They think they can force the '50s on America? They realize with house prices there’s no magical white collar job Howard Cunningham can get that will provide enough for a house and allow Miriam to stay home and care for Ritchie and Joanie, right? Even if Miriam has no education and there’s no choice, it’s not enough to support 4 people and a house.
Even beyond the textbook cruelty of subjugating one person under another based on sex like it’s Afghanistan, limiting education so they’re pliable and dehumanized and dependent, the fact remains: it’s impossible financially to re-create the McCarthy era no matter how much they really really want it in their twisted, poisoned hearts.