The Census Bureau recently noted that only 23.7 percent of the U.S.
population fit the '50s stereotype of heterosexual married couples with
children. Even in the "golden age" of the '50s, the figure was just under 50
percent. Until this election cycle, most social conservatives supported
candidates and policies based on the married with children "ideal" family
model. It may be the ideal, but it is no longer widely practiced, including
by many conservative evangelicals. Researchers have found many conservative
Christians live in states where divorce rates are highest. These states
overwhelmingly oppose same-sex marriage. Too bad they don't do a better job
supporting opposite-sex marriage in which they claim to believe.
No politician can "fix" broken heterosexual marriages. If they could, some
of those mentioned above would have fixed their own. The crumbling
"traditional" family is the result of many social and cultural factors. The
solution, like the fault, lies neither with government, nor with
politicians.
While "character issues" can overlap with other concerns when considering
for whom to vote, conservative evangelicals are beginning to see them as
less important than who can meet the multiple challenges faced by the
nation. Put it this way: if you are about to have major surgery and your
only choice was a church-going doctor with a high mortality rate, or an
agnostic with a high success record, which would it be? I'd choose the
agnostic.
Conservative evangelicals have grown up. But they still can't stand Hillary
Clinton, though she's only been married once and is a Methodist. Jimmy
Carter, also once married, only lusted in his heart. It makes one nostalgic
for the "good old days."