Coming to a theater near you: a pro-family Democratic Party

Matt Zeitlin worries that Democrats are missing out on a valuable opportunity by not vocally supporting the institution of marriage (of all kinds):

And do democrats have much to say about this? Well, gay democrats do. The weird thing is that gay activists and writers, who have traditionally been ambivalent – to say the least – about traditional family structures are now the ones trumpeting the social and individual benefits of marriage. Well, if it’s good for gays, it’s probably good for everyone else, right?! Another reason why Democrats should start playing cultural politics that expliciptly celebrates the two parent (of any gender!) family is that the GOP is doing it anyway. And the way they address the anxiety that many working class people, surrounded by family break down, feel is by “protecting” marriage in the most reactionary way – by saying it’s under threat from gays. Also, they are able to demagogue things like violence and sex in movies, which isn’t only illiberal, but doesn’t actually accomplish anything excepting furthering the cause of demagoguery.

Now, I don’t know exactly what policies Democrats should propose, but I do know that they should start framing their current policy agenda in a way that appeals to people whose economic insecurity and social immobility are compounded by family breakdown. [Emphasis mine]

With gay marriage – or at least civil unions – becoming somewhat more accepted, now seems like a good time for Democrats to push back against the Republican monopoly on “family values,” and claim the “pro-family” mantle for themselves.  And really, it shouldn’t be that difficult, since Democrats are actually working to implement policies that actually benefit families: universal health-care, an expanded Earned Income Tax Credit, and universal pre-K.  I don’t think Democrats need to adopt any new policies, they just need to get better at connecting their policy goals to the interest and well-being of both individuals and families (and for that matter, communities).

(h/t to Corey Spaley)