Parents and grandparents be on the alert. Tantrums abound in Lame Duck DC and much damage could be done.

Those very politicians voted overwhelmingly out of office and out of control insist that two years ago the citizens gave them a mandate....a mandate they define as vastly expanded government controls, increased dependency on the nanny state, wealth redistribution and putting America last. In a final grasp of Congressional control they scramble to grab all those toys they've always wanted before they are made to go home.

Hello!  Earth to Progressive/Liberal/Democrats.

We will speak, as to an out of control child, calmly and in short direct sentences. You did bad things. You did them on purpose. You were caught with both hands in the taxpayers' pockets. You are out.

There was no mandate to explode the deficit.

There was no mandate to socialize our healthcare.

There was no mandate to choose winners and losers in our markets.

There was no mandate to create slush funds of our money to be spent mostly before the 2012 election, aka stimulus.

The voters have sent you to time out.

We know that children learn from their role models and so these politicians learned three days ago, from their leader and role model, that it is OK to throw a tantrum. It is acceptable to negotiate an agreement with the "other team" and then, at the first non-adoring rhetoric from the press, throw the whole other team, who represent the majority of Americans, under the bus as hostage takers.

Meanwhile, voters decried more deficit spending and stood on street corners and marched on DC to say, "Stop spending money we do not have!"

Then they voted NO to the above agenda. Those voters have to settle for no massive personal tax increases in return for a reinstated estate tax and 60 billion more in deficit spending, instead of using unexpended stimulus funds, to provide more unemployment benefits.

What happened to one child halving the cupcake and the other choosing first? It is increasingly obvious that politicians, once elected, need constant supervision. The lure of power, money and obeisance is more compelling than was our teenager's craving for popularity. And ever more destructive to us all.