Scandal in the State

Blown ... out of proportion

The public loves a scandal. The huge deficit, the costly war - both in lives and dollars, the erosion of freedoms, the censorship of science, and the pillaging of natural resources for profit; these issues just can't capture America's attention like steroid use in baseball or a politician getting somin' somin' on the side. This time it wasn't The National Enquirer or The Star revealing a governor's secret lust life, it was The New York Times.

Yep, squeaky-clean Gov. Eliot Spitzer was outed by the NYT for hiring prostitutes, one in particular, Client 9. Of course I think it is rather silly but technically it is illegal. I think I'm more shocked at the rates these girls get! Why the hell did I go to college if I could make thousands of dollars for being some rich guy's arm candy ... oh yeah, I'd have to sleep with the old coots .... ick! And I think they have a shelf-life of about five to ten years until they're probably thought too old for that business. At least he seems to have gone for the classy type, if you can call a hooker classy.

So the gov pays for sex, the state is thrown into a bumpy transition, and personally I think it is all rather silly. Sure, I'll be upset if he used taxpayer dollars or staff time (security) for any of this. I wish he had just got his groove on the old-fashion way without the exchange of money but who knows why that turned him on - none of my business. And I'm happy enough if some of that consensual sex relieves his stress so he can get on with doing business. Sad for his wife and children. But Americans are rather prudish about sex so we closet it ... and then talk scandalously when a public figure gets caught with their pants down. And we call him hypocritical. Who's throwing stones now.