Refocusing on Marriage

Randy Hicks, President of Georgia Family Council
August 19, 2011

The current political climate shows us how difficult it is to get people on opposite sides of the political divide to come together and agree on something. All the rigmarole in Congress these days is proof of that.

So when two people with opposing political views come together and agree, it’s worth noting. And when they not only agree, but also propose solutions to a problem, well, that’s really worth noting.

Yet, that’s exactly what two academics have done addressing “The Marginalization of Marriage in Middle America.” W. Brad Wilcox is a conservative Professor of Sociology at the University of Virginia and the Director of the National Marriage Project. Andrew Cherlin is a liberal Professor of Sociology and Public Policy at Johns Hopkins University.

They are both concerned about the instability of marriage and families, particularly among “moderately-educated Americans,” or people who graduated high school, but don’t have a college degree. This segment of the population includes more than half of everyone in our country between the age of 25 and 34.

It turns out these moderately-educated young adults are cohabiting at high rates and increasingly giving birth in these relationships. They are twice as likely as their college educated peers to get a divorce and they are seven times more likely to have a baby out of wedlock.

Wilcox and Cherlin point to two factors contributing to this marked rise in family instability among Middle America – economics and culture. Changes in our economy like automation and globalization have meant fewer jobs that require a moderate amount of skill. These jobs aren’t as stable and well-paying as they once were, meaning men who hold them are less marriageable. As a result, there are few marriages and more divorces among moderately-educated Americans.

Cultural changes are also to blame. Non-college educated young adults are “less marriage-minded.” In other words they are more accepting of sex outside of marriage, out-of-wedlock childbearing and divorce. They are also less likely to be connected to a religious congregation, which can encourage stronger marriages. Also, changes in family law have shifted the emphasis from the bond between the married couple to the connection between parent and child.

So what can be done about this? Wilcox and Cherlin suggest six “policy responses” to help restore marriage and family. Again, they differ politically, but have agreed on some solutions. Here are a few of them.

Increase training for middle-skill jobs. One way to encourage more stable marriages is to help moderately-educated Americans get more secure “middle-skill jobs” by providing training for positions that don’t require a college degree. These include jobs like technicians, licensed practical nurses and construction workers.

Expand the Child Tax Credit. One way to address the financial strains effecting marriage stability, while encouraging childbearing in marriage, is to increase the federal per-child tax credit to $3,000 and make it fully refundable. This would ease the economic burden on low and middle-income families raising children and possibly encourage higher marriage rates.

Reform divorce law. No-fault divorce laws, which allow a spouse to unilaterally abandon their marriage, have undermined marital commitment for years, particularly among low income couples. States should impose a one year waiting period for couples with children, offer optional reconciliation services, and require educational programs explaining the harms visited upon children of divorce.

A conservative professor and a liberal professor see it clearly – the families of less educated adults in Middle America are in a fragile state. Brad Wilcox and Andrew Cherlin acknowledge that restoring marriage in this demographic is complex. It will require all sorts of initiatives and dramatic cultural change, some of which they disagree about. But they are agreed that marriage matters and kids do best when raised by their married mother and father.

We’ve seen a lot of rankling among leaders over political and economic issues these days. It’s too bad more attention isn’t being focused on restoring marriage in Middle America. We’ll see a lot more prosperity in our economy and our homes if healthy families are formed and remain intact. 

Randy Hicks is the president of Georgia Family Council, a non-profit research and education organization committed to fostering conditions in which individuals, families and communities thrive. For more information, go to www.georgiafamily.org, (770) 242-0001, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .