...because that's how you deal with private matters?

Oh FFS.

Conventional wisdom holds that about half of U.S. marriages end in divorce

Conventional wisdom is, as usual, oversimplified and misleading. It's almost as if it's not "wisdom" at all.

Maybe instead of a waiting period for divorces, we should have a 9 month waiting period before marriages?

You know what? I like this idea simply because it would force the "ZOMG WE MUST PRESARV TRADISHUNAL MARRIGE" jackwagons to put their money where their mouths are, since they care so much about where other people put their mouths.

They're for small government except when they're not.

WTF. This is none of the government's damn farking business.

How does this get me more divorce clients?

I would be for this, as well as a mandatory one year waiting list prior to marriage. Want to preserve traditional marriage? Start with the heterosexuals who've diminished it through hitching up with the first hot person they meet and finding out a year later it wouldn't work.

Marcus Aurelius: They're for small government except when they're not.

you know the authors are liberals, right?

CanisNoir: I would be for this, as well as a mandatory one year waiting list prior to marriage. Want to preserve traditional marriage? Start with the heterosexuals who've diminished it through hitching up with the first hot person they meet and finding out a year later it wouldn't work.

LEAVE BRITNEY ALONE

Since I live in the backwater hick state of North Carolina, we have a one year waiting period before you can get divorced. My brother is currently separated from his wife, and is waiting for that year long period to come to an end.

This kind of bullshiat does not save marriages. If one or both of the two persons involved in a marriage are determined for it to end, it will end, no matter the waiting period. If both of the persons involved in a marriage feel they may be able to reconcile their differences and repair their marriage, they shouldn't and probably wouldn't need a forced waiting period in order for that to happen.

This is just more proposed legislation of morality.

Quasar: CanisNoir: I would be for this, as well as a mandatory one year waiting list prior to marriage. Want to preserve traditional marriage? Start with the heterosexuals who've diminished it through hitching up with the first hot person they meet and finding out a year later it wouldn't work.

LEAVE BRITNEY ALONE

I guess the question is: whose tradition is the question. Catholics? Episcopalians? Baptists? Shakers? Jews? Hindus? Piute? Unitarians? Presbyterians? Universalists? Muslims? What about atheists?

If folks want to limit marriage within their own churches, drive on. Requiring folks be members? Drive on. Requiring folks take classes within their own faith for a year? Drive on. I have no problem if churches make these requirements within their own congregations.

I have a problem when folks want to impose these sorts of things by law.

Many years ago I conceived of an alternative marriage maintenance system:

All marriages will be 5-year legal contracts between the two people. When the five years comes to a close, you can either renew the contract and throw another huge party, or you can end the contract and go your separate ways.

This way, all those retards getting married in Vegas because their genitals think it's a good idea will have pause to consider. Couples who are no longer willing to stay together have a fixed date to work toward in finalizing the divorce and their divorce becomes a nearly-automated procedure. And couples that stay together enjoy five year renewals of their devotion to each other.

Problem solved.

Vote Citizen Ted 2012.

That might be the worst idea I've heard this year. And this was a year filled with bad ideas.

The mission of the Minnesota Couples on the Brink Project is to develop, disseminate and evaluate best practices to help couples at high risk for divorce who are uncertain whether to divorce or to try to rebuild their marriage, and to enhance the capacity of therapists, lawyers, clergy and other professionals to work effectively with these couples.

Doesn't sound bad, but now he's using his position as director to push for changes in the law to FORCE couples to try to reconcile.

Oh - and by the way - he's also a practicing marriage counselor.

The Minnesota legislature funded the project in 2010 via a small surcharge on marriage license fees in order to help the state develop capacity to assist couples who have not been adequately served by traditional services.

Let's pull this asshole's funding. Now.

BravadoGT: Marcus Aurelius: They're for small government except when they're not.

you know the authors are liberals, right?


Riiight, that's why the report was produced in cooperation with the right wing American Values Institute - a "traditional values" organization that has, among other things, been vocal in its opposition to gay marriage, non-married cohabitation, and (of all things) online gambling. Despite being portrayed as a liberal judge, Leah Ward Sears has a long history of playing footsie with these highly socially conservative groups.

BravadoGT: Marcus Aurelius: They're for small government except when they're not.

you know the authors are liberals, right?

Crap! I'm glad you told me. Now I have to change my opinion to be in favor of this, even though I think it's a ridiculous farking idea and another government intrusion into the private lives of citizens.

Sorry, doesn't work that way.

Diogenes: Sorry, doesn't work that way.

...for liberals.

CitizenTed: Many years ago I conceived of an alternative marriage maintenance system:

All marriages will be 5-year legal contracts between the two people. When the five years comes to a close, you can either renew the contract and throw another huge party, or you can end the contract and go your separate ways.

This way, all those retards getting married in Vegas because their genitals think it's a good idea will have pause to consider. Couples who are no longer willing to stay together have a fixed date to work toward in finalizing the divorce and their divorce becomes a nearly-automated procedure. And couples that stay together enjoy five year renewals of their devotion to each other.

Problem solved.

Vote Citizen Ted 2012.

Either the 5-year Ferengi marriage contract becomes standard, or people have to live together for a year before getting married. You kn ow, to make sure they're compatible for marriage.

/would love to see heads explode at the thought of people having to, by law, "ZOMG LIVE IN SIN BABY JESUS WEEPS".

No, that's dumb...

How 'bout we just let folks figure it out for themselves whether they be gay, straight or otherwise?

If you choose poorly, well, that's what divorce lawyers are for.

Just what we need. More stupid laws.

Also, "Traditional Marriage" is the most loaded, bullshiat terms...

Just throw a "one of..." in there.

itsdan: Conventional wisdom holds that about half of U.S. marriages end in divorce

Conventional wisdom is, as usual, oversimplified and misleading. It's almost as if it's not "wisdom" at all.

Especially since last I looked, its the multitude of 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc. marriage that drive that number up.

1st time marriages last longer, go figure.

//can't find the statisticals, still looking.