Marriage and Poverty

[Dave Roberts]

Tom Ehrich in a Religious News Service column titled "The real threat to marriage." He observed:

"It seems to me the institution of marriage is alive and well--and in serious trouble...The trouble is poverty. The less affluent you are, the more likely you are to have a child without the benefit of a partner, at an age too young for effective parenting, and in chaotic living arrangements"

To me, that hits the nail on the head. What do others think?

[Tim Bonney]

[Ed Pettibone]

[Dave Roberts]

[Tim Bonney]

Dave, I've seen what you've seen with poor unwed Moms and missing fathers.

As to the others, are there stats as to how many middle class and upper middle class folks are just living together? I didn't know if the census tracks that kind of thing. My impression here is that nearly every couple lives together sometime during their engagement before they are married. Others choose to live together for some time, years maybe, before getting married or never get married. I still do a lot of weddings. But the landscape of marriage has really changed.

[Dave Roberts]

[Ed Pettibone]

[Dave Roberts]