You're not being fair or realistic here, Drae.
You keep harping that the choice for her to stay home & raise her kids is completely on her & that's a load of crap. Within a marriage the decision as to whether or not someone will stay home is typically made by BOTH partners. Yes, there are many women who would love to be able to stay home & raise their children, but there are also many men who want or expect their women to stay at home. The fact that there was enough money being made for her not to have to work outside the home is a blessing I'm sure they both appreciated. Many men are proud of the fact that they can provide such benefits for their families, because it's not always easy to afford to do in today's society. If it was easier, many more families would have a parent at home with the children.
As far as contributions to a marriage being "equal", it doesn't have shit to do with money. Being the bread winner doesn't make him the more important partner in the marriage. I think you're too focused on the money itself & not what's really important. To say that her contribution was or wasn't worth a certain dollar amount is not for anyone else to decide. Different things have different values to different people, & in many respects it's a subjective thing. To some people, a parent staying home to raise the children is priceless.
He made the choice to dishonor his vows & destroy his family, & it's only fair that he be held accountable for that. Like Jordan said, the amount of that percentage is based on a person's income, & if it was someone who made less, they would've paid less. The only screwing over he got was what he did to himself.
It's also unfair to assume that love was not basis of the relationship. How can you say without knowing that she was just looking for "a comfortable lifestyle" & the he "probably wanted a family"?
It's funny that when it comes to a rich man, there's always a negative focus on the woman who dates or marries him, assuming that she just wanted him for his money. Sometimes it's true & sometimes not, BUT it makes no sense for all the focus to be on the woman & assuming she's some whore looking to get paid. There is also a negative side to some rich men in their pursuit of women. The ones who use their money as a way to buy the women they want are just as bad as the women who are looking to be bought. When it comes to whores & whoremongers, one can't exist without the other.
Great posts, TP & JC. I couldn't have said it any better.