Is There Really a "War on Women"?

Republican presidential candidate, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and his wife Ann Romney greet supporters …The Mommy Wars entered the political arena on Wednesday, as Democratic pundit Hilary Rosen slammed Mitt Romney's wife, Ann Romney, for being a stay-at-home mom.

Taking issue with the way the GOP presidential hopeful credits his wife for opening his eyes to the concerns of women and the economy, Rosen told CNN: "His wife has actually never worked a day in her life."

Almost immediately, Ann Romney took to Twitter to defend herself. "I made a choice to stay home and raise five boys," she Tweeted. "Believe me, it was hard work."





The rest of Rosen's quote -- that Ann Romney has "never really dealt with the kind of economic issues that a majority of women in this country are facing, in terms of how do we feed our kids, how do we send them to school, and why do we worry about their future" -- has largely been ignored. The working-mom-vs.-stay-at-home mom fires were reignited and, this time, the ones who have criticized the Republican party for waging a "War on Women" were fanning the flames.

But is there really a War on Women? Or has it turned into a war for women voters?

A quick look at some of the most recent GOP-backed bills around the country makes it easy to understand why women feel under attack. Laws mandating ultrasounds before abortions abound. Legislators are vilifying single moms and saying that women should stay in abusive marriages. Birth control has become a religious and moral issue, even for married women. And in Wisconsin last week, Republican governor Scott Walker repealed the state's Equal Pay Enforcement Act, undercutting Romney's concerns about women in the workforce.

Though the Obama administration has made a point of avoiding the term "War on Women," Democrats have underscored the idea that women are being marginalized by the Republican party.

"These are the anti-government ideologues," House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi said in New York recently. "They don't believe in government -- clean air, clean water, food safety, public safety, public health, public education, medicare, medicaid, social security -- they don't believe in a public role except when it comes to a woman's private rights."

"I do think that the conversation has been oversimplified," President Obama said while unveiling a new report on women and the economy last week and touting all of the ways that the Affordable Care Act has helped women so far. "Women are not some monolithic bloc. Women are not an interest group. You shouldn't be treated that way."

But while both parties race to curry favor with women voters, the line between the political and the personal is becoming increasingly blurry -- and that may be causing more confusion than anything else. Staying home with your kids may be a career choice, but defending that idea makes people wonder whose side you're on.

"Every mother works hard, and every woman deserves to be respected," tweeted first lady Michelle Obama, a comment that garnered rude personal attacks from some and confusion from others, who asked why the first lady was suddenly "Pro Ann Romney."

Meanwhile, it seems that motherhood carries more political weight than even the economy. "By attacking @AnnDRomney, @hilaryr managed to do what hadn't been poss. before tonight: Uniting the Right behind Romney. Heckuva job, Hil," Conservative commentator Michelle Malkin quipped on Twitter. "Elitist pro women are skeeeeered of real GOP moms. Always have been," she added.

Copyright © 2012 Yahoo Inc.




Also on Shine:

Staying home with your kids is a career choice
New report on women and the economy underscores issues that impact all of us
Democrats are wrong about women and contraceptives