# Stupid liberal idea of the day **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 20, 2011, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086 "2011-04-20T15:35:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 11
**Author:** ![otternell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecc23a/32.png) [@otternell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/otternell)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2011, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/201 "2011-09-02T19:06:49Z")
Wow did I find one! To be fair, I don’t know if this person is a “liberal” but it is definitely a Stupid Democratic Idea of the day/month/year. [Babysitting legislation in CA](http://www.theunion.com/ARTICLE/20110830/BREAKINGNEWS/110839991/-1/RSS): > [@](#): > > Under AB 889, household “employers” (aka “parents”) who hire a babysitter on a Friday night will be legally obligated to pay at least minimum wage to any sitter over the age of 18 (unless it is a family member), provide a substitute caregiver every two hours to cover rest and meal breaks, in addition to workers’ compensation coverage, overtime pay, and a meticulously calculated timecard/paycheck. Maybe there is something good here that I missed, but it sure looks like a huge pain in the ass to me. It does look like its for 18 year olds who aren’t family members, so maybe its not that big of a deal, but it looks like a solution looking for a problem. ---
**Author:** ![Zeriel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/58956e/32.png) [@Zeriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeriel)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2011, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/202 "2011-09-02T19:30:06Z")
> [@otternell](#): > > Wow did I find one! To be fair, I don’t know if this person is a “liberal” but it is definitely a Stupid Democratic Idea of the day/month/year. > > [Babysitting legislation in CA](http://www.theunion.com/ARTICLE/20110830/BREAKINGNEWS/110839991/-1/RSS): > > Maybe there is something good here that I missed, but it sure looks like a huge pain in the ass to me. It does look like its for 18 year olds who aren’t family members, so maybe its not that big of a deal, but it looks like a solution looking for a problem. So in other words, you’re in favor of a tacit exemption to labor laws continuing for working class adults? The bill’s fine, especially as it doesn’t affect the primary babysitters of the world (namely teenagers). ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2011, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/203 "2011-09-02T19:43:24Z")
I can’t find the provision for a “substitute caregiver every two hours,” either, which sounds insane. ---
**Author:** ![otternell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecc23a/32.png) [@otternell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/otternell)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2011, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/204 "2011-09-02T19:45:32Z")
> [@Zeriel](#): > > So in other words, you’re in favor of a tacit exemption to labor laws continuing for working class adults? The bill’s fine, especially as it doesn’t affect the primary babysitters of the world (namely teenagers). No, I’m just concerned that putting the documentation burden on parents, not just commercial enterprises, becomes troublesome. The fact that the bill excludes teenagers is definitely a saving grace, and I definitely agree that all members of the working world have those rights. But I am also cognizant of unintended consequences, and it seems like this bill is opening a can of worms that won’t be easily closed or dealt with. Is there rampant abuse of personal care staff in private homes? I was not aware that this was a significant problem that needed specific legislation. Does current legislation giving workers those rights specifically exclude these types of employees? Edit: Vinyl Turnip, that was one of the clauses the article mentioned that really startled me, and made me question whether this was really a good idea. ---
**Author:** ![Strassia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e8c25b/32.png) [@Strassia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strassia)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2011, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/205 "2011-09-02T19:48:11Z")
> [@Zeriel](#): > > So in other words, you’re in favor of a tacit exemption to labor laws continuing for working class adults? The bill’s fine, especially as it doesn’t affect the primary babysitters of the world (namely teenagers). So you are saying that when our next door neighbor watches our kids for a few hours every couple of months, we should be find a second babysitter to come and relieve her for a break every two hours? She isn’t a nanny, she just like to babysit occasionally. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2011, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/206 "2011-09-02T20:01:21Z")
I don’t think it’s mentioned in that particular bill, but presumably the “every two hours” is a slightly spun interpretation of the California labor law that an employee is entitled to a 10-minute break for every 4-hour work period, and that it ideally should be taken as close to the halfway point as possible. Also that an employee who works five or more hours is entitled to a 30-minute lunch break. If they don’t get all the 10-minute breaks they’re entitled to for the day, the employer is supposed to pay an extra hour’s wages. [Cite](http://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/faq_restperiods.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2011, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/207 "2011-09-02T20:01:45Z")
