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Prostitutes and Politics Why is it still illegal to pay for sex?
Reason Online ^ | May 7, 2007 | Cathy Young

Posted on 05/09/2007 6:51:49 AM PDT by Lusis

The resignation of Randall Tobias, the chief of the Bush administration's foreign aid programs, for "personal reasons" following the revelation that he had engaged the services of two escort-service workers has provided rich grist for amusement on the punditry circuit. There was indeed plenty of material for humor in the situation, from Tobias's strong stand in favor of abstinence teaching in AIDS prevention programs to his "I didn't inhale"-style assertion that he never had sex with the women. But the predictable laughs have obscured a much larger issue than hypocrisy in the ranks of social conservatives. The reason Tobias's call-girl adventures became public is that the owner of the Washington, DC-based service, Pamela Martin, is facing prosecution and has turned her records over to news organizations to help pay for her legal defense.

Even those who feel a certain schadenfreude at Tobias's downfall should be asking the question: should there have been a criminal case in the first place?

(Excerpt) Read more at reason.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Government; Your Opinion/Questions
KEYWORDS: amoral; bowtothepeepee; butgodsaysnoooooo; consentingadults; ilovebiggubmint; inprivate; itsjustsex; lawrencevtexas; libertines; othersdonotpay; prostitution; repentsinnerz; somehavetopay; thepeepeeandstate; thepeepeeasgod
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To: wideawake
Prostitutes and Politics Why is it still illegal to pay for sex?

Several reasons... Pimps who prey upon young women, slavery, dirty old creeps who can't think with the appendage at the upper end of the spinal column and spread diseases.

There are more, but I don't think you are ready to have that discussion with me.

381 posted on 05/11/2007 4:47:18 PM PDT by Sir Francis Dashwood (LET'S ROLL!)
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To: Sir Francis Dashwood

One would get the impression from your post that sex were designed for marriage and family.

How dare you declare such a thing, in the midst of our self-loving, self-loathing hedonist culture! Don’t you know we are free to destroy our civilization — “just because we can?”

/sarcasm


382 posted on 05/11/2007 4:49:53 PM PDT by unspun (What do you think? Please think, before you answer.)
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To: JTN; JamesP81
I just want to point out that libertarians are hardly monolithic on abortion. I don't doubt that most are pro-choice, but it's a somewhat controversial issue in libertarian circles.

I'm a libertarian leaning conservative. It is true that the LP as a party does indeed "punt" on the abortion issue. They don't take a stand one way or the other. Not surprising really. They don't take a stand on anything and the platform as a party looks damn near close to anarchy. They agree on nothing other than "Gubmint should leave citizens and human beings the heck alone".

This is where it is clear to me that the true and pure libertarian argument on the abortion question IMHO is clearly on the side of pro-life. Government exists to protect people's lives and their property and to provide basic services. Not to legislate morality, redistribute wealth or conduct social engineering.

If sticking a sharp object into a human beings skull doesn't qualify as "protecting people's lives" then I don't know what the Hell does.

383 posted on 05/11/2007 5:07:01 PM PDT by Eric Blair 2084 (Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms shouldn't be a federal agency...it should be a convenience store.)
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To: TheKidster

Kidster, you deserve Nobel Prize for your posts on this thread. I was reading it on my Blackberry in the airport.

Great stuff.


384 posted on 05/11/2007 5:08:34 PM PDT by Eric Blair 2084 (Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms shouldn't be a federal agency...it should be a convenience store.)
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To: psychoknk
I'm in favor of legalizing prostitution, as it is one of those "victimless crimes."

Our legal system has never been based on whether or not something is a "victimless crime". This is a libertarian myth.

385 posted on 05/11/2007 5:17:18 PM PDT by Hacksaw
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To: grey_whiskers
Was the letter written as private support to him, or was it a pronouncement of a public stance by Lewis?

The letter was not to Greeves. I don't have my copy of the Letters handy, but I see from one of my previous uses of this quote that the name of the person to whom the letter was addressed was "Mrs. Edward A. Allen".

