California Lawmaker Seeks to Ban Spanking of Children Under 4

[-Cp]

SACRAMENTO — California parents would face jail and a fine for spanking their young children under legislation a San Francisco Bay area lawmaker has promised to introduce next week.

Assemblywoman Sally Lieber, D-Mountain View, said such a law is needed because spanking victimizes helpless children and breeds violence in society.

"I think it's pretty hard to argue you need to beat a child," Lieber said. "Is it OK to whip a 1-year-old or a 6-month-old or a newborn?"

Lieber said her proposal would make spanking, hitting and slapping a child under 4 years old a misdemeanor. Adults could face up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine.

Aides to the assemblywoman said they are still working on a definition for spanking.

Some Republican lawmakers called the idea ridiculous. But Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said he may be receptive to it even though he has concerns about how the ban would be enforced.

The governor said he and his wife, Maria Shriver, did not spank their four children and used alternative methods for discipline. For example, Schwarzenegger said they found it more effective to threaten to take away their children's play time if they didn't do school work.

"They hate that much more than getting spanked," he told reporters Friday in Los Angeles.

California law permits spanking by parents unless the degree of force is excessive or not appropriate for the child's age.

[Mr. P]

Heard this IDIOT on the radio...

California? What a shock!

[Gaffer]

Saw it on the news. Another silly off the wall liberal. The age for spanking kids is from 1 to 5. Cause that's where they learn the discipling from. They don't have to be beat just a smack on the bottom gets their attention and they know they are getting punished AND that you MEAN what you say.

Not to mention she wants to have the parent arrested and locked up for a year when the child is at its most formidable age. Yeah that makes sense.

[5stringJeff]

What an idiot. She obviously has nothing better to do than pry in other people's lives.

[Pale Rider]

How about if the kid slaps the parent? Does the kid face a fine and jail? Stupid bastard liberals.

[darin]

Saw it on the news. Another silly off the wall liberal. The age for spanking kids is from 1 to 5. Cause that's where they learn the discipling from. They don't have to be beat just a smack on the bottom gets their attention and they know they are getting punished AND that you MEAN what you say.

Not to mention she wants to have the parent arrested and locked up for a year when the child is at its most formidable age. Yeah that makes sense.

She's HOPING 'not-spanking' will raise MORE liberals. Dollars to Donuts EVERY adult liberal didn't have a parent who LOVED them enough to spank them. Liberalism is the BEST Proof the the biblical saying "Spare the rod - spoil the child."

[Gaffer]

What an idiot. She obviously has nothing better to do than pry in other people's lives.

That's all liberals do.

[Pale Rider]

That's all liberals do.

Because in the liberal mind, we're all too damn stupid to take care of ourselves. We need the liberals to rescue us from ourselves.