make it legal

Let us not forget the infamous sex cruises hosted by Minnesota Vikings players in years gone by. Just a "sea" version of the limo rides available in many towns to this day, Chicago being one of them. I personally always thought that Alcatraz should have been turned into a combo brothel and casino. If you win at the casino, when the boats return to take you back to San Francisco, hopefully you've left the cash and a load on Alcatraz island. Hate to see all those cells go to waste.....
Muffrider's Avatar
The only way that I can see states even considering legalizing the profession is to offer special tax revenues that are guaranteed to benefit health or education. Even then it would be a stretch that they would win.

I can remember when the gambling boats had to fight the religious conservatives (not meant pejoratively) to gain state approval. What swung the votes their way was the (unrealized) promise of bountiful revenues for the schools.

As a practical matter, some jurisdictions handle it through their prosecuting attorneys. Certain counties have a very relaxed attitude toward pleading out those cases with minimal punishment, generally using fines to generate revenues. That way they kind of "decriminalize" the activity, at least until they see cases involving children, drugs, or flagrant repeaters that are so public that they're rubbing the prosecutors' noses in it.

I don't see it being legalized anytime soon though. Wouldn't want to injure the marriage industry. LOL.
jaybee's Avatar
how can you tax somthing every woman has? and can used in her own home? kinda like a cuss jar you would have to send to the state each time you cussed????
john_galt's Avatar
I was theorizing several years ago about finding a ship that would follow the US Navy fleet around and offer gambling, drinking, and women 24/7. This ship would even offer transportation to and from the warships. It would be the best protected ship in the area.
Longermonger's Avatar
B.S. Don't legalize it and tax it. Just legalize it. Originally Posted by Philhelm
Agreed.

Now, how do you trick dumb people into doing the right thing? First, let's not go for the whole thing at once. Let's just get our foot in the door. To keep all of the BS human trafficking/underage arguments out of it, let's set an age limit. For starters, let's make the age limit 65. That ought to grab headlines!

Next, we get a bunch of talking heads on TV to discuss it. (much lulz to be found here)

After that we vote on a referendum and hold the special election from 10pm-4am on Memorial Day weekend. Most of the sinners will be wide awake and drunk. The bible thumpers will be asleep...or wide awake and drunk, so they might just go for it.

If it passes, then we slowly expand the freedom until it covers everyone. If it loses, we attack the victors for denying senior citizens the freedom to get their freak-on in any manner they choose.
Sens55's Avatar
To think that it would be legalized and not taxed is ridiculous. Like others pointed out, there has to be an incentive for the state. And, at least in this part of the country, it would be political suicide to bring it up. Chances of it happening are somewhere between slim and none.

It is interesting though that the places, like Nevada, that DO legalize it, tend to be a LOT more expensive than the non-legal girls in the casinos. As far as I know, Las Vegas it is still illegal. But all you have to do is take a cab ride and ask "where the action is" to get a guy to pull out a binder full of cards kind of like baseball playing cards, with tons of different girls on them. I didn't take any at the time (was on a business trip and sharing a cab with a co-worker). Our question wasn't even about sex, just where it was "happening", like a club, and that got the book! And that's to say nothing of the people handing out the flyers on the strip.

Interestingly enough the "lack of enforcement" might be the way it happens in some places. The incentive is in savings from the vice squad. I believe it was San Francisco that said they were no longer going to use city resources to target simple prostitution. They were going to focus it more on trafficing and underage issues, which makes sense (one of the few things Gavin's done that does!)

As far as the criminal element being involved if it were legal...HELLO! Who the hell do you think runs it now?!?!? Obviously they don't control the entire market, as independents can still operate in most locations without coercion. But don't think for a moment that they're not present in a LOT of places. I see a LOT of girls that post on BP that have tats that look very much like gang markings. I don't think legalizing it will eliminate the organized criminal element, but it does make it harder. They at least have to have a front to run it (like they do at strip clubs). And that front company has to keep books, and the Feds always follow the money, which is how they catch them most of the time. I think the one thing it will do it help keep a lot of the crack heads off the streets. A lot of SW are there because of their addiction. And, again, I don't believe legalization will STOP that, but it helps curb it. And, it'll give Johns a viable alternative to patronizing such a girl, whereas now, in many cases, you roll your dice and take your chances.

Again, I don't think for a moment it'll happen in my lifetime. And I, too, am a Christian. I just don't see it as that big of a deal. They call it the oldest profession for a reason. They haven't found a way to stop it in 4000 years of human history, I can't see how they're going to stop it now. Given the revenue problems of most states and cities, it just seems like a tremendous waste of our tax dollars. If they focus on the trafficing and the underage issues and left consenting adults alone I think it wouldn't bother anyone, even those opposed. Don't make a public proclamation, just slowly start targeting the really dangerous ones.
I agree...and I don't even offer escort services...I think the same about weed.
Longermonger's Avatar
ITT social liberals