Updating the "Daddy Party" metaphor

The Republicans like to refer to themselves as the Daddy Party, while the Democrats are the Mommy Party.  What a nice, condescending, feminizing "bi-partisan" analogy.  

It doesn't take a lot of extrapolation to figure out what they're trying to imply--Daddies are the rational and intelligent parental half who supposedly impose discipline and standards when needed and provide financial support and protection for the family against external threats, while Mommies are supposedly soft and compassionate and lenient.  You know, the old "Just Wait Till Your Father Gets Home" paradigm.

These days, though, the metaphor needs a little updating.  Sure, maybe the Republicans are the Daddy Party.  But--and I speak from personal experience--what happens when Daddy turns out to be a deadbeat loser who can't keep a job, runs up enormous amounts of debt, lies to, manipulates, and abuses Mommy and the children physically and verbally, and puts the external interests of wealthy sluts who can advance his personal standing above the interests of his own family?  

I'd say it's time for a divorce.  And despite what all the men in the Daddy Party would like you to think, after thirty-some years of feminism, Mommy's pretty damn capable of taking care of the family on her own.

•  Speaking as one who knows firsthand...

  The vast majority of cases of child abuse are perpetrated by Daddies.

  by Maryscott OConnor on Thu Sep 09, 2004 at 10:23:41 AM PDT

  •  Disclaimer:

    The above comment was meant as a throwaway line and not meant to hijack the thread, thereby forcing it to devolve into a discussion about the statistics of child abuse and the perpetrators' gender.

    by Maryscott OConnor on Thu Sep 09, 2004 at 10:25:05 AM PDT

•  Good Metaphor

  Furthermore, Mommy has been enabling Daddy.  Wearing dark glasses to hide the bruises.  

  When Mommy's friends started telling her that she needed to find her strength and stand up for herself and her family, she kept making excuses for Daddy, and acting like her friends were crazy and were no friends at all.

  Yes, Mommy can take care of herself and her family without this louse of a spouse. Admitting that there's a problem is the first step to addressing it.

  by Malacandra on Thu Sep 09, 2004 at 10:44:46 AM PDT

•  I can see the ads now

  Open on a family eating dinner.
  TIMMY: Do I have to eat my vegetables?
  DAD: I work hard to put food on your plates. Don't you know there are starving kids in Iraq?
  TIMMY: But they're yukky.
  DAD: Come here.
  (DAD stands, starts to take off his belt)
  MOM: I'll make you something else, Timmy.
  DAD: Don't spoil him.
  (MOM stands, gets in between DAD and TIMMY)
  MOM: Let him be, George.
  (DAD hits her, she screams, as does little JANE, silent until now)
  MOM: Kids, go to your rooms
  (TIMMY and JANE run from the room)

  Republicans. The Daddy Party.
  

  by pellucidity on Thu Sep 09, 2004 at 11:05:51 AM PDT