Straight couples have the option of marrying and can choose not to. If they choose to marry, it will be recognized everywhere as will all the rights and privileges that come with it.
Gay and lesbian couples do not have the same option unless they live in one of the few states that will recognize such a union, and even then most of the remaining states will not.
So it's not a fair playing field to begin with. It's only discrimination against gay and lesbian couples in this matter that makes a special mandate necessary at all.
Let any couple who wants to enter into a legal union do so, and give them all the rights and privileges that come with it. Require the power-of-attorney stuff from any couple that chooses not to marry even though any couple can. Then there's no discrimination either way and no need for mandate to make up for it.
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