Although I was politely asked to leave this discussion a couple of months ago, you may find the following interesting. Also unsettling for anyone advocating that government be in the marriage business.
“Though mutual assent is necessary to enter into a marriage, the marriage itself is a status or relationship rather than a contract, the rights and obligations of the parties thereto being fixed by the law instead of by the parties themselves”
There is a common misconception that a government marriage is a contract between the husband and wife. That assumption is not quite true. There are three parties: The bride, the groom and the government. The bride and groom merely agree (assent) to be governed by the government’s rules. The government reserves the exclusive right to itself to change the rules at anytime.
It is the price the couple pays in exchange for a bundle of exclusive subsidies and privileges.
