Actually I know quite a few couples where that's the case. Not all startups mind you, I have this musician friend...

But I've seen the "wife has high paying job with steady income, husband is kinda fly-by-night" pattern often enough that I wonder if other people see it too.

I never did find that kind of a women myself. Damn!

That's great! Everyone loves this comment since so many of us are banking on it (or have lived it). It just brought to mind my reading of some interviews in "Creativty" (http://www.amazon.com/Creativity-Flow-Psychology-Discovery-I...). There was more than one great mind who attributed his success to having a wonderfully supportive/responsible wife. He apologized for his sexist remark, but admitted that he would never have had his successes if it weren't for his wonderful companion who freed him from so much responsibility. (Sorry for fabricating some of this from the top of my head; I can't locate the interview right now.)

Best comment ever

Unfortunately, this is what my ex-husband still believes. Not that he's started a business or anything, mind you.

That said, let's make the wild assumption that some women might be entrepreneurs, and rephrase this as: Isn't it the responsibility of the spouse to bring in a steady income?

Once you have kids, the answer is no.