> [@otternell](#): > > Wow did I find one! To be fair, I don’t know if this person is a “liberal” but it is definitely a Stupid Democratic Idea of the day/month/year. > > [Babysitting legislation in CA](http://www.theunion.com/ARTICLE/20110830/BREAKINGNEWS/110839991/-1/RSS): > > Maybe there is something good here that I missed, but it sure looks like a huge pain in the ass to me. It does look like its for 18 year olds who aren’t family members, so maybe its not that big of a deal, but it looks like a solution looking for a problem. What you’re quoting is an editorial by a right-wing Republican state legislator. I’m not going to slog through all the language of the bill, but I’m willing to bet that the whole thing is a bunch of crap. The bill mentions “nannies” which are a completely different thing than a babysitter. Nannies are a full time job every day, not working for three hours on a Friday night. I’m 95% confident in saying that this bill does not apply to what most people consider “babysitters.” ---
**Author:** ![Zeriel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/58956e/32.png) [@Zeriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeriel)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2011, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/208 "2011-09-02T20:25:50Z")
> [@Strassia](#): > > So you are saying that when our next door neighbor watches our kids for a few hours every couple of months, we should be find a second babysitter to come and relieve her for a break every two hours? She isn’t a nanny, she just like to babysit occasionally. Are you employing her as a babysitter? You don’t mention money changing hands. ---
**Author:** ![otternell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecc23a/32.png) [@otternell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/otternell)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2011, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/209 "2011-09-02T20:29:52Z")
> [@Lamar\_Mundane](#): > > What you’re quoting is an editorial by a right-wing Republican state legislator. I’m not going to slog through all the language of the bill, but I’m willing to bet that the whole thing is a bunch of crap. The bill mentions “nannies” which are a completely different thing than a babysitter. Nannies are a full time job every day, not working for three hours on a Friday night. > > I’m 95% confident in saying that this bill does not apply to what most people consider “babysitters.” Good point, I did notice that the language was too far over the top to truly be an objective source. I’m not particularly interested in reading the bill either, so you are correct that this may not qualify as a “stupid” idea, perhaps it was just described in a stupid over-the-top way. It certainly sounded like a stupid bill in the article, perhaps I was hasty. ---
**Author:** ![Rekd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Rekd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rekd)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2011, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/210 "2011-09-03T14:47:32Z")
Stupid fucking liberals. :twak: Why don’t they make it so us parents that watch our kids all day get a break every two hours? ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2011, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/211 "2011-09-03T15:54:14Z")
> [@Rekd](#): > > Stupid fucking liberals. :twak: > > Why don’t they make it so us parents that watch our kids all day get a break every two hours? Nobody’s stopping you. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/212 "2011-09-19T14:14:46Z")
[http://my.barackobama.com/page/s/join-attack-wire-today](http://my.barackobama.com/page/s/join-attack-wire-today) It just speaks for itself. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/213 "2011-09-19T14:21:46Z")
Yeah, how _dare_ they offer to give you the facts? ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/214 "2011-09-19T14:50:56Z")
**RNATB** , you don’t understand. It is every American’s God-given right to attack the President, with or without facts. And it’s been that way every since George W. Bush left office. Don’t buck tradition, friend. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/215 "2011-09-19T14:51:01Z")
I’m failing to see the stupid there. ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/216 "2011-09-19T14:52:56Z")
> [@Mollie\_Magill](#): > > I’m failing to see the stupid there. You’re looking at the link and not the poster. ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/217 "2011-09-19T15:09:04Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > [http://my.barackobama.com/page/s/join-attack-wire-today](http://my.barackobama.com/page/s/join-attack-wire-today) > > It just speaks for itself. What could be stupider than arming yourself to defend against attacks on a president you support using a few facts? Or is it just stupid to think the Right-wing attacks aren’t fact resistant? ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/218 "2011-09-19T15:34:34Z")
I seem to recall a [GOP website](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/05/28/gop-website-brings-out-th_n_591937.html#s94354&title=These_Colors_Dont) not all that long ago requesting ideas to make the country better. That was pretty stupid, insofar as asking the Internet for ideas without moderation is always a bad idea. Although: dinosaurs! ---
**Author:** ![Ace309](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ace309/32/1050_2.png) [@Ace309](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ace309)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/219 "2011-09-19T15:39:49Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > It just speaks for itself. Imagine it didn’t. What would you say then? ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2011, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086/220 "2011-09-19T16:11:25Z")
> [@Ace309](#): > > Imagine it didn’t. What would you say then? Res ipsa loquitor comes to mind. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086.md?page=10) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-liberal-idea-of-the-day/579086.md?page=12)