Focus on Moms Hurts GOP

Republicans don't seem to realize it yet, but they have been duped.

Go back two weeks, before CNN contributor Hilary Rosen said Ann Romney's economic credentials were suspect since she doesn't work. Critics, including Mrs. Romney, have pointed out that she has raised five boys and that is hard work.

But, again, go back two weeks. The left was going on and on about the "War on Women" as legislation in Washington and statehouses across the country seemed to them to challenge progress on women's issues. 

Then, about a week before Rosen had her say on Ann Romney's economic bona fides, a new response emerged from the GOP — and it was a good one. They started to point to unemployment reports that show women have lost lots of jobs under President Obama and a lot of the jobs created in the recovery have gone to men. 

Sit a few of these women down in front of the camera and Republicans couldn't ask for a better rebuttal. It challenges Obama's credit with women and brings the issue back to the real meat of this election: jobs and the economy.

Then we get to Rosen, who apparently can't see the resemblance between Mitt and his five campaign Pips. So, Rosen is trying to figure out what Ann Romney has been up to all these years and opines that Mrs. Romney certainly wasn't nose-deep in an economic text book.

Bam. The War on Women "flips" and now its Democrats left defending themselves from the perception that they're against stay-at-home moms. Ha. Ha. Jokes on the Dems.

With all this talk about how raising kids is the hardest job, Republicans are actually pulling attention away from one of the only good arguments they've had to upend the Democrats' lady base and pick up points on the economic argument.

Now, instead of finding work for women, Republicans are defending a woman's right not to work. 

For example, flipped the dial to Neal Boortz on Tuesday and he was giving some attention to a new credit card accountability act — and the consequences it will have on stay-at-home moms.

Should we ignore the struggles of a stay-at-home parent? No. No more than we should ignore the struggles of the uninsured. But, just as the Democrats spent the better part of the 2010 election cycle with their eye off the ball — the economy — the Republicans are facing the same trap in 2012.