Sunday, May 9, 2010

Living family values

June Carbone of University of Missouri-Kansas City has taken a look at family values in red and blue states and found a distinct difference. She wrote a book titled Red Families Vs. Blue Families. She had an interview on NPR with Guy Raz today. Alas, there is no transcript yet, so details are from listening online and pausing to type.

Blue states (those that voted Democratic 2004 & 2008) have lower divorce rates, lower teen pregnancy rates. Put another way, these states stress: grow up, get established, get financially sound, then have a family. A young person has a good idea of a viable marriage partner when one marries near age 30.

Red states have higher divorce rates, higher teen pregnancy rates. In these states it is expected one will avoid teen sex and get married out of college so one is getting established and starting a family at the same time. Marriage is at a younger age and a person doesn't yet know what a viable marriage partner means and can't tell who might fit the criteria.

Meaning, blue states tend to have families that are what the red states say is idea. States where teen pregnancy is dropping are also shifting from red to blue.

So who preaches family values?

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