Only Half the Story / Healthy Marriage = Healthy Children & Society / Vote!! - 2/24/09

[Smartmarriages]

- MARRIAGE-BENEFITS PR CAMPAIGN ONLY TELLS HALF THE STORY
- HEALTHY MARRIAGE/HEALTHY CHILDREN/HEALTHY SOCIETY
- SHOULD THE GOVT SPEND MONEY TO PROMOTE MARRIAGE?

####################################

- MARRIAGE-BENEFITS PR CAMPAIGN ONLY TELLS HALF THE STORY

California Healthy Marriages Coalition Says National Media Campaign on
Marriage Only Tells Half the Story

SAN DIEGO, Feb. 23, 2009 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The $5 million campaign
about Marriage paid for by the Federal government has stirred up a lot of
controversy. Some critics say the government shouldn't promote marriage,
while others say the money would be better spent helping people survive the
economic downturn. California Healthy Marriages Coalition president Dennis
Stoica has mixed feelings about the current advertising campaign. "Research
on the benefits of marriage," says Stoica, "makes a clear case about its
benefits -- including better health, more money, and better sex -- plus
numerous well-known benefits for children. But it's also clear that not all
marriages get these benefits -- it depends upon the quality of the marriage.
That's why I wish the national advertising campaign also talked about the
importance of Marriage Education and Relationship Skills classes."

Stoica points out that Marriage Education makes a big difference in how
couples feel about their marriage. In the recent statewide survey conducted
by his organization, 22% of Californians have participated in some kind of
relationship education program, not including pre-marital education, and 95%
of these found the classes helpful. This finding from The State of
California's Unions fits with many research studies on the benefits of
Marriage Education.

"It's not enough just to promote marriage," says Stoica, "because almost
everyone knows that close to 50% of marriages fail. We need to help
marriages succeed because this will have a big, positive ripple effect
across our culture." Stoica says the cost of social services related to
divorce and family fragmentation in California alone is currently estimated
at $4.8 billion per year. His organization, the California Healthy Marriages
Coalition, is the recipient of the Federal government's largest Healthy
Marriage grant, at $2.4 million a year. "When we look at the amount of money
our work can potentially save taxpayers, I'd like to see the government put
a lot more money into Marriage Education and Relationship Skills classes,"
says Stoica.

For the past three years, the California Healthy Marriages Coalition (CHMC)
has taught proven relationship-building skills to California couples. CHMC
offers these classes through a network of partnering organizations located
throughout California. Local class information plus resources such as the
statewide survey, The State of California's Unions, are available on
http://www.CaMarriage.com/

##############################
- HEALTHY MARRIAGE/HEALTHY CHILDREN/HEALTHY SOCIETY

And, to further the argument wherever you have it - across the back fence or
at the statehouse or leaving comments at a newspaper (see below) ­ use these
incredible resources developed by the California Healthy Marriages
Coalition.  Order from CHMC:

http://www.smartmarriages.com/uploaded/Healthy.Marriage.Healthy.Children.pdf

http://www.smartmarriages.com/uploaded/Healthy.Marriages.Healthy.Society.pdf

##############################
      
- SHOULD THE GOVT SPEND MONEY TO PROMOTE MARRIAGE?

The Chicago Sun Times website reran the USA TODAY article about the Benefits
of Marriage PR campaign and then mounted a poll on it's website that asks if
the Govt should spend money to promote Marriages.  IF ONLY they'd asked
"Should the Govt help educate people about how to have successful
marriages".....   But, they didn't.  And the votes are running 84% against.

Vote here.  And, leave a comment. (I tried to leave a comment but couldn't
get my registration to "take".  Grrrr.  Wanted to comment to the effect that
we don't need to promote marriage - the vast majority of American's already
want a successful marriage.  The poll should ask if the govt should help
educate people about how to make their marriages satisfying and successful.)

http://www.suntimes.com/lifestyles/1446134,CST-NWS-marriage24.article
 

####################
Do not hit "reply" to respond to this email. This mailbox is not monitored
and you will not receive a response.

Instead, create a new email and send submissions and comments to moderator,
Diane Sollee: diane at smartmarriages.com  (In other words, do NOT simply hit
"reply". If you hit reply your email will disappear into cyberspace.)

This is a moderated list. All submissions are read by Diane Sollee. Please
indicate if your comment is NOT to be shared with the list.  PLEASE include
your email address and/or url as part of your signature. With thousands of
subscribers, not all comments can be shared.

Also realize that opinions expressed are not necessarily shared by members
of the Coalition.

To SUBSCRIBE, UNSUBSCRIBE, or Change your subscription address,
visit: http://www.smartmarriages.com/app/Newsletter.Subscribe

To read past posts to the listserv, visit the Archive at:
http://lists101.his.com/pipermail/smartmarriages/

13th Annual Smart Marriages® Conference, Shingle Creek Resort,
Orlando, Florida, July 6-12, 2009 (General Conference July 8-11)
Pre-Conference Training Institutes July 6-8
Post-Conference Training Institutes July 12
 
Shingle Creek Resort: http://www.rosenshinglecreek.com/

Conference schedule, registration, & exhibit information:
http://www.smartmarriages.com/conferencedetails.html

List your program and resources on the Directory of Classes at
http://www.smartmarriages.com/directory_browse.html

Order conference audio & video CD/DVD/MP3s: 800-241-7785 or
http://www.iPlaybackSmartMarriages.com

Coalition for Marriage, Family and Couples Education, LLC (CMFCE)
Diane Sollee, Director
5310 Belt Rd NW, Washington, DC 20015-1961
http://www.smartmarriages.com
202-362-3332

FAIR USE NOTICE: This e-newsletter/site contains copyrighted material the
use of which has not always been specifically authorized by the copyright
owner. We make such material available in our efforts to advance
understanding of marriage, family, couples, divorce, legislation, family
breakdown, etc. We understand this constitutes a 'fair use' of such material
as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law. In accordance with
Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed
without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the
included information for research and educational purposes. For more
information: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. If you wish to
use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go
beyond 'fair use', you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.