Client Number Nine

[Occhidiangela]

Elliot Spitzer is going down.

Martha Stewart is doubtless laughing into her carrot cake and iced yogurt, all the while sitting in front of the fireplace on her Oh So Delightfully Designed sofa.

Spitzer got her on an insider trading deal. Now, he got himself by paying hookers thousands per session for acts undisclosed. This payment for services, illicit, comes from a guy who was busting corruption, shady dealings, insider trading, etc, and on the strength of that reputation got elected governor of New York.

It's all over the news. The NYT was rather kind to him.

Pride goeth before a fall. Irony of ironies, the same IRS who helped him bust drug dealers and other criminals was able to take a look at his bank transactions, from them get a wire tap, and figuring out that he was paying for his hookers via electronic means, get him by the balls and squeeze.

I said it in 1985, when I stumbled across a place in Palma De Mallorca where one could rent a fair lady by the hour on Visa:

The world has gone mad.

Elliot, did you ever hear of cash and carry?

I am sure he'll have fun when his wife files for divorce. The way he humiliated her in a very public manner is standard fare, I suppose, in politics these days. Elliot is from a wealthy family, I suspect the sharks are beginning to circle. (Sharks = divorce lawyers.)

Hang on, she's a New York Democrat, female, one each, spouse of an executive branch head serving in government. She'll stay with him, like her hero Hillary.

Vote Obama: bring a better class of crook to Washington.:P

Occhi

[Nystul]

Elliot Spitzer is going down.

Many things degrade over time, but Occhi's sense of humor remains pristene. :shuriken:

This guy seems to have forgotten a key step in the whole damage control process. Before you say "This is a personal matter, and I apologize to the wife and kids" you have to deny the crime, and admit to simple infidelity. That he did not do so suggests to me that he really is going down.

[Lissa]

Elliot Spitzer is going down.

Occhi

I think you got that backwards Occhi, someone went down on him... ;)

[ShadowHM]

Sadly, this tells me more about voter attitudes than anything else.

I still think insider trading, in that it can and often does hurt others, should be illegal and punished when caught.

Purchasing the services of a prostitute has no negative effect on anyone but the spurned spouse. If she can live with it, what concern or business is it of anyone else?

The sort of decisions the man makes in his job are what should be relevant to keeping that job. Why do y'all care so much about his private life?

[Bun-Bun]

Sadly, this tells me more about voter attitudes than anything else.

I still think insider trading, in that it can and often does hurt others, should be illegal and punished when caught.

Purchasing the services of a prostitute has no negative effect on anyone but the spurned spouse. If she can live with it, what concern or business is it of anyone else?

The sort of decisions the man makes in his job are what should be relevant to keeping that job. Why do y'all care so much about his private life?

Because poor judgement is not a 9-to-5 affliction. I don't care if he spent his own money on sex, or chocolate, or Beanie Babies. What I care about is that he chose to perform an act that he knew for damn sure would compromise his ability to govern if he was caught. If he can wake up stupid once, what's to say he can't again? Not to mention exposing himself to blackmail ain't all that great either.

I would prefer a perfect world where everyone thought as me and thee and politician's bedroom antics were mere fodder for the paparazzi. But enough people care about such things that it does carry over into the ability to do one's job.

[Jester]

Sadly, this tells me more about voter attitudes than anything else.

I still think insider trading, in that it can and often does hurt others, should be illegal and punished when caught.

Purchasing the services of a prostitute has no negative effect on anyone but the spurned spouse. If she can live with it, what concern or business is it of anyone else?

The sort of decisions the man makes in his job are what should be relevant to keeping that job. Why do y'all care so much about his private life?

I think the hypocrisy charge alone should be enough to terminate his political career. Anyone who claws their way to the top by cracking down by agressively and self-righteously insisting on unrealistic and unnecessary standards, and then gets caught with a high-priced hooker? Feel free to start again from the bottom, try not to leave an imprint in the pavement on your way down.

I agree with you entirely on the issue of his personal life, however. While his political career is rightly in tatters, the public has no business with his sex life, and should stop prying. Jail time for this kind of thing would be a ridiculous overreaction.

-Jester

[Artega]

I enjoy reading your posts when they're on subjects simple enough for me to understand them:)

[Hammerskjold]

Because poor judgement is not a 9-to-5 affliction. I don't care if he spent his own money on sex, or chocolate, or Beanie Babies. What I care about is that he chose to perform an act that he knew for damn sure would compromise his ability to govern if he was caught. If he can wake up stupid once, what's to say he can't again?

That about sums up my take as well. He prosecuted prostitution rings, and this guy has been described as an Elliot Ness. Well I'd be pissed off too if Elliot Ness was caught drunk in a speakeasy. Not because he was drinking the demon rum, or because prohibition is what is deemed legal at the time. But because there's a big conflict of interest there.

[Tris]

Hmmm....

Let's see here ... STD's ... if spouse doesn't know about the situation, there is a great possibility of spreading the problem. Plus, if he's getting it on with hookers, do you really think he's not having some other gals "on the side?"

[Artega]

Hmmm....

Let's see here ... STD's ... if spouse doesn't know about the situation, there is a great possibility of spreading the problem. Plus, if he's getting it on with hookers, do you really think he's not having some other gals "on the side?"

Pretty sure hookers with multi-thousand-dollar pricetags would be clean.

