling data that makes the threat all the more serious. 

Follow the jump to find out what Sicilliano has to say and how you can help.

A new study from the Williams Institute at the UCLA School of Law serves to make those opposing marriage equality efforts in Rhode Island (looking your way, NOM) look even more foolish. Similar to the study conducted before Prop 8 embarrassingly passed in California, the Williams Institute found that by making marriage available to all citizens of Rhode Island the state's budget would receive a healthy $1 million boost over three years. 

“Rhode Island would provide much needed protections to its same-sex couples if they were allowed to marry. Opening up marriage to same-sex couples would also boost Rhode Island’s economy and state budget with new tax revenue and spending,” explains study co-author M. V. Lee Badgett, research ...