ninme

I was about to tweet this with a comment like, “Gosh, it would be hilarious if it accidentally passed” (and I could see it happening, too, the press ignores it and doesn’t poll on it and everyone, both lonely souls, the married, the sad sack divorcés and the ironic all vote for it):

SF Chronicle – Movement under way in California to ban divorce

John Marcotte wants to put a measure on the ballot next year to ban divorce in California.

The effort is meant to be a satirical statement after California voters outlawed gay marriage in 2008, largely on the argument that a ban is needed to protect the sanctity of traditional marriage. If that’s the case, then Marcotte reasons voters should have no problem banning divorce.

“Since California has decided to protect traditional marriage, I think it would be hypocritical of us not to sacrifice some of our own rights to protect traditional marriage even more,” the 38-year-old married father of two said.

So, y’know, it’s all kind of funny and whatever. But then:

The U.S. divorce rate is 47.9 percent, according to data provided by the National Center for Health Statistics reports. That figure, however, does not include California, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Louisiana and Minnesota because those six states no longer report their divorce rates to the center.

California stopped because of budget problems.

BUDGET PROBLEMS?! They can’t fax a sheet with a lot of numbers on it to DC because of budget problems?! Well, think of the savings if the state’s courts didn’t have to be tied up in divorce proceedings!