Government knows best.

That's the message given to parents by California lawmakers, who are pushing a bill to outlaw spanking in California:

"AB 2943 would label good, loving parents -- who occasionally use a little paddle, a ruler, a little stick, or a brush to correct their youngster's misbehavior -- as official "child abusers" in the eyes of the law," said Randy Thomasson, president of the Campaign for Children and Families.

The bill is a repeat of legislation introduced last year by Democratic Assemblywoman Sally Lieber. "The vast majority of child abuse victims and fatalities are young children," Lieber said when she first introduced her Child Abuse And Infant/Toddler Protection Bill. "Too often the abuse begins as some form of 'discipline.' Existing law is clearly not doing enough to protect the youngest, smallest, most vulnerable members of our society."

In that, Ms. Lieber may actually have a point.