Traditional Marriage Needs and Deserves Our Support

Why is traditional marriage important and why should the Federal government support and preserve it? The answer is quite simple, and so commonly understood by our Founders that they never contemplated there being a debate on the subject, which is why the Constitution makes no reference to marriage. The answer: the institution of marriage establishes the best foundation for the family unit.

Children are best raised within a family that is lead by a married man and woman, what we call the traditional family. Today, many alternative child raising arrangements exist but we believe that there is ample evidence that children raised in a traditional family structure experience fewer problems and are more likely to become productive members of society. By contrast, children raised in alternative arrangements, such as single parent homes, are socially handicapped. For that reason we believe it is in the national interest to continue to support and encourage the traditional family structure.

If our nation sends the message that family units other than that traditional family have equivalent benefit in raising children then we are encouraging the establishment of those alternatives. That increases the likelihood that children will pay the price being raised in circumstances that are less than ideal.

Marriage and the raising of children is challenging and difficult. Through the years the federal government has taken steps to support marriage. For example, we permit married couples to file joint tax returns, relieving the cost of raising a family. We reward married couples in retirement, providing widow/widower benefits through Social Security. These are just two examples of how our government's policies have supported the institution of marriage.

The political activism of homosexuals, combined with the political activism of judges, has diminished traditional marriage by making it only one of many alternatives for the establishment of families. There are others who want to diminish marriage by making it nothing more than just another civil contract between two parties. All of this further erodes the view that society has of traditional marriage.

Consider that 50 years ago divorce was rare. Out of wedlock births were rare. Single parent homes were rare. Why?

The social view of traditional marriage and what you could do inside marriage, versus what you could do outside marriage, was much more widely accepted. That view was reinforced by social pressures which supported the need for marriage in order to establish a family. During the last 50 year we have taken a much more laissez faire attitude. Social pressures and stigmas are eroding and as a result we have more divorce, more out of wedlock births and more single parent homes.

Has this made our society better or worse? To us the answer is quite clear: society and our children are paying an enormous price for the deterioration of the traditional family.

Given the Federal judicial ruling on the subject of marriage, we see no alternative but to pass a Constitution Amendment protecting marriage. It is the only way to put stop judicial activism that is undermining traditional marriage.