Government Should Get Out of the Marriage Business

The government has no business in our bedrooms, and has no place defining what marriage is.  Marriage is a religious and social institution.  Federal, state, and local governments have more important things to worry about, and the federal government should only concern itself with powers specifically granted by the Constitution.  

All current government recognized marriages should be converted to civil unions, governed by state contract law.  Two people (or more for that matter), regardless of whether male or female, should be able to enter into a civil union, recognized as a binding contract by the government, in the same way that “traditional marriage” is today.  

Creation and dissolution of the civil union should be as simple as creating or dissolving a business partnership or corporation.

Any religious or social component is purely at the choice of the individuals, and should be of no concern to the State.  If they want to be “married” then they should have the appropriate religious ceremony of their choice, completely independent of their legal, civil union.   

In response to the argument that this will cause a breakdown of society, it is clear that the system in its current form is already broken, as approximately half of all marriages end in divorce, infidelity is common, and many children are born and raised out of wedlock.  

Simplifying and codifying the process under contract law will end the incessant bickering between gay rights advocates and the movement to preserve the so-called “institution of marriage.”  

It will also end unnecessary legal challenges that only serve to pump money into the wallets of those engaged in the legal profession.  The contract can clearly state penalties for infidelity, change of heart, or a myriad of other issues, and can spell out ahead of time the specific terms of any future dissolution.  

As the government does not have the right to determine who you do business with, it should not have any say with regard to whom you choose to spend your life with.  
It’s time to put the “Marriage Debate” behind us and focus on the REAL problems we face.