Does that mean Ann doesn't know where we are coming from, struggling to survive as a family? Obviously She has had struggles herself: Cancer, Multiple Sclerosis, not to mention her husband being gone on business trips a lot of the time. However, does she understand what mothers struggling to provide for their family are going through?
First I want to talk about the fact that this was Ann Romney's CHOICE, when many women do not have this choice. They say about 70% of mothers are in the workforce... the media tends to make it sound like none of those mothers have a choice. There are plenty of women out there who CHOOSE to work. Their husband makes plenty of money to support the family, but they choose to have a career. Then there are those who CHOOSE to work because they want to maintain a certain lifestyle. Then there are those who CHOOSE to work because that is the only way they can pay the bills and put food on the table. All three types of mothers work HARD to support their family. My point in this article is that there are women out there who have no choice in the matter, they have to work to provide for their families. However, a large number of women in the workforce truly CHOOSE to be there.
My mother is an example of a woman who chose to stay at home with her children, against my father's wishes. She felt that it was important for us to have someone at home for us. To support us in all of our extracurriculars and be there to help with homework and just talk whenever we need it. When she wasn't helping her children she was helping others in the community; bringing meals, visiting widows, etc. Because of this choice she is still living in the small starter home my parents bought more than 30 years ago. We never had the expensive cable plans or fancy playlets and toys, but we had our mother home and that is what means the most to my sisters and I now that we are grown. She could have worked so we could have all of those things, but she CHOSE not to.
Ann Romney also CHOSE not to, although it was probably a much easier choice. However, just because she stayed at home does not mean she doesn't know what women are going though (and it does not mean her husband is out of touch either).
When they were young, newly married and newly inducted into parenthood the Romneys lived in a cheap basement apartment while going to school. Mitt graduated first and then the couple moved to Boston so he could attend Harvard Law and Business... where Ann finally gained her Bachelors by taking night classes.
Later she was diagnosed with both MS and breast cancer while raising 5 boys. She would begin her days as a mother teaching her kids out of the scriptures and while they were at school she did charitable work as well as took care of the affairs of the household. That sounds like she knows what it's like to struggle to me.
The Romneys are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The organization of the church is similar to the government, there is a President and his cabinet (or the Quorum of the 12 Apostles), followed by state governments (or Quorums of the 70 assigned to areas around the world), then there are the county governments (or stakes, over a certain number of wards or branches), finally there is the ward or branch which is one congregation. Within each ward there are several home teachers (men) and visiting teachers (women) all assigned to a few families to visit each week. Every adult member has this assignment unless they specifically ask not to be included. Both Ann and Mitt Romney had people to visit and ensure were taken care of. These people were their friends, and not necessarily wealthy like themselves.
The kinds of problems they would have to deal with while serving in the church range from providing meals to those who need them to anonymously dropping food at homes that needed it. They would know about people who have lost their jobs and even their homes and offer help in any way they can. That is the job of a home teacher and visiting teacher. Mitt Romney also served as Bishop (the leader over one congregation) and as Stake President (leading over multiple congregations) where he would view the struggles of his friends on an even larger scale.
Ann Romney knows where working moms are coming from.
Not only does she, but I think all mothers are on the same page. All mothers have to run their household and make hard decisions. Pay-cuts may mean groceries are tight for a while. Mothers watch their neighbors struggling, seeing men losing jobs and women having to wait tables to support their families (a profession which people do not respect, might I add. Do you realize that the ONLY money most waitresses in the country get are the tips you give them? That is a story for another day). These women worry that their family could be next. When Wall-Street and the Auto Industry were in trouble do you think the wives of those men working were worried that next month they might not be able to make their house payment? Do you think these women don't worry that something terrible will happen to their husbands while they are away and it will fall upon their shoulders completely to provide for their children?
I think the Romneys understand more than a lot of people how women and families struggle and they want to help. Their plans may seem to favor the rich, but they favor those who CREATE JOBS. If companies can't afford to pay employees then they are not going to hire employees. The rich might pay less of a percentage in taxes, but they pay a MUCH higher dollar amount. Giving them a higher rate like The Buffet Rule wants to would actually only account for a small portion of the deficit. Cutting Spending will do much more than raising taxes.
If you want a look into what the REAL Romney is like from the view of a Democrat who knew him check out this article.
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