The State of Marriage in America

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Marriage, once the cornerstone of American society, is today a bruised and battered institution. With divorce rates near fifty percent and only a small fraction of homes consisting of a man, woman and child — younger generations are growing up in what experts call a “culture of divorce.”

In an effort to salvage the traditional family, religious conservatives have teamed up with politicians and are pushing solutions like “covenant marriages,” binding legal agreements that make it harder to get divorced. These arrangements are most popular in Bible belt states where divorce rates are among the highest in the nation. But critics warn that legislating family values isn’t the answer and the government is overstepping its reach. Tying the knot, examining the state of America’s unions.

Guests:

Samantha Lesher, 27 year-old graphics designer from Sherwood, Arkansas

John Mayoue, practices family law in Atlanta, Georgia

Dennis Rainey, Executive Director of Family Life in Little Rock, Arkansas.