Letters to the Editor
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NSA Fishing
I didn't have time to look through all the comments, but I did find one that suggested that the NSA fishing found this originally (so I don't know how much this has been discussed). Leaving aside the hypocrisy and the foolishness of using prostitutes while being such a public person, I do find it interesting that this is getting the attention it is along with the amount of effort that went into it. Especially with all the attention that has already been noted by Glen.
I have always felt that the Bush administration is using the FISA wiretaps to listen in on political rivals (any Democrat). It will be interesting to see where this all goes and what will come out.
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Outraged Upstate NY Democrat
Glen -
Love your work. But you are missing a lot of key issues here. Spitzer built his entire political persona around being the reincarnation of Elliot Ness. I voted for him twice myself. But I was always troubled by his being such a self-righteous bully. Nobody ultimately has any use for a bully, and for good reason. And his incredibly arrogant "I'm the smartest guy in the room and you're not. I got an 800 on my LSAT" rubbing everyone's nose in it was just insufferable.
Do you expect us to believe that Spitzer really didn't know about the State trooper tailing of Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno? He dodged that bullet (others took the bullet for him) - putting himself above the law in this instance (and in many ways more troubling than this latest scandal). Evidently, he's so virtuous, even putting himself above the law was OK.
We're all hypocrites on some levels. But a self-righteous hypocrite, who built no real allies, refused to build bridges with the loyal opposition, etc., is more than we can expect to put up with. I can testify that my Democratic friends here in Upstate NY have no sympathy and hope he resigns soon. He's done enough damage to the NY Democratic party, thank you very much.
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Maybe I'm being whimsical here but....
"Hmm. I'm paying money for sex with a prostitute. I'm the governor of New York state. Am I potentially risking my career if I get caught doing this?"
I kind of wonder if he was thinking, "Am I potentially risking my relationship with my wife?"
I know, silly of me.
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@ DCLAW1: Prostitution vs. Porn
My friends and I have been arguing this paradox at cocktail parties for years.
Pornography is considered speech, protected by the 1st amendment while Prostitution is a category of behavior that has always been regulated. The contradiction makes perfect sense under the law but shows the arbitrary nature of the morality that underlies it.
Our solution: my friends and I have all decided that if we ever hire a prostitute, we will bring a video camera along just in case we need a legal defense.
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@Mizmoon
And I'm looking in the mirror and smiling - damn, I'm hot!
Glad to hear it - and that you apparently have a sense of humor, as well.
But of course you realize that many people find blasphemy immoral and it used to be a capital offense. Slavery used to be completely legal and large-scale slave owners lauded as pillars of society. But times (happily) change. The behavior that we so easily indulge in or condemn today could find it's position reversed tomorrow.
As long as it's between consenting adults, who sucks who's dick, how, and how well, are none of my business - or yours. Yes Spitzer needs to deal with the legal (and domestic) consequences of his apparent idiocy, but let's spare each other the moral outrage.
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just because it's dangerous and degrading ...
Is not enough reason for it to be made illegal, Mizmoon. Remember, there are people who want to buy used cars, so the job of used car salesman needs to exist, although it must be a terrible burden on the soul and karma of those doomed to fill it.
I was once relegated to downstairs man on the sewer crew, a job I would not wish on anyone, and dangerous besides.
In fact, given that a politician is only different from a prostitute in what product they deliver, I find it impossible to work up any moral outrage over the perhaps not-so-honorable Mr. Spitzer's behavior.
Seems to me it's up to the people of New York to determine if they desire to be governed by this person, and up to his family if they wish to associate with him. I'm not related, and I've never even wanted to live in NY, so as far as I'm concerned the only interesting question here is whether Spitzer was caught by some by-product of the NSA warrantless wiretap program, or by other extra-legal means.
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Reiterating
My point is that because prostitution is illegal, my concern is that this puts Spitzer at the blackmail mercy of the prostitute, the booker and the brothel owner who is quite likely connected to other underworld figures.
For all we know, the Feds got wind of this because some ordinary mobster they were busting named Spitzer as part of a deal.
This also distinguishes the illegality from things like speeding tickets or having anal sex in texas pre-Lawrence. Those things might be or have been illegal, but they don't put the office holder committing those acts at risk for blackmail and in a conflict of interest with his or her public duties.
I mean if a bill came to Spitzer's desk that would adversely affect the interests of a brothel he had visited, would he sign it? He'd have incentive not to anyway.
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Pedinska
A woman who voluntarily chooses to be a sex worker is very different than a woman who chooses to do whatever it takes to survive.
I've had jobs that were far worse than being a sex worker..
Working in a chrome shop.. Tens of thousands of gallons of near boiling point cyanide solutions, heavy metal particles in the air along with all kinds of other nasty stuff from the polishing process.. Walk outside on a Florida summer day to eat lunch and it feels like walking into air conditioning.
I did what was needed to support my family, if it was being a sex worker, that's what I would do too..
Not that anyone is likely to pay me for sex, I closely resemble Homer Simpson these days and I was never what you would call attractive.