As a parent of a 2 year old, I recognize the House GOP's tactics.

[Barack_America]

Button-pushing, limit-testing, tantrum-throwing...all straight out of the toddler's play book.

Banking on the more rational and responsible parent to give into their irrational and irresponsible demands.

All experts and parenting books seem to agree, you must stand your ground with such creatures. NO NEGOTIATING! (even if it means walking out of a restaurant -or- shutting down the government). Give in to them and you'll only end up with a more insolent and demanding creature than you started with.

The House of Representatives age requirement was designed to guarantee a certain level of maturity amongst its members. Unfortunately, the Founding Fathers did not envision the idiocy of modern day Republicans.

[orpupilofnature57]

1. Jefferson identified the " Monied " interests of this country

as the new Enemy, in 1814 .

[MADem]

2. Big fat rec for your subject line alone!!!!!!!!!!!

Though the rest of your post was right on the money, too!

Give in to them and you'll only end up with a more insolent and demanding creature than you started with.

[wandy]

3. K&R Like you said....

Give in to them and you'll only end up with a more insolent and demanding creature than you started with.

[Barack_America]

8. Dems have been giving in for years...

..and now look what we're dealing with. Time to make a stand.

[1StrongBlackMan]

20. Governing is not parenting ...

And effective parenting is not effective governing. The consequences of failed governing are far more impactful for We D. People, than the impact of failed parenting.

[Barack_America]

21. When one-half of the government insists on acting like children, it is.

Though I agree that the stakes are much higher when people with the mentality of toddlers are allowed to run the government.

[1StrongBlackMan]

22. So ...

IMO, the solution is not spending time and resources proving you are the adult; but rather, using them to remove the "children" from positions of influence.

[northoftheborder]

4. How many of us are contacting our red-state reps today and tomorrow? Is it a waste of time?

[Cleita]

5. Yes, thanks for articulating what it is.

Considering that most of them have had a privileged background, they were probably raised by nannies who didn't set boundaries so the behavior has persisted through adulthood.

[phantom power]

6. It's true, sometimes we parents just have to do battle

Lock and load, my poppets. Lock and load...

[DhhD]

7. Ted Cruz to the Time Out Naughty Chair until our president says he can leave.

[redstatebluegirl]

9. K&R

I think they all need a time out, or taken to the woodshed and told to pick their own switch....

[Rex]

10. Please don't insult your 2 year old.

Even they figure out when enough is enough. The GOP, on the other hand, will take us all down with them. And go down kicking and screaming like it was our fault as they fall faster over the cliff.

What we are watching here is the biggest train wreck coming since the invention of steam power.

[Barack_America]

12. Lol. My 2 year old is better behaved.

I like to think it is because I don't give in to his fits.

The House GOP has been coddled so long they're at Veruca Salt's level now.

[bvar22]

11. The last 5 years have proved this true:

[font size=3]"Give in to them and you'll only end up with a more insolent and demanding creature than you started with."[/font]

There is NO Third Way.
There is no Sensible Middle Ground or Pragmatic Compromise.
Any concession is another surrender.




[font color=firebrick size=3][center]"If we don't fight hard enough for the things we stand for,
at some point we have to recognize that we don't really stand for them."
--- Paul Wellstone[/font][/center]
[center][/font]
[font size=1]photo by bvar22
Shortly before Sen Wellstone was killed[/center][/font]

[kelliekat44]

23. I loved this man. nt

[ccinamon]

13. LMAO -- I just sent a ltte making this very point

I just sent this 2 hours ago and come here and your post is one of the first I see!

Here's my letter....will let y'all know if it get's published....I hold out no hope as it is the Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Dear Editor:

In the last 5 years the Republicans in the House of Representatives have refused to bring ANY jobs bill to the floor of Congress for a vote, and now they are threatening to shut down the government, refuse to pay our bills, and take income away from our military and other government workers because the Supreme Court found the Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare) Constitutional and they don't like the ACA. They refuse any offer of compromise, their mantra for the last year has been OUR WAY or NO WAY.

This is nothing more than a temper tantrum by a bunch of grown men and women acting like petulant 2-year olds who refuse to recognize the needs, wants and desires of the majority of citizens (and voters who ARE in favor of the ACA), but instead they are bowing down to corporate and wealthy interests who do not like the ACA (aka Obamacare).

[ColumbusLib]

17. Excellent!

Very we'll said.

[ccinamon]

18. Thanks!

I appreciate your reply!

I hope they publish it....so many TeaIdiots around here.....hoping I can wake up a few moderates/borderline clueless people!

[Schema Thing]

49. I'll be looking for it (DFW DU'er here)

[bvar22]

24. Well Done.

I hope it gets published.
I also hope more DUers follow your example.
Your LTTE hit all the right points!

