Strong Families Bring a Strong Economy
Strong Families Bring a Strong Economy
(Washington, D.C.) – A recent American Enterprise Institute report finds that higher levels of marriage – and especially higher levels of married-parent families – are strongly associated with more economic growth in the United States. The report shows states that are among the top twenty percent for married-parent families have a per-capita GDP that is $1,451 per year higher than that of states that are among the bottom twenty percent. The top twenty percent of states also have significantly higher upward income mobility for children from lower-income families, a 13.2 percent decline in the child poverty rate, and a $3,654 higher median family income compared to the bottom quintile. As suggested by these findings from AEI, stronger families are associated with stronger economic outcomes.
Daniel Garza, Executive Director of The LIBRE Initiative, released the following statement:
“Our values, as a community, have time and again translated into economic growth for the U.S. From our entrepreneurial spirit to our strong family bonds, Hispanics have proven that strong-rooted values are rewarded in a free society. Unfortunately, it seems that for years government policies have been crafted with little attention to how they affect the bottom line of American family budgets. Instead of making it easier for couples and families to pay their bills and build a future, we get inflated health insurance costs, new taxes, and a higher cost of living – as well as a doubling down on the destructive policies that break families down instead of building them up.
As this study shows, the number of married parents in a state is one of the top predictors of the economic outcomes, and the Hispanic community is one of the groups with the highest percentage of married-couple households with children under 18, at 56.7 percent. This underscores how important it is for lawmakers to move away from policies that make it more difficult for families to thrive. Every U.S. citizen should be able to support and raise a family, and government should be there to promote that goal, not put it out of reach.”
For Interviews with a LIBRE representative, please contact Brian Faughnan, 703-678-4581 or Josh Rivera, 202-763-4428
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