Should government legislate marriage between CONSENTING adults

[Betonblck]

This is a spinoff of the polygamy thread and I was curious on your thoughts since this seems to be a very controversial topic.

By listing CONSENTING adults in the topic, this gets rid of the ridiculous comparisons like marrying your dog or cat. 

So do you think government should be involved in personal relationships?  Legislating the definition of marriage and deciding what's "right and wrong" between consenting adults? 

Article is only posted to show that yes, you will get locked up for marrying more than one woman.
http://www.cbsnews.com/83...162-20045769-504083.html

(CBS/WWMT/AP) WALKER, Mich. - West Michigan man Richard Barton Jr. faces a polygamy charge after a wife he left in Rhode Island saw wedding photos of him with another woman on Facebook.

PICTURES: Most outrageous mug shots

Michigan State Police arrested Barton of Grand Rapids Wednesday, according to CBS affiliate WWMT.

The Grand Rapids Press reports the 34-year-old Barton said "I let love get in the way," speaking Friday outside a Walker, Mich.  home where he is staying with friends. He also says he "made a mistake" but declined further comment.

Barton is free from jail on a personal bond after being arrested Wednesday, according to WWMT.

Barton's first wife says the two met online in 2003 and he moved to Rhode Island so they could be together. They married in 2004, but the woman says Barton didn't return from work one day and she discovered he had been arrested as a parole absconder from Michigan.

Barton had been convicted of home invasion in 2000, then fled Rhode Island after his release from prison, says WWMT.

Barton and the Rhode Island woman who married in 2004 had discussed divorce but never acted on it. He married the Grand Rapids woman in July, 2010.

Barton faces felony charges of polygamy, which carries a penalty of four years in prison and/or a $5,000 fine. He was arraigned Thursday and faces additional charges due to his status as a habitual offender.

 

[xilegacy]

no

 

[grypr33]

Is there some kind of financial gain to be had from polygamy? If there's not an exploitable financial benefit from having more than one spouse, the government shouldn't have anything to say on it.
Four years in jail is %++!%@! ridiculous.