[uponit7771]

37. +1

[CrispyQ]

47. I hope it gets printed.

Very well said!

[Snake Plissken]

14. Baggers are the Miley Cyrus of politics

They belong on MTV and not in Washington

[hue]

15. Welp, the Repukes are spoiled brats to say the least!! POTUS--stand Your ground!!

[LiberalElite]

16. I hope I don't have to

send President Obama a helpful book on How to Deal With Difficult People.

[etherealtruth]

19. "all straight out of the toddler's play book."

For that line alone I give this a K and R

[Ron Green]

25. Russian dash cam videos on You Tube...

These are very much like house Republicans in action.

[Brigid]

26. Even this non-parent knows better . . .

Than to give in to a two-year-old throwing a tantrum. I am rather surprised that Obama doesn't seem to recognize the symptoms; after all, Sasha and Malia were once toddlers.

[Barack_America]

27. It has to be odd for Obama...

...realizing his two young daughters have more maturity and common sense than many of the elected officials he has to deal with.

I hope this one comes back to bite them in the ass big time.

[calimary]

28. As the mother of two - who USED to be two-year-olds, we had thing strategy called "The Position."

It was recommended to us by a parent/family counselor friend. Only effective when they're that little, though.

Kid throwing a temper tantrum in the middle of the cereal aisle at the grocery store? Here's what you do:

First, leave the store, or wherever it is. Go outside. Even just to the sidewalk or entry way or out back or someplace like that.

Then:
Sit down on the floor (or ground), cross-legged, with the kid in your lap. Up against a wall or door so your back is well-braced.

Envelope the kid, physically.
Maneuver your legs so that your feet are gently resting on top of their little legs. Again, GENTLY.
Wrap your arms around the trunk and upper body of the kid. Again, GENTLY.
Hold them CLOSE, BUT NOT TIGHT. Again, you simply want to ENVELOPE the kid. CONTAIN him/her. Prevent them from flailing their little arms and legs. But nothing too constricting!!!! They should be able to breathe freely, and yeah - even scream and yell and bellow and whine. Allow enough wiggle-room, but NOT TOO MUCH. Again, NOTHING tight or constricting or suffocating in any way. CONTAIN them.
As you hold them close, with your back supported by the wall behind you, crane your neck around so you're literally cheek-to-cheek with the child and pull him/her in really close to you, so you can start whispering little things directly into their nearest ear. WHISPER!!! ('Cause that little ear is really close, literally at your lips!) Even if they're yelling and screaming and you're sure they're drowning your voice out. Little affirmations like "Mellow." Or "calm down." Or "relax." Or "it's okay. It's okay." Repeated and repeated and repeated again and again. I used to just murmur, softly, "mellow. Mehlllllllowww. Mehllllllllllowwwwwwwwww." over and over and over.

And you do that til you outlast 'em. As long as it takes. Sometimes it'll take awhile. Be prepared for it to take more than just a minute or two. I had to sit there on the sidewalk in front of this Mommie and Me gym where I'd just extracted my son from some kiddie party in there - for at least 20 minutes before he finally gave up and calmed down, after he'd worked himself up into a real shit-fit inside.

As long as it takes, and you can gauge it by the kid's behavior. You can let up, as the child begins to tire or maybe even starts giving up. But you don't release them so they can toddle away until they have STOPPED the unwanted behavior. If they crank back up after initial surrender, tighten your containment a little. But mind you, never THAT tight.

It works on several levels, not just non-punitive but firm and loving, nurturing, literally embracing and protecting. Peaceable. Superior force applied so gently that they don't feel a thing except that they lose freedom to thrash and flail and maybe hurt themselves and often, injure you, too.

I often find myself thinking that somebody ought to put some of these teabaggers into "The Position" for awhile. But doing it now is long past too late. They should have had this done when they were two or three years old. THAT'S when it might have made a little difference.

[kentauros]

36. That technique reminds me of the video "An Engineer's Guide to Cats"

and their technique for punishing bad behavior, "Corporal Cuddling":

Not that it would work on republicans. They just need to be smited

[calimary]

58. Hilarious! Sent it straight to my Facebook page!

[grantcart]

46. My mother had a shortened form of this

First, leave the store, or wherever it is. Go



At which point you see her moving quite quickly and were on a chase to the car. Of course right before that she said "In 5 seconds I am going to leave you here forever".


You tried it once but when you saw how fast she moved for the parking lot you learned your lesson.

[Kber]

48. I did this with my daughter when she was 18 to 30 months

Never necessary with my son, but my daughter could throw a tantrum during which the only parts of her touching the ground were her heels and the back of her head.

