What is you opinion of the marriages of the GOP candidates?

[hjmick]

No poll, just a topic for discussion.

It was recently asked in a similar thread why no one was questioning the marrital relations of the GOP candidates, so I figured what the hell? Why not start a thread about their marriages, failed and otherwise?

Personally, much like the Clintons, I couldn't care less. Divorce is not an issue for me. Perhaps this is because I am a child of divorce, my first marriage ended in divorce, and I am not particularly fond of religious doctrine. I have never been of the opinion that unhappy people should stay together for the "sake of the children," I believe this is bad for the children. I don't believe that two unhappy people should stay together because of vows exchanged in a church. It is, IMO, unhealthy, both mentally and physically, for two people who are miserable in their relationship to stay together. It is unhealthy for them, any children involved, and for those in their circle of family and friends.

[Cheyenne]

.... I am a child of divorce, my first marriage ended in divorce, and I am not particularly fond of religious doctrine. I have never been of the opinion that unhappy people should stay together for the "sake of the children," I believe this is bad for the children. I don't believe that two unhappy people should stay together because of vows exchanged in a church. It is, IMO, unhealthy, both mentally and physically, for two people who are miserable in their relationship to stay together. It is unhealthy for them, any children involved, and for those in their circle of family and friends.

And that is exactly why it is important to have your act together before attempting marriage and to choose the right person. Granted, good people get divorced, that's not what I'm saying. But vows before God & witnesses to each other is serious business.

You may not be fond of doctrine but you can be close to God without a home church. And as with any human enterprise there is gonna be human error.

[5stringJeff]

And that is exactly why it is important to have your act together before attempting marriage and to choose the right person. Granted, good people get divorced, that's not what I'm saying. But vows before God & witnesses to each other is serious business.

[hjmick]

And that is exactly why it is important to have your act together before attempting marriage and to choose the right person. Granted, good people get divorced, that's not what I'm saying. But vows before God & witnesses to each other is serious business.

You may not be fond of doctrine but you can be close to God without a home church. And as with any human enterprise there is gonna be human error.

I can't argue with the having your act together part.

I was young when I got married, 22 when my first daughter was born. While I have no regrets, I readily acknowledge that I was unprepared for married life, as was my ex-wife.

And I won't argue with the religious aspects.

I fault no one for their beliefs and respect them all, it's just not my bag. As a recovering Catholic and self described Agnostic, I go through life doing my best to respect others...right up until the moment they don't act in kind.

[Cheyenne]

I can't argue with the having your act together part.

I was young when I got married, 22 when my first daughter was born. While I have no regrets, I readily acknowledge that I was unprepared for married life, as was my ex-wife.

That is a bit young. But I think age is only a small factor.

That's why I asked in another thread,
Do you think pre-marital counseling/questionnaire would have helped?

[Abbey Marie]

Regarding the two threads:

I think there is a real difference between divorcing a spouse after trying everything to make it work, and getting pleasured by an intern in the Oval Office (with your spouse down the hall, no less).

Also, I don't think divorce has the stigma it once did with voters.

[hjmick]

That is a bit young. But I think age is only a small factor.

That's why I asked in another thread,
Do you think pre-marital counseling/questionnaire would have helped?

That's an interesting question.

At the time we started planning the wedding I wasn't active in the Church at all, but I was not yet the full Agnostic I am today, and we considered exchanging vows in the Catholic church (At the time I still held some spiritual connection with the church). We approached a church and spoke to the padre who in turn informed us that a prerequisite to being wed in the church was a series of classes and a couples retreat all designed to emphasize the seriousness of marriage and the meaning within the church, among other things. We opted for a more simple route and skipped the church wedding, partly because my faith wasn't really that strong nor was it all that important and partly because we were young and in love.

In retrospect, the process would probably been very much worth the effort, but you know what they say about hindsight.

[GW in Ohio]

My wife and I have kept our marriage together for 23 years.

However, I don't judge anyone who is unable to keep a marriage together. I have no idea what pressures other people are under.

As for political figures, it's none of my business whether they're married, divorced, gay or lesbian. My only concern is what kind of president, or senator, or congressperson they would make.

I'm well aware that politicians in the past have felt a need to maintain the facade of a marriage and family when it was just a facade and a sham. I wish the American voter didn't find it necessary to require their leaders to be monogamous heterosexuals.

[April15]

My wife and I have kept our marriage together for 23 years.

However, I don't judge anyone who is unable to keep a marriage together. I have no idea what pressures other people are under.

As for political figures, it's none of my business whether they're married, divorced, gay or lesbian. My only concern is what kind of president, or senator, or congressperson they would make.

I'm well aware that politicians in the past have felt a need to maintain the facade of a marriage and family when it was just a facade and a sham. I wish the American voter didn't find it necessary to require their leaders to be monogamous heterosexuals.

So you think a gay president could take this country to war? Or balance a budget?


























They sure couldn't do any worse than some of the straight president we have!

[Trigg]

For what it's worth.

Many people today don't take marriage seriously and tend to leave when the going gets tough instead of trying to work things out. With or without kids you shouldn't jump ship as soon as the going gets tough.

That said, I don't have a problem voting for someone who has been divorced, things happen. People who get married and divorced time after time after time have problems and those people I wouldn't want to see in the white house. Simply because I would tend to see them as people who run from their problems instead of confronting them and not thinking things through before making a life changing decision.