All across the discussion boards, there is more and more news about "busts" of various establishments across the country. Now, given the fact that Bush, and the top law enforcement official in the country, Ashcroft, are both committed EVANGELICALS who, if they had their way, would lock up every Provider and Hobbyist they could get there hands on, can someone explain to me why any hobbyist would vote for Bush in November?  Does anyone doubt that if he's re-elected, these prosecutions would expand significantly?  "...and then they came for me!!"  Perhaps, only Bush can stop terrorists from infiltrating our hobby?  Or destroying America and our Our Way of Life, including our Hobby. (Incidentally, do you think most Americans would agree that Hobbying is part of "Our Way of Life"?)  Should we beware of Middle-Eastern providers?  "No thank you, Fatima, I'll use my own condom!!"  Maybe someone has some info that Bush gets bigger hard-ons and thus would be a tougher leader, while Kerry is a girly limp-prick. Please Bush supporting friends, explain the equation.

Although Mr. Bush may not be my ideal, the alternative is too scarey to even think about.  In the long run we are all going to be an Islamic society.  Look at history there are no better stratagists then These fundamental islamic crazies.  Perhaps if we had some body with the politics of a Micheal Savage the world as we know it might have a chance to survive

Hobbying violations are not federal raps. They fall under the category of misdemeanors, or county felonies.

So Bush & Ashcroft don't really have any control when you're dealing with local ladies.

Even the TBD busts were local, not the Feds, and they got thrown out eventually.

LE works on an intimidation factor, we're afraid we might be "outed" so we plea bargain or turn around and help LE.

I wish you guys who keep trying to hammer Ashcroft would get it through your heads that the Feds cannot really do anything locally and they don't care. Sheesh, because the guy claims to be Christian and goes after porn, everyone gets their panties knotted up and starts the Chicken Little crap.

I also like the eild assed accusations that somehow the current admin has trashed the Constitution. THAT is riot. Show me convictions that have stood up to the scrutiny of the Supreme Court that are somehow changing the US Constitution. But make sure you cite court docket numbers than can be verified through Findlaw or the actual Supreme Court website, none of the "expert" opinions from publications. And don't try and put your opinions/interpretations forward as fact.

Pray tell ... what exactly does Mr. Michael Wiener suggest we do?

if the feminazi's have their way, they would lock up every provider and hobbyist as well, neither party is our friend on this topic.

There are Federal raps related to prostitution.  If the argument is made that in crosses state lines, there are definitely laws.  

What if an enterprising prosecutor, a moralist in the Ashcroft mold, gets the idea that TER and other such things constitute a criminal conspiracy?  

It might not stand up in court, but the weakness in our system is that it's very easy to get the indictment.  Even if it doesn't stand up in court, the costs and the damage to reputation are enough to ruin anybody.  There's not disincentive built into the system to prevent this.  If you are brought up on sexual deviancy charges, as both the feds and the public will regard them, you are severely wounded in reputation and financially, as the costs of effectively defending a federal case are enormous. Meanwhile, as the charges are made, the feds get to give well-publicized press conferences talking up their latest bust and how terrible these people are...

Also, I take it, that you vote like a liberal in your local elections, then?  State and locals are the farm grounds for people like Ashcroft, that's where they cut their teeth.  Or, then, do you use the excuse that it's LE and judges and not our elected officials that enforce these useless laws?  Where do we get a handle on this if not through elections at every level?  

(I happen to live close to Ashcroft country and saw him rise.  I had no reason to like him then; I have less reason to like him now.)

Furthermore, what if Bush and Ashcroft re-elected decide to mobilize their constituency to look at other threats to the sacred institution of marriage, besides gay marriage?

Finally, don't think that LE doesn't gauge the popularity of their actions by what happens in elections.  They wouldn't be putting the resources into vice if, by all indications, they didn't think it was a popular thing to do.  Bush and Ashcroft reelected do send that message.

/Zin

...but republicans will show us the door immediately.

Feminists themselves are divided on this issue.  All you have to do is mobilize the ones who are more friendly.

A feminist is just a person with a mouth and a vote, just like you.
The democratic party doesn't depend on a base like the evangelical christians, who are absolutely hostile.  

/Zin

They are just on the same page... in the Koran.  

To win, to have a good strategy, starts by getting on the same page.  This is something that secularists have never been able to do.

/Zin

When Kerry announces he wants to legalize prostitution, let  me know.

Last time I checked, prostitution was a local law enforcement issue.

Based on the fortunes of his current and past wife, apparently he does do it for money

is a trivial aspect of this president's real thrust.  I think there is a package deal about this guy - a constellation of values executed as policy.

I think about Tony Blair, a guy who thinks rings around GW.  I wonder what he really thinks about the guy.  I doubt he'll do a Margaret Thatcher tribute at his funeral.  But he joined in with Iraq because he thinks there was global risk in the situation.  

So I think the real question is not, what's he going to do for (or to) me, and excuse me for thinking globally, but what's his impact going to do for the whole of our common well-being.  

Now, me, I don't think the guy's smart enough or mature enough to think through 2004. Now, is Kerry any better?  I frankly have my doubts.  I think there are cultures that require global force right now, along with a much more enlightened approach to the whole of the middle east.  

I mean, where the hell is someone who's got the stones to call out the really important stuff that matters everywhere and create new ways of thinking about it?

And if that person should happen to think our little hobby is a bad thing, I frankly couldn't care less.