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Rebuttal statementsDefending the motion: Ron Haskins, Senior Fellow, Economic Studies Program If we could devise ways to increase the marriage rate with modest negative outcomes such as somewhat increased divorce, adults, children and society would be better off. But can it be done? Against the motion: Stephanie Coontz, Teacher, The Evergreen State College, Olympia, WA

Opening statements Defending the motion: Ron Haskins, Senior Fellow, Economic Studies Program The question of whether the government is involved in marriage has already been answered in the affirmative by the many local, state, and federal laws and regulations that affect marriage. Against the motion: Stephanie Coontz, Teacher, The Evergreen State College, Olympia, WA Rumours of the death of marriage are greatly exaggerated. Marriage rates are calculated on the basis of how many women over…

(CNN) -- How could they not have known they were asking for trouble? In the past few years, Rep. Mark Souder of Indiana had an affair with the staff member who had helped him produce a video promoting sexual abstinence. South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford flew to Argentina for an extramarital tryst, instructing his staff to tell the press he was hiking the Appalachian Trail. Sen. John Edwards tried to pass off the daughter he fathered as the love child of one of his aides.

FLORIDA, October 20, 2012 - All too often, people mistake fiction for fact. Considering that we live in an era where the lines between entertainment and information have been blurred almost beyond comprehension, this becomes an indescribably challenging problem.We also live in an era of delayed marriage or, in many cases, no marriage at all. More people than ever before are choosing to cohabit or remain single. The once marginalized childless trend is gaining popularity as well.

FLORIDA, October 19, 2012 -The American family can only be described as a work in progress.The times are changing very quickly, which has resulted in the traditional family unit being questioned. In some cases, old ideas are undergoing adaptation to our society’s emerging social norms. Needless to say, this has left more than a few in a state of aggravation. Many of these people believe that America should return to a bygone era during which everything seemed to be a bit simpler. Were…

This past weekend, the New York Times ran an op-ed by Stephanie Coontz in reaction to Hanna Rosin’s new book, The End of Men. Hanna responded earlier this week. Now it’s Coontz’s turn: