Comments on: We Talked About Eliot Spitzer in Therapy http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2008/03/12/we-talked-about-elliot-spitzer-in-therapy/ Neil Kramer is a writer in Los Angeles. Citizen of the Month is his blog. Make yourself at home. Sat, 17 May 2008 00:38:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Buck http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2008/03/12/we-talked-about-elliot-spitzer-in-therapy/#comment-222853 Buck Tue, 18 Mar 2008 22:37:54 +0000 http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2008/03/12/we-talked-about-elliot-spitzer-in-therapy/#comment-222853 The extravagant cost was for discretion not for services. I don't think she was doing anything gymnastic or out of the ordinary. He was paying all that money so that this remained a private "transaction." Oh well, I guess in retrospect he might as well have gotten some $50 blowj*bs up in the Bronx. The extravagant cost was for discretion not for services. I don’t think she was doing anything gymnastic or out of the ordinary. He was paying all that money so that this remained a private “transaction.” Oh well, I guess in retrospect he might as well have gotten some $50 blowj*bs up in the Bronx.

]]> By: Atomic Bombshell http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2008/03/12/we-talked-about-elliot-spitzer-in-therapy/#comment-222650 Atomic Bombshell Fri, 14 Mar 2008 19:03:43 +0000 http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2008/03/12/we-talked-about-elliot-spitzer-in-therapy/#comment-222650 Yeah, I hear that "he's a big powerful man with big powerful sexual needs" argument. Strangely, I mostly hear that angle coming from women. Frankly, I think it's a crock. Yeah, I hear that “he’s a big powerful man with big powerful sexual needs” argument. Strangely, I mostly hear that angle coming from women. Frankly, I think it’s a crock.

]]> By: ingrid http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2008/03/12/we-talked-about-elliot-spitzer-in-therapy/#comment-222631 ingrid Fri, 14 Mar 2008 13:35:10 +0000 http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2008/03/12/we-talked-about-elliot-spitzer-in-therapy/#comment-222631 prostitution is legal here in the netherlands. on one hand, i like the protection for the women that this offers (in theory) on the other hand, they still have major problems with regulating the system. there are still huge mob connections and despite the fact that pimps are illegal, there are still major abuses. in fact amsterdam is initiating a clean up of the industry over the next year since it was no longer possible to ignore the issues that were emerging. if i had three hands, i would also say, quite definitely, that if i had a daughter, this is not a profession i would choose for her. "oh look honey, this university offers advanced blow-job techniques. you really should look into it. it is very lucrative. you can probably be financially independent in just a few years!" no, can't picture myself saying that. somehow in the back of my mind, there is still something demeaning about opening your legs for pay. despite all of the logic that i can apply to this, the oldest profession. prostitution is legal here in the netherlands.

on one hand, i like the protection for the women that this offers (in theory) on the other hand, they still have major problems with regulating the system. there are still huge mob connections and despite the fact that pimps are illegal, there are still major abuses. in fact amsterdam is initiating a clean up of the industry over the next year since it was no longer possible to ignore the issues that were emerging.

if i had three hands, i would also say, quite definitely, that if i had a daughter, this is not a profession i would choose for her. “oh look honey, this university offers advanced blow-job techniques. you really should look into it. it is very lucrative. you can probably be financially independent in just a few years!”

no, can’t picture myself saying that. somehow in the back of my mind, there is still something demeaning about opening your legs for pay. despite all of the logic that i can apply to this, the oldest profession.

]]> By: Edgy Mama http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2008/03/12/we-talked-about-elliot-spitzer-in-therapy/#comment-222604 Edgy Mama Thu, 13 Mar 2008 20:07:58 +0000 http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2008/03/12/we-talked-about-elliot-spitzer-in-therapy/#comment-222604 Neil, This post made total sense to me. I keep reading the news and thinking, "What? Federal charges? What are they talking about?" Then I remember that prostitution is illegal in this country. I guess I lived in Europe for too long. While morally, I disagree with the idea, I don't think it should be a crime. Why should the government moderate our sex lives? Guess I should ask some of my gay friends that question! Neil,
This post made total sense to me. I keep reading the news and thinking, “What? Federal charges? What are they talking about?” Then I remember that prostitution is illegal in this country. I guess I lived in Europe for too long. While morally, I disagree with the idea, I don’t think it should be a crime. Why should the government moderate our sex lives? Guess I should ask some of my gay friends that question!