386 posted on 05/12/2007 12:33:40 AM PDT by JTN ("I came here to kick ass and chew bubble gum. And I'm all out of bubble gum.")
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To: JTN
I'll have to get a copy of Letters to read. I've absorbed most of his other books whole...thanks for the tip.
387 posted on 05/12/2007 5:24:01 AM PDT by grey_whiskers (The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change without notice.)
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To: Eric Blair 2084

Thanks!


388 posted on 05/13/2007 2:04:48 PM PDT by TheKidster (you can only trust government to grow, consolidate power and infringe upon your liberties.)
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To: Scotswife
I do think of prostitutes as humans, made by the same Creator as me.

That's why I want them off the streets practicing their 'craft' in a safe place.

And I don't believe it's God's plan for any person to be engaged in that biz, either as consumer or provider, no woman should be on the street.

389 posted on 05/13/2007 2:16:21 PM PDT by investigateworld (The BP guys will do more Prison Time than the Worst Jap POW camp commander,thanks W)
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To: Star Traveler

Looks like you’re not as attracted to the Loving Grace of The LORD as you are to HIS Justice and punishment of wickedness. Hopefully, that will change, but the humbling crucible isn’t going to be fun for you.
See you on the other side!


390 posted on 05/13/2007 2:17:23 PM PDT by TheKidster (you can only trust government to grow, consolidate power and infringe upon your liberties.)
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To: FormerLib

Aren’t “emanations” akin to “auras”, and as such rightly considered to be of validity only to hte drugged counter culture types?

Hmmmn - given the many rulings which are verrrry counter to America, perhaps the Ass-inine at SCOTUS need to be tested for drugs.


391 posted on 05/13/2007 2:34:57 PM PDT by GladesGuru (In a society predicated upon freedom, it is essential to examine principle)
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To: investigateworld

how many prostitutes do you think do this “craft” because they love their “work”?

No...it is desperation, enslavement to drugs, enslavement to a pimp.
In more and more cases it is foreign women enslaved with the threat of exposure and deportment.

It is the enslavement of young runaways.

Slavery is wrong and it should be illegal.

Prostitution is bad for society - it is bad for everyone involved.

Without it, there will still be adultery and people cheating on their spouses, but when you add the element of monetary gain for the sale of a human body....that introduces the element of slavery.


392 posted on 05/13/2007 2:55:05 PM PDT by Scotswife
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To: Scotswife
Taking daughter and grandkids to dinn-dinn, see ya later with all the answers <;^).
393 posted on 05/13/2007 3:15:17 PM PDT by investigateworld (The BP guys will do more Prison Time than the Worst Jap POW camp commander,thanks W)
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To: Scotswife
how many prostitutes do you think do this “craft” because they love their “work”?

Menniger Foundation did a study a number of years ago where the working girls expressed the same level as satisfaction with their work as others in the same skill levels (waitresses, cleaning staff and the like)

No...it is desperation, enslavement to drugs, enslavement to a pimp.

Not really desperation, most of these ladies are attractive enough to attract a single male and make an 'exclusive contract for services' but it's more fun to be making whopee. A lady employed in a "house" does not need or use the services of a pimp

In more and more cases it is foreign women enslaved with the threat of exposure and deportment.

I don't really want to cover Dubya's failure to carry out his constitutional duties and obligations to secure the borders. Perhaps on another thread ;^)

It is the enslavement of young runaways.

Don't believe every thing you see in Hollywood. Do you really believe heterosexual (normal) American males, while in the throes of physical passion would really ignore a lady's plea for help? Again, don't believe Hollywood.

Slavery is wrong and it should be illegal.

No argument there. Puppies should have chew toys available at all times.

Prostitution is bad for society - it is bad for everyone involved.

Probably, just don't see the need for the state to become involved in voluntary adult type activities, except to make an effort to see a disease is not passed and the chances of the participants being killed and injured are reduced. And it would probably reduce the numbers of abortion when immature males confine their premarital hank panky to the 'pros'.

Without it, there will still be adultery and people cheating on their spouses, but when you add the element of monetary gain for the sale of a human body....that introduces the element of slavery.

Trust me, those ladies are not slaves, except to making dumb decisions. And I'm hardly a Kumbaya singing liberal, I believe drug dealers and pimps should be publicly flogged and executed on their third conviction.

