Ex-Governor of New York Eliot Spitzer made a critical mistake in his relations with a prostitute: he had sex with her. Sex is bad, at least in America. You'd think a politician would know better than almost anyone. You don't have sex with prostitutes. You take campaign money from them:
The Grocery Manufacturers Association, which represents food, beverage and consumer products companies, spent nearly $1.6 million in 2007 to lobby on food safety and other issues.The trade group spent a little more than $1 million in the second half of 2007 to lobby the federal government, according to a disclosure form posted online Feb. 11 by the Senate's public records office. It lobbied on free trade agreements and food safety legislation.
The U.S. food industry has urged the government to give the Food and Drug Administration more funding and regulatory power to ensure that the imported products they sell meet U.S. safety and quality standards. The trade group recently repeated that call in February after the largest recall of tainted meat in U.S. history.
The group spent $540,000 in the first six months of 2007 to lobby on largely similar matters. (AP via Canadian Business)
GMA represents many big food companies -- e.g., Sara Lee Corp. and ConAgra Foods Inc. -- whose names are familiar from recent or past food safety problems. Of course by arguing about GMA lobbying expenditures we've already established what they are. We're just haggling over the price.
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So, then STDs, it's what's for dinner? Or would that be more of a late-night snack?
Dessert is condom-mints. Or is that relish?
I have long contended that prostitution is the purest form of capitalism, leveraging assets and making a profit giving customers what they want. Possibly made purer in this form because both the desires of the customer and the assets of the entrepreneur are inherent in their persons. They are free of advertising, marketing, the need for supporting equipment and the relationship is direct and simple.
Beyond location, bodily position and atmosphere most jobs pretty much resemble prostitution. I do lots of things to make money:
I get out of bed before I'm naturaly inclined to , put on clothing I wouldn't normally wear, travel to a location I otherwise wouldn't go to and act polite to and concerned about people I care little for. I earn money but most of what I earn goes to someone who acts in a supervisory manner but who seldom gets involved in the messy details of my job. He gives me a dime to the dollar I earn and lords his ability to end my employment over me at all times while simultaneously insulting and belittling my contribution.
Exactly how is this different from prostitution and the relationship of whore to pimp?
We are all whores.
At least the ladies from the Emperor's Club were well paid and afforded the opportunity to be honest about it. There is a certain dignity in honesty and hard work. Even when it is the customers working hard. Dignity that I don't feel in my job.
I take that back. Being a whore would be a step up for many American workers.
Oh I agree Art..but to me its like the stock market as of late... We are trying to reach the bottom before everything heads up.
Art - you need a new job.
Litany for Elliot S.
* Money laundering for trying to conceal the source and recipient of financial transactions.
* Tax evasion, if he was a knowing party to an all-cash business that wasn't filing taxes.
* Violation of the Mann Act for paying for the trip from New York to D.C. by the call girl known as "Kristen."
* Misuse of state resources, if he used his state-issued credit card for hotels or meals with prostitutes as well as if he was being protected by State Troopers during his dalliances.
* And finally, soliciting prostitution.
Additionals to this might include conspiracy and we dont know yet if campaign money was used. That would sink his boat for sure. Time for Elliot to play musical chairs. Spitzer leads right back to the Clintons.
Spitzer is likely going to be indicted and its just like Clinton. It wasnt about sex, it was about violation of the Mann Act, money laundering and God help him if anyone paid for this with state funds or used state resources. Its about that thing that the Clintons thought didnt apply to them.... You know, its called the law. Here is another charge...Wire fraud is another. The phone calls to set up trists trips multiple times the federal statutes, the use of credit cards goes across state lines. Hey how about that fax receipt?
FJC Maxwell, Dallas, Forrest City or Memphis are calling. Weeds and seeds will be his job for a minimum sentence of 80% of 20 years under the Mann Act. Money laundering is a minimum of 5 years. This will be the most expensive piece of ass in recent history... He got fucked alright.
Cleopatra sank Mark Antony's boat. This chick is going to be famous and Penthouse offered up 1 million for a photo shoot. Bill Cramer was his roomate in college and was brought to tears when he heard. My problem with all of this is what we are and have been seeing across the last 40 years is a systematic destruction of what America is. There isnt anyone that is honest anymore thats in a leadership position. There is no morality any longer... only the law. Without morality everyone suffers on both sides of the center. Surely his wife and kids will suffer the most even though he will be in prison.
The everything is okay group are countered by the religious right and both are whacko's. There is no middle ground. You belong to a camp, a fortification of values or the lack of them. Both use those positions to raid into the others area and take something or to create and complete an agenda. My President that I voted for while I consider him to be an alright guy, gets a full blown C- on his report card because he didnt reel in the ultra rightist which set off the lefties. He also let people that had agendas into his White House. He put people onto the Supreme Court that had the interests of developers and cities more in his heart than that of the single person. He fired one hell of a lot of Prosecutors and got vilified by the leftists, but it was legal. Clinton did it and no one batted an eye. Clinton lied before a Grand Jury and there are people even today who dont think he was impeached. There are those who think that the Republicans sent Monica in on a tongue and cheek job.
Maybe Waxman can convene yet another oversight committee meeting to save him?
So what to do about Elliot? The cost of catching him has to be way above the 100,000 dollar mark, the amount of money to prosecute is going to be in the millions. If they spend all that money, they have to show the judge they got something for it. So what does that mean? The fines for this would top something on the order of several million but he will never pay it. So what does Elliot have to offer?
Shit, I am compassionate. For starts, let him wear the Scarlet Letter for 10 years and just let it go. He is finished, and he would have to admit everyday that he let his nearly presidential penis get into the way of good common sense. Kind of like Clinton. But you know the law never applies to these guys until they are caught and but good at that. We have our own. Michael Milken for starts.
Scarlet Letter? Thats not reality. Reality is that he is going very likely to jail. To reduce his time Spitzer spills his guts on the people he knows and what they have done. Its got to be a nervous deal in the Hillary camp because of the previous allegations that were made about wrong doing in campaign finance, Norman Hsu, insider deals. Lets not forget that Al Gore Chinese money deal. What does Elliot know that the prosecutors want? What would you do to stay out of jail or to limit it?
Would you give up Hillary? You give up Hillary and you get to walk most likely. OR do you sit and wait and hope for a presidential pardon?
Dont you know that Baracks people are already on this?
My bet is that he is already indicted on the initial charges thus giving them the right to investigate everything under the instituo testimonium dum quesitio an oepi vitium laws. That is found this while we were looking for that laws. My bet is he gets eight years and then suddenly the raids start to roll in. Barack becomes the candidate because they indict someone in the Hillary camp or Her Highness herself.. All conjecture of course. Want to make some bets on it?
Here is Spitzers new myspace.....http://www.fotosearch.com/FSP114/014038/
Wow, Art, I can side with you to agree in that we all trade "services" for money and in a sense prostitute ourselves, but rarely does the product constitute our body itself and rarely does it put us in such dangerous situations. I'm guessing nobody asks you to stick objects or other people's body parts in your orifices at your current job, right? Yes, yes, it's all "voluntary", but if you stop in the middle of your work, there's not quite the same risk--anybody ever force you physically to finish what they paid for?