Promoting family and religion as foundations of freedom and civil society.
When marriages and families are healthy, communities thrive; when marriages break down, communities break down. While the family is a private matter, government needs to refrain from imposing laws and regulations that have the effect of weakening the family.
Some examples are tax laws that penalize marriage; welfare programs that make it more profitable for mothers to remain single; laws permitting same-sex marriage or civil unions; laws and practices that weaken parental rights; and laws that make adoptions subject to challenge.
In addition, the huge growth of government programs has had the effect of weakening the family by taking over functions that the family has traditionally performed. The growing social acceptability of single parenthood has deprived countless children of the intact families they need and deserve.
Similarly, while religion is a private function, the government and the culture need to give it a place in the public square and recognize its great benefits to society. Private organizations like the Boy Scouts need to be free to operate according to their traditional values and not forced into a secular-liberal mold.