394 posted on 05/13/2007 10:45:33 PM PDT by investigateworld (The BP guys will do more Prison Time than the Worst Jap POW camp commander,thanks W)
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To: investigateworld

and you have a link to this study?
Very skeptical.

“Not really desperation, most of these ladies are attractive enough to attract a single male and make an ‘exclusive contract for services’ but it’s more fun to be making whopee. A lady employed in a “house” does not need or use the services of a pimp”

So let me get this right....you think the prostitutes are enjoying themselves? Is that right?

“Do you really believe heterosexual (normal) American males, while in the throes of physical passion would really ignore a lady’s plea for help? “

What are you talking about?
You are assuming most of these guys are “normal”?
Most “normal” men I know say things like “I would never stoop to having to pay for ‘it’”

So...the type of guys who would go to a hooker? Yeah, I can believe they don’t care much about the prostitute’s situation.

“Probably, just don’t see the need for the state to become involved in voluntary adult type activities, except to make an effort to see a disease is not passed and the chances of the participants being killed and injured are reduced. And it would probably reduce the numbers of abortion when immature males confine their premarital hank panky to the ‘pros’.”

OK...you live in a dream world where you think legalization will actually help people.
Here’s a good link refuting that idea....

http://www.rapereliefshelter.bc.ca/issues/prostitution_legalizing.html


395 posted on 05/14/2007 5:18:46 AM PDT by Scotswife
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To: unspun
I can't accept your false, Randist-style presuppositions and neither should you. My political philosophy goes back to America's Christian and Christ-influenced founding fathers, not to some materialst counter-Stalinist, or any other revisionism.

I've never read a word of Rand, so that jab isn't going to take, friend. And the latter jab was just sloppy.

You can't answer the question, so you're swinging around madly, trying to see if you can hit anything.


396 posted on 05/14/2007 5:52:10 AM PDT by Hemingway's Ghost (Spirit of '75)
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To: LightBeam
So its "kooky" to defend the standard of traditional American-Christian morality for 200 years.....

No, genius.

It's kooky to claim that the Catholic church "isn't really" a Christian church---that's kooky enough as is---but then, in the next breath, to claim that you "aren't an authority on what constitutes Christian morality"---that adds an element of dumbness to the kookery that makes you a true standout.

397 posted on 05/14/2007 5:55:16 AM PDT by Hemingway's Ghost (Spirit of '75)
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To: Scotswife
I don't know if they enjoy 'it' or not. Through the course and scope of my previous career, I've dealt with a large number of them. They appear to have (and admit to) having made choices to enter and remain.

We are not like post WW2 Europe where chocolate bars and nylons are a valuable currency, they have other channels to support themselves.

Do a little research on the legal Nevada brothels, those ladies are not at risk to being murdered and anyone who would think of trying to harm one of the 'staff' there wouldn't leave the facility alive.

And us men never lie, "I'd never have to pay for it".

Ya sure.

Again, I don't believe the Man Upstairs wants anyone to do that kind of 'profession', just as he doesn't want us to steal or lie.

But by forcing them to operate outside the law, we put them at risk.

I believe Nevada has the best approach to the whole nasty business.

398 posted on 05/14/2007 7:04:06 AM PDT by investigateworld (The BP guys will do more Prison Time than the Worst Jap POW camp commander,thanks W)
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To: investigateworld

oh sure, Nevada has taken all the nastiness out of prostitution and made it nice and safe and all that, as we can read about here....

http://www.lvrj.com/opinion/7483782.html


399 posted on 05/14/2007 7:45:26 AM PDT by Scotswife
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To: Scotswife
Thanks for posting that article. Nevada has a ‘local’ option, each county choosing to decided whether to legalize cat houses or not.
Clark County where Las Vegas resides is a no - no county and we see the results.
(Trivia: Clark County is named after Senator William Clark, a copper mining magnate, who lost a nephew on board the Titanic)
400 posted on 05/14/2007 8:13:20 AM PDT by investigateworld (The BP guys will do more Prison Time than the Worst Jap POW camp commander,thanks W)
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