For minutes on end. Seriously - think demon possession! I think sometimes she scared herself!

The only thing that calmed her, eventually, was an enforced cuddle in the rocking chair or closest available equivalent, otherwise I was afraid she might hurt herself by flailing a leg or arm into a corner or wall.

She's 8 now and hasn't had a real tantrum since she was 2 1/2, but they were truly epic to behold!

[calimary]

57. LOL!!! I hear ya, Kber! "Think demon possession!" EXCELLENT!!!!!

MANY of us moms found ourselves blurting out references to Linda Blair and her guacamole ooze in "The Exorcist"!!!

If I had a nickel for every time I heard one of those...

[meti57b]

29. Rec for "toddler's play book" ..... LOL!!!

[madrchsod]

30. my two year old granddaughter is living with me...

it`s somewhat entertaining at times to watch and listen to her go off on a crying and rolling on the floor meltdown.

if i do`t do anything she figures out.."well that didn't work"...but sometimes grandpa breaks down and gives her a hug.

yup ...the republicans are just like my two year granddaughter .well..... they certainly are not a cute!

[seabeyond]

31. boundaries. they need clearly defined boundaries or they have meltdowns. nt

[Barack_America]

32. Here's hoping Senate dems give the GOP what they need...

...rather than what they're demanding.

5 years of poorly defined boundaries has created quite a monster. Veruca Salt comes to mind.

[yuiyoshida]

33. AS ALWAYS....

Some body's Party needs a TIME OUT.

[Motown_Johnny]

34. I think it is an attempt at minority rule

They know that the demographic shift in this country spells the end for their party. They need a way to forward their agenda when they can only hold a minority position in government.

They have no other card to play.

[livingwagenow]

35. I hear Vitter knows a thing or two about diapers. knr nt

[Festivito]

38. Paging Jo Frost! Please come to our capitol. Our children have run amok.

I think it would make a lovely Hallmark Hall of Fame two-hour special.

[ReRe]

39. K&R

I can definitely relate when it come to the behavior of two-year olds and the behavior of Republicans. No difference in the two!

[Orsino]

40. Having seen Billy Mumy on the Twilight Zone, I recognize the result of those tactics...

...when backed by near-infinite wealth and power.

[raging moderate]

41. This is straight out of Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged."

In my twenties, I devoured as many books as possible in my spare time. I read several of Ayn Rand's works. One of them envisions a time when the benevolent billionaire "Job Creators" get tired of the untermenschen workers' unreasonable demands and organize a general billionaires' strike. In Ayn Rand's over heated imagination, worldwide savagery causes an immediate breakdown of civilization. The workers soon realize that they CAN'T control themselves in an adult manner, and that they AREN'T smart enough to do financial calculations, and that they don't know HOW to run industry or government, and that they NEED to be bossed around and kept on short rations. Then they cry and apologize and beg the billionaires to take over again, and promise never to question the wisdom of their Overlords again. Or something like that (It was over forty years ago). All these tantrums, funded by Koch brothers and their cohorts, are strikingly similar to Ayn Rand's fantasies.

[DissidentVoice]

42. I thought they used this strategy

Meaning, threatening to hold their breath until they passed out.

Another two-year-old demand.

[CrispyQ]

43. It makes me question people who continue to support the repub party.

Seriously, how does one defend this?

[Barack_America]

50. Unfortunately, many were elected to do just this.

Such are the supporters of the tea party, perpetual 2 year old whiny babies.

[grantcart]

44. You forgot the 6 year old "do over"

He loses a game but demands a do over until he eventually wins.

[SoCalDem]

45. I see them more as hostage takers.. finger?? ear?? toe??

They just cannot decide which to lop off first..no matter what their demands are, they know they will not be met.. They are reluctant to murder the hostage, but they are willing to remove appendages..

[saidsimplesimon]

51. Thank you for the post BA

we agree.

It is my hope (so far proving to be realistic) that my grandchildren would embrace the art of gathering consensus, It begins with shared values. Children are not born bullies, they learn by example.

[Jamastiene]

52. That is EXACTLY what they are doing.

If we reward their negative behavior, they will repeat it over and over again. It is long past time to give them some of that "tough love" they supposedly believe so strongly in and NOT give in to them, for once.

[Nye Bevan]

53. Yep. Also familiar from the last shutdown.

[2naSalit]

54. Oh yeah

Can't argue with that!

a point I've been making since the impeachment of Bill the Clinton.

[AlbertCat]

55. age requirement was designed to guarantee a certain level of maturity

Well, the corporations that have bought them are not "people".... they are toddlers. Corporations are spoiled 2 year olds, my friend.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

56. hear here! n/t