Despite the genius of our Constitution, our freedoms will eventually collapse if the moral pillars undergirding them disintegrate. This idea that the Constitution alone is not sufficient to sustain our liberties is no insult to the framers. They clearly understood this truth. It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other. Daniels understands that these are more than lofty words.
Family values are at the root of America's greatness.
Yet they are under assault from powerful forces today. Both major political parties acknowledge the fundamental importance of morality and family values in our society. Democratic vice presidential candidate Joseph Lieberman, who used the Adams and Washington quotes in a recent speech, has made such issues a central part of his campaign message. Two-parent families are not just important to their children, they are crucial to a healthy society. Married men and women live longer, experience less depression, alcoholism and substance abuse, and have higher income and savings levels.