]]> By: HeyJoe http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2008/03/12/we-talked-about-elliot-spitzer-in-therapy/#comment-222582 HeyJoe Thu, 13 Mar 2008 16:38:11 +0000 http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2008/03/12/we-talked-about-elliot-spitzer-in-therapy/#comment-222582 What amazes me is how these high-powered, high-profile men are willing to risk their entire careers by trusting a call girl (or a white House intern) to keep her mouth shut. Aren’t they concerned that their exploits may end up in a book or a blog or the front page of the NY Times? What amazes me is how these high-powered, high-profile men are willing to risk their entire careers by trusting a call girl (or a white House intern) to keep her mouth shut.

Aren’t they concerned that their exploits may end up in a book or a blog or the front page of the NY Times?

]]> By: tiff http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2008/03/12/we-talked-about-elliot-spitzer-in-therapy/#comment-222580 tiff Thu, 13 Mar 2008 16:29:25 +0000 http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2008/03/12/we-talked-about-elliot-spitzer-in-therapy/#comment-222580 Eliot wanted something maybe that he thought Silda wouldn't agree to, but unprotected oral sex with your partner doesn't seem like the kind of thing that your wife would balk at providing. Or maybe that's just me. Still, I'm with the "legalize prostitution" thing. And while we're at it, legalize pot too. A whole lot of us would be a whole lot happier people if that happened... Eliot wanted something maybe that he thought Silda wouldn’t agree to, but unprotected oral sex with your partner doesn’t seem like the kind of thing that your wife would balk at providing.

Or maybe that’s just me.

Still, I’m with the “legalize prostitution” thing. And while we’re at it, legalize pot too. A whole lot of us would be a whole lot happier people if that happened…

]]> By: You can call me, 'Sir' http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2008/03/12/we-talked-about-elliot-spitzer-in-therapy/#comment-222577 You can call me, 'Sir' Thu, 13 Mar 2008 15:32:16 +0000 http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2008/03/12/we-talked-about-elliot-spitzer-in-therapy/#comment-222577 Reading the comments is almost as enlightening as reading your post, Neil. I don't condone what he did, but it disturbs me to no end how people seem to take great pleasure in skewering him for it. If folks spent as much time looking into the mirror as they did pointing it at others hoping to help them see how awful they are, the world would indeed be a much better place, as both compassion and empathy might be rules rather than exceptions. Everyone falls; it's human. Reading the comments is almost as enlightening as reading your post, Neil. I don’t condone what he did, but it disturbs me to no end how people seem to take great pleasure in skewering him for it. If folks spent as much time looking into the mirror as they did pointing it at others hoping to help them see how awful they are, the world would indeed be a much better place, as both compassion and empathy might be rules rather than exceptions. Everyone falls; it’s human.

]]> By: Heidi http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2008/03/12/we-talked-about-elliot-spitzer-in-therapy/#comment-222574 Heidi Thu, 13 Mar 2008 15:12:24 +0000 http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2008/03/12/we-talked-about-elliot-spitzer-in-therapy/#comment-222574 And how long will Silda stay by his side? Set your stopwatches, GO! And how long will Silda stay by his side? Set your stopwatches, GO!

]]> By: Three Ladies http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2008/03/12/we-talked-about-elliot-spitzer-in-therapy/#comment-222570 Three Ladies Thu, 13 Mar 2008 14:04:42 +0000 http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2008/03/12/we-talked-about-elliot-spitzer-in-therapy/#comment-222570 You paid your therapist to talk about Spritzer? You paid your therapist to talk about Spritzer?

]]> By: suburbancorrespondent http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2008/03/12/we-talked-about-elliot-spitzer-in-therapy/#comment-222566 suburbancorrespondent Thu, 13 Mar 2008 13:09:21 +0000 http://www.citizenofthemonth.com/2008/03/12/we-talked-about-elliot-spitzer-in-therapy/#comment-222566 Um, there are lots of powerful men who don't cheat on their wives. Being powerful does not require a lot of sexual intercourse as a side dish. He cheated on his wife, he broke the law, and he financed a business that uses people in a very immoral way. That prostitute did not see the bulk of the money. Even in high-priced prostitution, there are pimps taking at least half. Stop rationalizing behavior that is wrong, wrong, wrong. And being able to get away with it doesn't make it right. What sort of a person does that make you? Um, there are lots of powerful men who don’t cheat on their wives. Being powerful does not require a lot of sexual intercourse as a side dish. He cheated on his wife, he broke the law, and he financed a business that uses people in a very immoral way. That prostitute did not see the bulk of the money. Even in high-priced prostitution, there are pimps taking at least half.

Stop rationalizing behavior that is wrong, wrong, wrong. And being able to get away with it doesn’t make it right. What sort of a person does that make you?

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