How to Reduce Divorce Rates by
Half and Save Billions
Aug. 21 /Christian
Newswire/ -- In a speech at 'Family Preservation Day' at the Lincoln
Memorial on Aug. 19, Marriage Savers President Mike McManus,
charged, 'Presidential candidates say they support `Family Values.'
Why not ask them, `Do you support reforms that could slash America's
divorce rate in half? None would cost the Federal Government a
penny. In fact they could cut the federal deficit by $40 billion.
Here are three steps to cut the divorce rate that a new President
could take:
1. Replace No Fault
Divorce with Mutual Consent Divorce
All states actually
encourage divorce due to 'No Fault Divorce' which allows one spouse
to file for divorce. It is called 'No Fault' because no major fault
must be alleged, such as adultery or abuse. No Fault should be
called Unilateral Divorce. However, what was entered into by two
people can be ended by one unilaterally. This is tragic if children
are involved. Children of divorce are three times as likely as those
from intact homes to be expelled from school or to get pregnant,
five times as apt to live in poverty or to commit suicide, 12 times
as apt to be jailed.
No Fault swept the
nation in the 1970s. Religious leaders either were mute or
ineffectual in fighting it. The result: one divorce for every two
marriages every year since 1973. Jesus said, 'What God has joined
together, let no man put asunder.' Since 1970, America has put
asunder 39 million marriages shattering 36 million children.
'Presidential candidates ought to be asked if they support a federal
law to replace state No Fault laws with Mutual Consent, if children
are involved and no major faults are alleged. Government has an
interest in the future of children, and they'd be best served if
their mother and father worked out their differences,' McManus
asserted.
2. Require Shared
Parenting
If parents agree to a
divorce they should have equal access to the children 'Joint Custody
or Shared Parenting. Sole custody virtually removes one parent from
the lives of their children. However, of the six states which passed
the strongest Joint Custody laws, five also enjoyed the largest
drops in the divorce rate: Montana, Kansas, Connecticut, Idaho and
Alaska. Why? If a parent knows he/she will have to interact with the
other parent, there is less incentive to divorce. "A federal law
that required Mutual Consent and Shared Parenting could cut divorce
rates in half that could save $40 billion of the $150 billion cost
of broken families," McManus estimated.
3. Set Aside 2% to 5%
of State Welfare Surpluses To Strengthen Marriage.
When Welfare Reform
was passed in 1996, the $16 billion federal payment was frozen even
if welfare rolls fell. They did drop 61%, giving states an annual
welfare surplus of $9.8 billion. The law mandates states to reduce
'out-of-wedlock births,' and to 'increase two-parent families.'
However, both have gotten worse since 1996 Ohio set aside 1% of its
surplus, $12 million, to strengthen marriage. McManus urges that
candidates for President be asked, 'Would you pass a law requiring
all states to set aside 2-5% to promote marriage' Cities with 114
Community Marriage Policies signed by clergy saw a 17.5% drop in
divorce in seven years and some fell 50%. Cohabitation also fell by
a third in CMP cities vs. similar cities over a decade. Marriage
rates are also rising."
For a transcript of
Mike McManus remarks, visit the following website
www.marriagesavers.org.
An actual video of the speech will be posted within a couple of
days.
