When asked how he felt that his wife earns more than him, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie said, "Listen. I just have three words for you: joint checking account. That money all lands in the same place, baby."
In 2011, Mary Pat Christie, a bond trader, earned more than $307,000 whereas her Republican governor husband earned a bit more than half her pay, $175,000. The trend of the wife being the breadwinner of the family - a role reversal from the traditional Ozzie and Harriet family in sitcom of the 50s - has been gaining in the United States.
Dennis Cauchon of USA TODAY wrote:
A USA TODAY analysis of Census Bureau data reveals a revolution in the traditional roles of men and women that extends from college campuses to the workplace to the neighborhoods across this nation. Today, when one spouse works full-time and the other stays home, it's the wife who is the sole breadwinner in a record 23% of families, the analysis finds. When the Census started tracking this in 1976, the number was 6%.
What do you think of the trend?
When we got married, our mutual goal was to be in a position in which she could stay home and take care of our kids while I worked. We've gotten there in the past few years. The traditional gender roles don't work for every family, but they've worked well for us.
But I don't "wear the pants" in the family in the sense that I'm in charge. We're both in charge. We just have different roles. The fact that I earn the paychecks doesn't give me special authority.