Mike I agree 100% with your rant, but disagree with the rest.

Even though I think for some parents this will be an excuse to be less parenting. Anything that can help a kid is a good thing. I don't have any children, but do have 4 nephews and a niece, and I have learnt that no matter how much you pay attention there is always the possibility that a kid will get lost or something, and for that I think it is a good idea. To the parents that think a beach, movie theatre, park is a public communal babysitting service I would give them a big zero and they deserve the ranting (and unfortunately it looks like it is more common today to think "it is not my job to raise and parent my kid, but society in general, I want to live my life, not be a guard") but let's be honest, I am sure even with the best parents and best behaved kids, sometimes shit happens.