U.S. divorce rate falls to lowest since 1970

Baltimore Sun/AP ^ | May 10, 2007 | David Crary

[Dianna]

One reason, if you’re cynical enough, is because thanks to the government, there is no reason to get married anymore. Therefore, the people who get married must really want it to happen and want it to work.

Or it could be the fact that we have more older Americans than younger and they divorce less.

[LWalk18]

Or it could be the fact that we have more older Americans than younger and they divorce less.

That's a good point. The article did say that people are marrying five year later than they did 37 years ago, which lower the rate of divorce as well.

[Clemenza]

Actually, its simply a case that more people (including myself) are CHOOSING not to get married. THAT’s a fact and their were several articles posted about it on FR months ago.

[Trailerpark Badass]

With the current legal climate a guy would have to be a total idiot to get married.

Don't know if 11 years counts as "current," but this idiot has never been happier.

[Pikachu_Dad]

80% of men never know what hit them. They thought the marriage was fine.

[null and void]

You, sir, are a lucky man.

[null and void]

Yeah, I waited until I was 38. Didn’t help. *sigh*

[69ConvertibleFirebird]

Fewer marriages means fewer divorces per capita.

My first thought as well. With fewer marriages there must be fewer divorces. But at least Bill and Hilary are going strong!!! (barf)

[Trailerpark Badass]

You, sir, are a lucky man.

Some of it's "luck," to be sure, if by "luck" you mean the grace of God.

I think it's more of choosing well and doing what is needed to maintain a functioning, positive relationship.

Don't marry a crazy (fun, sexy) bitch, that goes a long way. And for those guys who "didn't see it coming," your friends did.

[luckystarmom]

My husband’s parents divorced in the 70s, and it devastated him. He does not want to go through that, and he really does not want to put his kids through it.

Of course, his brother and sister are both divorced, so that’s not the case for every kid of divorced parents.

[null and void]

*shrug* I thought I chose well.

[qam1]

Xer Ping

Ping list for the discussion of the politics and social (and sometimes nostalgic) aspects that directly effects Generation Reagan / Generation-X (Those born from 1965-1981) including all the spending previous generations are doing that Gen-X and Y will end up paying for.

Freep mail me to be added or dropped. See my home page for details and previous articles.  

[SteveMcKing]

"Overall, marriages will become more stable only if the lower two- thirds of the population starts behaving like the top third," Martin said.

"Lower two-thirds" Martin? Are we being a bit jerkish?

Because overall, I am a better person than 99% of everybody, and you all need to become more like me.

Bonehead. I'd love to peel into Martin's personal life and find out which segment *he* represents.

[sneakers]

Congrats! We’ll hit 26 years on May 30th. It hasn’t always been easy, but worth hanging in there. We’ve learned to take the good with the bad.

[GOP_1900AD]

Boomers are getting too old to want to divorce, younger generations are less likely to do so.

[the invisib1e hand]

Actually, its simply a case that more people (including myself) are CHOOSING not to get married. THAT’s a fact and their were several articles posted about it on FR months ago.

Not so, if the statistics are "divorces per marriage," which was one of the first questions raised on the thread.

[Yo-Yo]

It's divorces per capita.

From the article:

Some experts say relationships are as unstable as ever -- and divorces are down primarily because more couples live together without marrying.

[KC_Conspirator]

Yes, I am about to unleash my soon to be ex wife on these fewer guys as well - may God have mercy on their souls.

[neodad]

Nothing better than when you can drop the “soon to be” from “ex-wife”