When it comes to women in the 2012 election, let's stop debating how to raise a family

Democratic strategist Hilary Rosen’s recent comments denigrating a women’s choice to stay home and raise a family, initiated a firestorm across this country.

It is also a safe bet that this issue has been raised in every political election year since 1920, when the women won the right to vote.

It is not surprising but almost comical that in an election year conservatives tried to associate Ms. Rosen’s comments with the president and liberals criticized Mr. Romney for defending his wife.

The sad thing is with so many real issues that impact women at the forefront of the 2012 election debate we are still all focused on one career path.

That career path has now come under attack by a woman who choose a career outside the home. That same woman is a successful professional who, I am sure, has been discriminated against due to her gender and sexual orientation. She also has had success following a career path which was made easier and more acceptable by women who came before her. Women like my mother, Geraldine Ferraro who, despite her remarkable career successes, still believed her greatest accomplishment was her family.

The issue for me in this ongoing debate about the role of women in our society and their vocations is not the career paths chosen, but the ability to choose a path.

The ability for women to shape the debate in the home or the workplace is paramount. Until the choice by a women or man to work at home and raise a family is celebrated there will never be gender equality.

Until that time we will not achieve equal rights for our young girls and boys.

In a year where the women’s vote could determine the election outcome, it saddens me that the issue at the forefront is not health care, entitlements or job creation, but the role of raising a family.

It is nothing short of ironic that the candidates seeking the presidency's best asset might not be their records on women’s issues, but their own accomplished spouses.

John A. Zaccaro, Jr., has over fifteen years of experience in the real estate industry. He is a Principal of P. Zaccaro Company Inc., a third generation full service privately held real estate investment  and management firm. He is the son of former Democratic vice presidential candidate and former New York Congresswoman Geraldine Ferraro.