Why in the USA is a politician visiting a prostitute a huge deal (but not in Europe)? (legal, government)

[Mashed Potatoes]

Originally Posted by KC_Sleuth

I know in the Sen. Mendendez case the woman on video recanted her claim that he paid her for sex - but that there is still in ongoing investigation. This question, though, refers to all politicians going back to the Bill Clinton days (at before that, but I was not old enough to vote for president until the 2000 election). I wonder we, as an American public, care so much that a politician visits a prostitute. We know that people all over the world do this - it's not the world's oldest profession for no reason. In Europe this outrage doesn't seem to occur (Burlesconi, etc.)

If you want to say that they are breaking local-level prostitution laws, you have an argument. But if an American politician was caught in Las Vegas (where prostitution is legal) with a hooker people would still be up in arms. If you want to say it's immoral, I would agree..but in the end who cares? As long as they do their jobs. We are not electing them to set moral examples - we are electing them to pass laws.

I am not a Democrat or Republican...I am an independent, non-religious libertarian (I am not specifically coming to the defense of Menendez).

Prostitution is not legal in Las Vegas.

It's legal in NV, just not in Clark County where Vegas is located.

Figured you should know in case you are planning a trip

[Mircea]

Originally Posted by KC_Sleuth

I know in the Sen. Mendendez case the woman on video recanted her claim that he paid her for sex - but that there is still in ongoing investigation. This question, though, refers to all politicians going back to the Bill Clinton days (at before that, but I was not old enough to vote for president until the 2000 election). I wonder we, as an American public, care so much that a politician visits a prostitute. We know that people all over the world do this - it's not the world's oldest profession for no reason. In Europe this outrage doesn't seem to occur (Burlesconi, etc.)

If you want to say that they are breaking local-level prostitution laws, you have an argument. But if an American politician was caught in Las Vegas (where prostitution is legal) with a hooker people would still be up in arms. If you want to say it's immoral, I would agree..but in the end who cares? As long as they do their jobs. We are not electing them to set moral examples - we are electing them to pass laws.

I am not a Democrat or Republican...I am an independent, non-religious libertarian (I am not specifically coming to the defense of Menendez).

It's very easy for spies to pose as prostitutes.

That is not a "conspiracy theory," that is the British Politician Sex Scandal.

British MPs (Members of Parliament) and high-ranking ministers (cabinet positions) were having sex with prostitutes, except the prostitutes were actually Soviet spies.

You're probably too young to remember that, or understand the meaning of "pillow talk."

The highest ranking politician involved in the British Politician Sex Scandal was an American....specifically President Kennedy.

The reasons many Americans are not aware of the facts is due to the efforts of Robert Kennedy, then US Attorney General, who threatened two Pulitzer Prize-winning editors -- James Horan and Dom Frasca -- if they broke the story in the US. The other reason is this bizarre obsession with Kennedy as being some kind of great president -- he was an horrid president who's own arrogance and stupidity came close (but not as close as Kissinger/Nixon) to damn near destroying the world in nuclear war.

On the evening of his inauguration party, Kennedy abandoned his wife and two children to go to a party at actor Peter Lawford's home, where he was sucking face and finger-banging actress Angie Dickinson and then simultaneously had sex with two prostitutes.

While it has never been proven, there is speculation that one or both of those prostitutes were also Soviet spies, and that's how Kennedy got hooked into the British Politician Sex Scandal -- he when to Britain to visit one or both of those prostitutes.

Had you taken psychology courses related to crime, you'd know that one reason crimes occur is due to the fact that people rationalize their criminal actions, and people can rationalize violating moral or criminal codes, often continue to do so at higher and higher levels

Thus, a man like Blow Job Bill Clinton who would commit adultery had no problem rationalizing his secret illegal wars in Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan.

Nor did Blow Job Bill have an issue rationalizing the violation of US Public laws preventing the purchase of weapons and munitions from Iran to give to al-Qaida lieutenant al-Zawahiri to smuggle those weapons from Albania into Bosnia and Kosovo-Metohija.

On the one hand, you decry the bribery, graft and corruption in which politicians engage with special interest groups, and then on the other had, you're ambivalent about morality.

It doesn't work that way, and you've no right to complain about the influence of special interest groups on government.

And using your pathetic argument, murder has been around longer than prostitution, so we should just make it legal.

Also, we should be electing them to set examples.

A representative who engages in immorality or criminal activity is most certainly not representative of me, but if it is representative of America.....then you country is doomed to fail.

Historically...

