On Red State/Blue State Family Values

The New York Times checks in with a story that once again highlights what we already know: That the states that crow about moral and family values the most – and, not coincidentally, those that vote for Republican presidential candidates – are the ones where people marry earlier, get divorced more and where more babies are born to teenage mothers.

The article cites a Census Bureau analysis of marriage, fertility and socioeconomic characteristics and shows that, on average, people in the Northeastern states, California, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin get married four years later than in conservative strongholds like Idaho, Kentucky, Oklahoma and Utah.

And despite being steeped in so much religion and moral conviction, Red States produce teenage mothers at double the pace of states like New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts. The study also found that the percentage of births to unmarried mothers was highest in the South.

And, on that note, it's almost time to start another sinful, immoral weekend here in the Northeast.