Views concerning Making Marriage Work
Based on the interview conducted by Betty Ann Bowser regarding the institution of marriage in Oklahoma, the welfare program tries to help individuals especially married couples, who are psychologically affected as a result of broken marriages.
According to the governor, Mr. Frank Keating, poverty is one of the major reasons why most families end up being divorced. However, marriage is a long term commitment and individuals should not venture into it without knowing the risks involved. People who are planning on getting married should first be acquainted with each other before settling down on getting married.
According to rules and principles governing marriages, it has been instituted that marriage involves joining two people; in the end, combined understanding and resources tend to bear fruitful results economically (Bowser, 2002). This is true because individuals tend to meet new people and thereafter, fall in love within a short time frame. After some time, they become married without any adequate dating and proper understanding of each other.
In most cases, the newly weds end up in a financial compromising situations and become strained; as a result, one party displays violent behavior (domestic violence) while the other becomes demoralized leading to divorce. Furthermore, most men turn to alcohol and substance abuse and later become violent towards their wives. Norma Battice, a divorced mother of two children, can testify to spousal abuse from a drug addicted spouse.
The aim of the governor in using state funds to reduce the number of divorce cases is compulsory because it becomes obligatory for individuals to know each other, be able to come up with conclusive ways of solving family issues without fighting or arguing and assisting married couples in living a happy and prosperous life.
From the movie script, it can be seen that the co-director at the Center for Marital and Family Studies reaffirms that couples that have known each other for long end up resolving their disparities without using violence unlike couples that have not known each other for long. The co-director further illustrated that in the end chances of divorce are large in couples that cannot resolve conflicts peacefully.
In line with the issues faced by most marriages, and the approach implemented by the Oklahoma governor, it would be wise if the president of America, apart from proposing the reforms in the sphere of marriage education, also consider making the prep program a national affair so that every American citizen would be able to gain access to the program.
This proposal, which would cost about three hundred million dollars, would ensure that the American institution of marriage becomes stable and marriages lead to stable families. Though on the contrary, critics, for example, Wade Horn, believe that marriage education is a form of dating site for single Americans, who would not want to be associated with it. However, this is not the case since marriage education is meant to teach young couples the virtues of marriage and how to sustain their marriages.
In my opinion, a stable family would contribute to better upbringing of children and, consequently, accomplish the utmost objective for the American welfare policy. Even though this policy is under scrutiny by government agencies, I think it is meant for the well being of the American married couples. Quoting Betty Bowser, “this policy could mean that federal funds be used to develop marriage education programs just like the one in Oklahoma”.
Reference
Bowser, B. A. (2002). Making Marriage Work. Web.