Mircea

[foadi]

Originally Posted by ChrisFromChicago

BTW - if the girl was underage (and age is defined by state law here) than the girl couldn't of consented to sex, and thus rape, and I would fire the senator.

age of consent for commercial sex is 18 regardless of what the local age of consent might be. this is ensured by a few UN treaties that most countries have signed.

[Old Gringo]

Originally Posted by KC_Sleuth

I know in the Sen. Mendendez case the woman on video recanted her claim that he paid her for sex - but that there is still in ongoing investigation. This question, though, refers to all politicians going back to the Bill Clinton days (at before that, but I was not old enough to vote for president until the 2000 election). I wonder we, as an American public, care so much that a politician visits a prostitute. We know that people all over the world do this - it's not the world's oldest profession for no reason. In Europe this outrage doesn't seem to occur (Burlesconi, etc.)

If you want to say that they are breaking local-level prostitution laws, you have an argument. But if an American politician was caught in Las Vegas (where prostitution is legal) with a hooker people would still be up in arms. If you want to say it's immoral, I would agree..but in the end who cares? As long as they do their jobs. We are not electing them to set moral examples - we are electing them to pass laws.

I am not a Democrat or Republican...I am an independent, non-religious libertarian (I am not specifically coming to the defense of Menendez).

It only seems to matter to the "sex is dirty" crowd.

Personally, I think it's kinda funny when a politico gets caught with his pants down. His wife might not be so amused, though.

[foadi]

i am a hobbyist myself, so i don't mind most of the time. but when eliot spitzer got caught sleeping with prostitutes i would super-pissed. that guy targeted P4P throughout his entire career, even went after a few friends of mine who were operating a legitimate sex tour company. he is scum and he deserves worse than he got.

[Electric Blue]

Originally Posted by mb1547

I don't really care unless they're a "family values" politician trying to shove social conservative policy down our throats at the same time they're doing the same thing they condemn in everyone else.

What if they are a liberal Democrat who takes advantage of very poor and very young girls?
Or has co-sponsored laws going after sex trafficking,like Menendez has done? No,as long as it's a Democrat you will say it's ok. Typical.

[kidkaos2]

Originally Posted by KC_Sleuth

I know in the Sen. Mendendez case the woman on video recanted her claim that he paid her for sex - but that there is still in ongoing investigation. This question, though, refers to all politicians going back to the Bill Clinton days (at before that, but I was not old enough to vote for president until the 2000 election). I wonder we, as an American public, care so much that a politician visits a prostitute. We know that people all over the world do this - it's not the world's oldest profession for no reason. In Europe this outrage doesn't seem to occur (Burlesconi, etc.)

If you want to say that they are breaking local-level prostitution laws, you have an argument. But if an American politician was caught in Las Vegas (where prostitution is legal) with a hooker people would still be up in arms. If you want to say it's immoral, I would agree..but in the end who cares? As long as they do their jobs. We are not electing them to set moral examples - we are electing them to pass laws.

I am not a Democrat or Republican...I am an independent, non-religious libertarian (I am not specifically coming to the defense of Menendez).

Social conservatives tend to believe that sex outside of a committed relationship is wrong. (used to be any sex outside of marriage, but I find these days the marriage license isn't so important anymore as that the sex not be 'casual')

Democrats don't like social conservatives.

So a social conservative will point out a Democrat's sexual impropriety because they think it shows evidence of a lack of character. Democrats will point out a Republican's sexual impropriety because they think it shows hypocrisy.

The news will report on either one because salacious stories get high ratings.

[KUchief25]

Mata Hari

[kidkaos2]

Originally Posted by Mircea

A representative who engages in immorality or criminal activity is most certainly not representative of me, but if it is representative of America.....then you country is doomed to fail.

Historically...

Mircea

Yep. The first time it really sank home to me that there is a fundamental difference between Democrats and Republicans, and that the idea that America was going downhill was a reality and not just "every generation thinks the next one is ruining the world" was Bill Clinton.

When I heard the national organization of women support Clinton.

1. Why was infidelity okay? Dukakis was a hard left candidate and his campaign was ruined by adultery.
2. Why was it okay for Clinton to engage in this with an intern? They thrashed Clarence Thomas over Anita Hill because of his position of authority over her
3. Why is it okay for a President to ever lie under oath? Clinton had just beaten Bush using "read my lips no new taxes" as a lie and that was just a speech, not legal testimony under oath

If you broke your marriage vow to your lifelong intimate partner, is being flexible with your oath of office that far behind? A womens' rights organization suddenly excuses sexual harassment if it's a Democrat doing it? You're allowed to lie under oath as President? That was when it really hit home with me that America was headed in the wrong direction. And also that the Democrats were more concerned with politics than actual civil rights.

[L'Artiste]

because they are usually using our money to do it