Is opting out of marriage smart or foolish? #tellusatoday

A drop in marriage could spell trouble for the economy, a recent column argued ("Regan: Marriage is going out of style, and that could hurt"). Comments are edited for clarity and grammar:

I am a huge proponent of marriage. It is going down the tubes because people do not understand or value commitment, and so they bail as soon as the stars fade from their eyes or they spot something (someone) more appealing.

— Scott Sarah Griffiths

Also, some people don't believe the government has any place in marriage and aren't very religious, so they choose not to get married. I know plenty of non-married couples who are more "married" than others who are technically married.

— Ward W Morris

The column states that Millennials increasingly choose to live at home. No, they're not "choosing" to live at home; they can't afford to pay rent or buy a house. Many have to live at home. And let's not talk about how out of control weddings have become. Why would you spend so much for a few hours? Millennials who opt out of traditional relationships are smart.

— Carrie Peterson

If Millennials are staying home, then it is their choice. A wedding need not cost anywhere near what people spend. Again, that is a choice. Marriage does not have a price tag attached to it.

Americans are too used to finding scapegoats. Be an adult and find a way to get married, just as other generations have done.

Marriage is the stabilizer of any society. If we do not have lasting marriages, the United States will disappear faster than the Roman Empire.

— Pater Kloster

We asked our Twitter followers what they thought about the declining marriage rate. Comments are edited for clarity and grammar:

Millennials value marriage after establishing career and financial success.

— @spinuzzi_shanon

People today would rather "shack up" and just live together. It's rather sad.

— @WhitneyKugel

Besides love, marriage takes four C's: companionship, communication, cooperation and commitment. All this is too much for some.

— @MYtruthMYtweet

Since women are more career-oriented than in 1960, marrying and having kids is no longer a top priority.

— @JeffOstach

For more of this discussion, follow @USATOpinion and #tellusatoday on Twitter.