[Quark]

Hmmm....

Let's see here ... STD's ... if spouse doesn't know about the situation, there is a great possibility of spreading the problem. Plus, if he's getting it on with hookers, do you really think he's not having some other gals "on the side?"

Besides what Artega said, you don't spend $1000 an hour on an escort service and then go have some side fun too. Not blabbing is a big contributor to the cost.

[Jim]

Hi,

Not funny :angry:

Vote Obama: bring a better class of crook to Washington.:P

Occhi

[Taem]

Sadly, this tells me more about voter attitudes than anything else.

I still think insider trading, in that it can and often does hurt others, should be illegal and punished when caught.

Humm, are you referring to this? Not sure how this fits into the conversation, but okay.

Purchasing the services of a prostitute has no negative effect on anyone but the spurned spouse. If she can live with it, what concern or business is it of anyone else?

Most of the reasons prostitution is illegal is to prevent human trafficking and imprisonment (think slavery). It's big business from what I understand in Russia and other countries. The sex trade is not a very honorable act. Also how disturbing these people can't find woman interested in them outside of prostitution rings? I've met lots of ladies at work and friends I get along with swimmingly, and while both of us know nothing will ever come of our relationship, should the issue be pressed I know I could win a few of them over, not that I want too.

I can understand being out of town and wanting a "quickie" with no strings attached, however if married, you are violating a contract you made with your wife, correct? When I break a contract in real life, I am either finned or imprisoned, however marriage is obviously not taken seriously because people break this contract and their marriage license all the time without any consequence whatsoever. Like the term 'real-life' in reference to marriage? Because I think most people these days view marriage (and maybe life in general) as nothing more than a game played for their own amusement. Just my 2-cents.

[Vandiablo]

When I break a contract in real life, I am either finned or imprisoned, however marriage is obviously not taken seriously because people break this contract and their marriage license all the time without any consequence whatsoever.

Um, no. If I were to refrain from "forsaking others", by prostitute or by affair or by chance encounter, I am pretty sure a lawyer would come take most of my assets and future income. That alone is enough to make all the emotional considerations moot.

[ShadowHM]

Most of the reasons prostitution is illegal is to prevent human trafficking and imprisonment (think slavery). It's big business from what I understand in Russia and other countries. The sex trade is not a very honorable act. Also how disturbing these people can't find woman interested in them outside of prostitution rings? I've met lots of ladies at work and friends I get along with swimmingly, and while both of us know nothing will ever come of our relationship, should the issue be pressed I know I could win a few of them over, not that I want too.

Sorry, MEAT. That is utter hogwash. The main reason prostitution is illegal is because of the Puritan heritage we still suffer. Further, in my country, prostitution is not illegal. It is just fenced in with enough other restrictions to make it still a dangerous occupation and nicely hidden from the view of 'good folks'. :rolleyes:

Prevent human trafficking and imprisonment? The fact that it is illegal is what makes the human trafficking and imprisonment profitable and hence prevalent. :angry:


Notwithstanding your personal squeamishness with the topic or your personal ability to attract enough sex to keep you happy, this is the world's second oldest profession. There are plenty of reasons for people to choose to pay for sex, and not all of them have to do with lack of personal attractiveness.

[Taem]

Sorry, MEAT. That is utter hogwash. The main reason prostitution is illegal is because of the Puritan heritage we still suffer. Further, in my country, prostitution is not illegal. It is just fenced in with enough other restrictions to make it still a dangerous occupation and nicely hidden from the view of 'good folks'. :rolleyes:

Prevent human trafficking and imprisonment? The fact that it is illegal is what makes the human trafficking and imprisonment profitable and hence prevalent. :angry:

Humm, perhaps. I can't seem to find any examples of legalized prostitution where human trafficking is involved on the net so you may be on to something. Kind of reminds me of America's war on drugs :whistling:.

Notwithstanding your personal squeamishness with the topic or your personal ability to attract enough sex to keep you happy, this is the world's second oldest profession. There are plenty of reasons for people to choose to pay for sex, and not all of them have to do with lack of personal attractiveness.

Ugly people can have sex too. I'm not implying you must be attractive to 'attract' a member of the opposite sex. I'm simply saying I think it's much easier to find someone willing to shack up (money excluded) than people who pay for prostitution think it is. I've never payed for a prostitute, nor will I because the part of sex I enjoy the most is the intimacy of sharing a relationship with my partner. I'm the kind of guy who likes to cuddle and talk after sex, but not everyone is like me, I understand that. I'm sure there are other reasons people might pay for sex, such as those with disabilities or what not. So I'm not saying your point of view in defending prostitution is a "bad" thing per say, however I've never really giving it much thought; it's always had a negative connotation as I grew up so I just accepted it as such without ever really evaluating how there might be some "good" in it. I still doubt the latter however I'm willing to give your point of view a once over.

[ShadowHM]

I am glad you are willing to review the topic. :)

However, on this, I suspect you may not have thought it through:

I'm simply saying I think it's much easier to find someone willing to shack up (money excluded) than people who pay for prostitution think it is. .

It certainly may be easier to find, but it is likely to be much harder (and more expensive) to depart.

[LavCat]

Elliot Spitzer is going down.
...

Occhi

The news in tonight's papers is that David Paterson, the *new* New York governor, admits to sexual impropriety. Meanwhile in New Jersey our former governor continues trying to upstage them both.