Prostitutes and Politics Why is it still illegal to pay for sex?

Reason Online ^ | May 7, 2007 | Cathy Young

[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?

[JamesP81]

ping

[pgyanke]

But slavery was ok?

Only someone ignorant of history could go down this road this way.

[GovernmentIsTheProblem]

Legal to give away... illegal to sell.

How ridiculous.

[cripplecreek]

The problem with pure libertarians is the fact that they get to the word ‘freedom’ and stop thinking right there. Pure libertarianism is selfishness with no thought about the effect on society.

For instance the claim that legalizing drugs will empty our prisons. The fact is that there are very few people in prison for simple drug use. Most are there for crimes they committed while under the influence of the drugs or in an attempt to get the drugs. If you legalize crack, you aren’t going to create model citizens who just happen to like crack. Instead you now have a guy who robs or steals to support his now legal habit.

[FormerLib]

She said, “Abortion doesn’t kill a baby. It’s just a bunch of cells.”

I'm not surprised that she refused to actually answer your question. I get the same result and always point out their evasion.

[Realism]

It is illegal to pay for sex because our very existence as a nation relies on the Judeo-Christian values that formed us.

Judeo-Christian values "priestcraft". Though for good reason. To prevent the spread of STD's and since back in the day they had no birth control, well you know.

[JamesP81]

If you legalize crack, you aren’t going to create model citizens who just happen to like crack. Instead you now have a guy who robs or steals to support his now legal habit.

To be fair to the libertarians, if you legalize it, the price drops significantly. The low supply and risk associated with producing, transporting, and selling it is what keeps the price so high. If it becomes very inexpensive, then at least the crack user only has to steal to support a 10 dollar a day habit instead of 100 dollar a day habit. Many can come up with that money and won't have to steal at all. So, again, to be fair, the libertarians are right: legalizing drugs would reduce our prison population both for drug crimes and secondary crimes associated with them.

[Paulus Invictus]

"Man has always paid for sex. One way or another."

Oh, and how do you explain Billy Priapus Clinton? He is reputed to have groped and serviced thousands of willing and unwilling femmes and still became very wealthy. The only female gropee we know he was forced to pay was named Jones (a somewhat expensive grope it was too!).

[Vaquero]

I see you use the big L when not taking Libertarians seriously. Most who consider themselves libertarians dont necessarily follow that party’s line.

[Niteranger68]

I'm in favor of legalizing prostitution, as it is one of those "victimless crimes." By making it illegal, it isn't like we are getting rid of it, and instead we are throwing away money at policing it. If prostitution was legal, then there would be fewer pimps, since a prostitute could go to the police for protection from Johns who beat them or don't pay (I'd wager this costs less than prosecuting and jailing them). Legislating morality will not make people any more moral, and only makes the government a bigger nanny state.

I would side with your position. Whose business is it if two adults agree to a money-for-sex exchange?

[FormerLib]

So, again, to be fair, the libertarians are right: legalizing drugs would reduce our prison population both for drug crimes and secondary crimes associated with them.

But the libertarians are wrong when they suggest that there wouldn't be an increase in crimes committed by drug-intoxicated and/or hallucinating individuals.

[psychoknk]

To some extent, every law is a legislation of morality (as a principle). Should we take, “Thou shalt not kill”, or “thou shalt not steal”, out of our criminal codes as well...since they are legislations of morality?

One has to view the government as an institution that secures certain rights at the expense of other rights. In an anarchy, you can go around, killing/stealing/raping/burning, etc. You have infinite "rights:" the right to life, the right to kill, the right to your possessions, the right to steal, etc. Many of these "rights" are incompatible with each other, and hence they are tenuous; my right to life would be in conflict with someone else's right to kill. A government is there to secures everyone's right to life at the expense of everyone's "right" to kill, in order to maintain stability.

As another poster who replied to me mentioned, legislating morality causes a problem because one must pick whose morality to legislate. Somebody else mentioned that this is a Judeo-Christian nation, and as such, those morals are the ones to be enforced. However, examine the growing Muslim population. If/when they have the majority, it won't be your morality that is legislated.

[cripplecreek]

if you legalize it, the price drops significantly.

And then the government comes along and taxes it driving the price right back to where it was or even higher. Also there's the irrational dangerous behavior of crack addicts that still needs to be dealt with.

[pgyanke]

We have mistaken liberty for license in this country...

In liberty, we have the freedom to do what we ought to do. That compels order and concern for the welfare of your country and countrymen. We used to have liberty in this country. The Libertarians and liberals are giving us license. This is freedom without the social conscience. We become a nation at drift as we no longer consider right or wrong, only ourselves. We work but we work without societal purpose—for self-gratification. This has led to a bastardization of Adam Smith’s invisible hand. The invisible hand was made up of the individual decisions of the citizens and concluded in the common good. License has turn this hand into clenched fist holding tight to itself and whatever it can grab. With no thought to right, we raid the public trough. With no thought to justice, we litigate in search of our own personal lottery.

In Communism, you lack personal freedom but you are working for the common good. It is a society without a soul and without life but, like an ant colony, it has a purpose. It will eventually wither as it lack innovation and industry... but it will drive its slaves mercilessly until its collapse.

This is why Communism is strong in peace and we are strong in war. Communism marches on inexorably when unconfronted. Liberty (and license) strikes out harshly against enslavement... until it eventually enslaves the society in anarchy.

/rant

[psychoknk]

Whose business is it if two adults agree to a money-for-sex exchange?

Judging from some of the responses here, I take it that many would like to make it their business.

[kidd]

Another common claim is that prostitution causes direct harm by contributing to the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV/AIDS.

Sexually transmitted diseases includes HIV/AIDS, but it also includes herpes, syphilis, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and hepatitis. It is pretty well established that AIDS/HIV does not readily tranmit from female to male unless there is some sort of open sore. However the other diseases are easily transmitted from female to male...but your quote only makes mention of AIDS.

Classic strawman argument.

[Niteranger68]

Judging from some of the responses here, I take it that many would like to make it their business.

I'm picking up on that too, but haven't seen a good point yet.

[Little Ray]

The guy is a moron. The extremely HIGH rate of HIV/AIDS in Africa is largely due to prostitutes... Same is true in SE Asia.
He’s just being selective about his data.

Besides, I DO believe in legislating morality. You know, little things like murder, rape, theft, pedophilia, bestiality, etc... ALL laws legislate morality to some degree.

[HamiltonJay]

Prostitution is pretty much the cheapest of the options, truth be told.

[SteveMcKing]

Same exact reason that assisting suicide is a crime.