tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776899.post113226668936318956..comments2024-03-06T03:15:58.539-05:00Comments on <b>THE NEW REFORM CLUB</b>: For Love Or MoneyHunter Bakerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14961831404331998743noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776899.post-1132280162529102242005-11-17T21:16:00.000-05:002005-11-17T21:16:00.000-05:00mjwatson, you should get into my description of Lo...mjwatson, you should get into my description of Locke because to speak of Locke and Aristotle would be to really get at the heart of this thing. It wouldn't bother me a bit to be corrected on Locke. Feel free to instruct. I'd be much more pleased than insulted.Hunter Bakerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14961831404331998743noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776899.post-1132273434870622132005-11-17T19:23:00.000-05:002005-11-17T19:23:00.000-05:00Interesting conversation. I'm just chiming in to d...Interesting conversation. I'm just chiming in to demur from Hunter's description of Locke. But to get to far into it would be a hijack of the topic.John H. Watsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02057669588188393564noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776899.post-1132272233046576252005-11-17T19:03:00.000-05:002005-11-17T19:03:00.000-05:00I agree with Tlaloc (Shocking, I know...). In the ...I agree with Tlaloc (Shocking, I know...). In the case of prostitution, it is a public health concern that they have access to health care - particularly of the kind directed towards preventing and identifying infectious diseases - and preventative/prophylactic materials. By your same argument, you are condemning those waitresses and wives to the possibility of contracting diseases their boyfriends, husbands, casual flings, and rapists may have contracted from prostitutes who, without subsidized health care, cannot afford to find out if they have such an ailment. <BR/><BR/>Prostitutes are often frequented by foreigners and have multiple johns in one night and frequent populated, often crowded urban areas. They are a <I>perfect</I> vector for a biological attack.<BR/><BR/>There's a public health reason and a national security reason for free health care to prostitutes.<BR/><BR/>In this case, Hunter is quite correct: There is a greater public good we all have a responsibility for.James F. Elliotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16747033407956667363noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776899.post-1132272016921780432005-11-17T19:00:00.000-05:002005-11-17T19:00:00.000-05:00See it's a lot like the needle exchange programs. ...<I>See it's a lot like the needle exchange programs. They work, quite well in fact, at reducing the spread of disaese.</I><BR/><BR/>While I agree that in theory the overall health of a community may benefit, you still have to have a way to prove that you are a prostitute, especially if it is illegal (legalization and regulation is a different issue).<BR/><BR/>Jay is suggesting, I believe, that giving a rather large incentive, ie, "free" health care, will have unintended consequences that are likely to outweight the overall physical health of the community.<BR/><BR/>Needle exchange programs are very cheap, and there is little or no incentive for a non-IV drug user to abuse the program.<BR/><BR/>The bottom line is that the cost/benefit ratio for needle exchange programs is in a completely different ballpark than "free" health care for prostitutes.Barry Vanhoffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04006891046091646808noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776899.post-1132270956646626742005-11-17T18:42:00.000-05:002005-11-17T18:42:00.000-05:00This is where we get into what kind of society we ...This is where we get into what kind of society we are trying to host. Aristotle says it is based on civic friendship -- we are trying to cultivate excellence together. Locke sees us more like atoms trying to protect our space and not collide too frequently. Legalizing prostitution is more Lockean and I'm not sure I fit in that boat.Hunter Bakerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14961831404331998743noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8776899.post-1132268109879472922005-11-17T17:55:00.000-05:002005-11-17T17:55:00.000-05:00Besides, how do you prove that you're a prostitute...Besides, how do you prove that you're a prostitute in order to get your free health care?<BR/><BR/><I>Anyone</I> could make the claim.<BR/><BR/>I suppose you could show receipts, but then you'd have to pay taxes on the money. Then one could claim that they were giving comfort to the poor, and were turning tricks for free.<BR/><BR/>\sarcasm{on}<BR/><BR/>I just did myself ... GIMME MY HEALTH CARE!<BR/><BR/>\sarcasm{off}<BR/><BR/>:)Barry Vanhoffhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04006891046091646808noreply@blogger.com