The 1996 act now known as “welfare reform” begins with these words: “The Congress makes the following findings: (1) Marriage is the foundation of a successful society.” The law also makes an economic case for boosting marriage, explaining that a key reason for overhauling welfare policy is to “end the dependence of needy parents on government benefits by promoting job preparation, work, and marriage.” More marriages mean fewer people on government rolls. These claims should give us pause. The idea that marriage will solve poverty has historically been fraught with racism; the infamous
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