Letters to the Editor
-
Where's the common sense?
Yes, as an adult, Elliot Spitzer should be able to decide what to do with his time and money.
If it's OK for consenting adults to trade sex for dinner and a movie, it ought to be OK for consenting adults to trade sex for cash.
Those points aside, didn't it ever occur to him to think "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?"
That's the train of thought that keeps most of us out of jail, out of the tabloids, and out of the unemployment line.
-
Who cares if Eliot Spitzer hires prostitutes?
Who cares?!
Ummm...Glenn, dude, I basically agree with you about this but...are you really so unfamiliar with the customs of this country? Let me explain: in America, putting your dick where it doesn't belong is a much bigger issue than dropping thousands of bombs where they don't belong. You should've learned that around the time you learned to say the pledge of allegiance and didn't learn any languages other than English.
-
he's a hypocrite
The one thing I hate most about republicans is that they are almost always hypocrites.. do as we say not as we do. Spitzer has been exposed as a first class hypocrite by being the prostitute-ring-busting customer of a prostitute ring. And as someone else mentioned, other more serious underworld activities usually go with hookers.
Another thing I hate about republicans is that they support the most egregious GOP crooks just because they are fellow republicans. Usually I support the author's viewpoints, but unfortunately in this case, he comes off as the same type of commentator.. just on the Democrat side.
-
Hypocracy?
Is it really hypocritical to prosecute someone for something you do yourself? No, not really. It's called doing your job. You can't pick and choose to enforce only the rules you agree with when you are enforcing the rules.
He may be a hypocrite, but not for going after prostitution.
-
bearpaw1
I had a conversation with some feminists on Broadsheet not too long ago regarding prostitution.
Some of them put forth the idea that being a prostitute should not be illegal but that being a customer should..
There weren't that many feminists who seemed to think that what consenting adults do in private should not be anyone's business other than their own.
-
Alecsmom
It's morally repugnant, unethical and a crime. Period.
You're certainly entitled to think so, but I just want to ask a couple questions. How do you feel about pro-life advocates who say that abortion must be a crime because it is also "morally repugnant?"
And is it truly justice if a crime has no genuine moral basis?
-
Moral competition
Perhaps this is what comes from such a confused society, where the private life of powerful individuals, when unearthed, is pored over by 'concerned members of the audience' and discussed in forensic detail. No doubt Mr Spitzer will be condemned for hurting his wife (not a crime), hurting his family (also not a crime), destroying his reputation and his career (over a practice that while it may be illegal many citizens make use of, ie: the law proves no deterrent because how do you legislate away natural human desires, for sex, for company, for mutually beneficent exchange.
Those condemning Spitzer should think about what sort of politicians they require for public life and the gulf between requiring a professional or a saint. That Spitzer prosecuted prostitution rings and is then found making use of them, yes, that's hypocrisy, of a sort (he may not have been using prostitutes then, in which case perhaps he is not guilty of hypocrisy but simply of being caught).
Personally, I would prefer public officials and federal appointees to use some money on some sex (although thousands of $$$ an hour is steep) and work it out of their system, rather than be siphoning off millions of dollars in bribes like Duke Cunningham or trashing the lives of thousands of stockholders and employees as Enron and World.Com did or launching wars to satisfy their Boys Own need for death and destruction by proxy - (search out the war momentos story on how Rummy and Cheney and the rest have Iraqi trophies in their possession now)
The notion that if Spitzer has betrayed the trust of his wife then he must necessarily be untrustworthy in every aspect of his life is to move from the specific to the general without giving pause. It is always surprising how judgmental people are, but perhaps for some that is the best defense against their own real or unrealised capacity for vice.
-
Organized Crime
A rather ironic comment, to claim that a justification for prosecuting prostitution is because it's a front for organized crime. Of course, if it were LEGALIZED then there wouldn't be the risk/reward profit structure that invites organized crime.
Otherwise, once again a nice piece by Glenn. If only there were similar moral outrage about executive compensation, no-bid taxpayer raping contracts, or blatantly illegal wiretaps.
Obviously we need to invest more money in education at all levels, given the blinding stupidity of the American public.
-
We care because . . .
he's made his career going after others for hypocrisy and breaking minor, stupid laws. So now he's caught in one. Too bad.
-
Mixed feelings
While I do tend to agree prostitution should be legalized in some possibly restricted and heavily regulated form, my main problem with this is that it puts Spitzer in a compromised position with some unsavoury characters.
I also take issue with the "victimless crime" idea. While I'm sure there are prostitutes who are women who freely choose to engage in the sex trade out of a rational economic calculation about how to make lots of money (like many women in pornography), a great many prostitutes in the current, illegal system are there unwillingly and coerced through violence, threat of deportation, desperate need or drug addiction to do what they would not do if they could possibly escape.
All of this is actually a huge part of the pragmatic case for legalizing prostitution.
I have no way to know (as yet) if the women Spitzer may have engaged were any such. Seeing as they were higher end, it's possibly likely they weren't but that also makes it likely the brothel owners were mob connected.
So that puts Spitzer at the mercy of some bad people in terms of blackmail. He's a high public official and should avoid being beholden to mobsters. If we can establish this brothel was independent and not connected to the mafia and treated its women well, then I would reevaluate.
I also do think rank hypocrisy is resignation worthy. Which is why I think it is consistent to demand the resignation of Vitter and not Clinton. Bill Clinton is not a moralizer, lecturing to the masses on how best to live their personal lives. Spitzer has professionally prosecuted johns (I understand) and thus I can't see how he can justify remaining in office when revealed to be one such.
That scum like Vitter do not resign should not necessarily mean that left wing figures in similar circumstances should get a pass. Part of believing your side is "better" is to make sure they actually are, and I don't want to fall into the trap of letting the behaviour of right wing figures define what is acceptable. Because there be dragons.