California's Conservatives and Liberals Unite on Reducing Divorce

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Oct. 28 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- While a lot of media outlets and politicians are talking about the collapse in real estate values and climbing unemployment rates, it is also imperative to focus attention on the alarming high break up of families.  A new analysis released by California Healthy Marriages Coalition (CHMC) reveals that Californians with differing political views overwhelmingly agree on divorce-related policies.

For decades families have been breaking apart at an alarmingly high rate. CHMC President, Dennis Stoica, states, "The breakdown of the family cannot be forgotten. Imagine if the unemployment rate or was hovering around 50%, or half of Americans lost their homes. It would be considered a national crisis. The breakdown of families is affecting our children and future as a society. There are simple things we can and should be doing to stop divorce." CHMC has discovered that many Californians agree with Stoica, regardless of political views.  An unprecedented in-depth study, The State of California's Unions, commissioned by CHMC to determine views on marriage, divorce and marriage education across the state, revealed surprising accord across political ideology on divorce policies, including:

• When asked their level of agreement with statements about divorce, the vast majority of California respondents agree "divorce is a serious national problem in the United States." [88.4% Conservative, 82.0% Moderate, 73.5% Liberal];
• Californians of all political ideologies are supportive of public policies to improve relationships, strengthen marriage and reduce divorce. More than half of all respondents agree "government should provided additional resources to help strengthen families by strengthening marriages." [59.4% C, 53.5% M, 57.1% L];
• Approximately 80% of all respondents agree with public policies to reduce divorce as evidenced by their agreement with the statement a married couple with children "should be required to attend marriage education classes or couple's counseling" before the divorce is granted [87.4% C, 80.7% M, 77.0% L];
• An overwhelming majority of respondents also agree that if one person in the couple wants a divorce and the other does not that marriage education classes or counseling should be required before the divorce is granted. [81.6% C, 71.4% M, 69.7% L];

California's conservatives, moderates, and liberals agree that it is essential that government officials focus on strengthening the family and combating divorce.

For the past four years, CHMC has taught proven relationship-building skills to more than 60,000 Californians through Relationship and Marriage Education classes for all ages and stages.  A statewide clearinghouse of Relationship and Marriage Education classes, as well as The State of California's Unions and the new political analysis are available at www.CaMarriage.com.

SOURCE California Healthy Marriages Coalition