New Report Profiles Attitudes About Marriage and Divorce in Michigan
 Michigan Family Forum recently partnered with the National Fatherhood Initiative (NFI) in the release of a new report profiling the attitudes of Michigan residents about marriage, aspirations for marriage, and past experiences with marriage. NFI conducted the study, which included a survey of 1500 residents in 25 states, including Michigan, where 404 residents age 18 and older were polled.
The findings were largely in line with similar polls MFF has conducted - most recently in November 2004. Michigan respondents continue to show strong support for lifelong marriage (89-percent), the belief that fathers are just as important for the proper development of a child (97-percent), and strong disagreement with the idea that "either spouse should be allowed to terminate a marriage at any time for any reason (73-percent). This final statistic is especially pertinent in Michigan, where no-fault divorce has been the law since the early 1970s.
"There wasn't anything in this latest survey that surprised us," said MFF Executive Director Brad Snavely. "For more than a decade, the public has consistently indicated strong support for marriage and a belief that divorce is a significant social problem that harms children."
To read MFF's Press release, click here. To see the national study, "With This Ring...A National Survey on Marriage in America," click here.
Student Loans May Impede Marriage
 At a recent forum in Houston, TX to discuss the impact of record levels of student loan debt, a speaker from the Howard Center for Family, Religion, and Society stated that the high levels of debt may impede marriage. Allan Carlson, the organization's president, said that "the rising level of indebtedness is harmful to society because student-loan borrowers are more likely to put off marriage and having children."
Other conference presenters argued that students leaving college strapped with high debt levels have a difficult time pursuing public service careers (traditionally lower-paying), going to graduate school, and saving money. They cite this as evidence for the decline in median earnings among households headed by 25-34 year-olds.
The Howard Center proposed that Congress use student-loan forgiveness as an incentive for child bearing. Under the plan, for every child born to or adopted by married parents, the federal government would pay off one-fourth of their outstanding student debt, up to $5,000 each for the mother and the father. Families with up to four children would be able to erase as much as $20,000 per parent from their debt. For more on this story, click here.
Women Who Cohabit Have Daughters Who Do the Same
A new study from Ohio State University says that when it comes to living together with a man, daughters often follow the lead of their mothers. The research showed that young adult women whose mothers reported cohabitation were 57-percent more likely than other women to report cohabitation themselves. In addition, the daughters tended to cohabit at earlier ages than other women.
Sociologists at the University conducted the study as "a first step in trying to determine how living together outside marriage may affect children who grow up in such an environment." The authors also said that while there is a significant amount of research on how divorce affects children, the Ohio State study is one of only a few to research the impact of cohabitation.
"Michigan Family Forum has long advocated against the trend toward pre-marital cohabitation," said Executive Director Brad Snavely. "One of our most recent publications, 'What Every Child Needs: the Unique Contributions of Fathers and Mothers,' includes several statistics indicating that children raised outside of a married-parent household are more likely to live in poverty and/or be abused. Our children deserve the safety and security of a loving, two-parent home."
To read more about the Ohio State University study, click here. To download a copy of "What Every Child Needs: the Unique Contributions of Fathers and Mothers," click here.
Happy Thanksgiving!
 The MFF staff would like to extend best wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving to all Forum Online subscribers. We truly have much to be thankful for. God has used MFF over the past year to accomplish much in the battle to preserve the family. We are grateful for the prayers and support of many friends throughout the state.
As we approach the conclusion of 2005 and begin looking forward to 2006, there is still so much to accomplish. The challenges are great, but MFF is committed to being the voice for Michigan's families at the Capitol, in the media, and wherever else our voice needs to be heard. We rely on the generosity of people just like you to help make it all happen. Would you consider a year-end, tax-deductible donation to help us have a strong start in 2006? It would be such a blessing to us! Click here to find out how you can support our work.
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